Chapter 7
Before Charlotte was wheeled into the operating room, her phone buzzed with a call from Victor.
"I'm about to go into surgery as well, so I can't come see you," Victor said.
"But Charlotte, I'm with you in spirit," he added.
He didn't call her on video.
Probably, he was afraid she'd catch on if she saw his face.
After all, he was busy making sure everything was perfect for his proposal to Sophie in a few hours.
He was dressed in Sophie's favorite color, holding her favorite flowers, ready to trample on Charlotte's dignity and rub her face in the dirt.
Charlotte gave a small, resigned smile.
"Yeah, sure. We're together in spirit," she said.
She hung up without a second thought.
Victor hesitated for a moment and hit redial almost on autopilot.
As soon as Charlotte picked up, he blurted out, "Charlotte, are you feeling scared?
"If you are, I can wait. Maybe we'll find another donor later on."
Charlotte's eyes were cold, but her voice stayed gentle.
"I'm not scared," she said. "I'm doing this for you."
Victor froze for a moment, his voice tinged with awkward uncertainty.
"Actually..." Victor began.
Charlotte hung up on him without hesitation.
The only thing left was the soft beep echoing in his ear.
As he was about to call again, Sophie rolled over in her wheelchair and gently squeezed his hand.
"Victor, is everything ready?" she asked softly.
Victor gripped the USB drive tightly, but said nothing.
"Victor, are you having second thoughts about getting revenge for me?" Sophie asked, her voice trembling.
"Are you falling for her?" Sophie asked, and her eyes welled up with tears, her voice barely above a whisper.
"That's impossible!" Victor snapped back without thinking. "She's a shameless and victorious bully who ruined your life and made you spend the rest of it in a wheelchair. I couldn't hate her more. How could I ever love someone like that?"
Victor's breath came in short, angry bursts as he spun around and shoved the USB drive into his assistant David Smith's hand.
"When I propose to Sophie, play this video for the whole city to see," he said coldly.
Five hours later, the moment finally arrived.
With countless friends and family looking on, the scene was set.
Victor got down on one knee, welcoming his princess.
The doors to the operating room slowly swung open.
A body lay motionless on the hospital bed.
Almost everyone started making a commotion.
Instead of joining the commotion, Victor turned and knelt before Sophie.
He started, "Sophie, from when we were six or seven all the way into our late twenties, for more than twenty years, I've waited for this moment. And now I can finally say it to you.
"Will you marry me?"
Dead silence filled the room.
Not even Charlotte, lying motionless on the hospital bed, uttered a word.
Victor kept his gaze locked on Sophie, not daring to look back or blink.
Sophie's eyes sparkled with excitement as she was about to leap into his arms.
Suddenly, a figure burst into the room, looking frantic.
"Mr. Sterling, something is wrong with the video you wanted us to play," the assistant blurted out.
On the screen, Charlotte was much thinner, having lost nearly twenty-two pounds.
She was bare-faced, dressed in a plain white dress, and gave the camera a gentle, soft smile.
She said quietly, "Victor, I know these years we spent together were a performance for your revenge.
"Also, I know you'll never believe me, but I never bullied anyone.
"But it doesn't matter.
"As long as it's you, I'll do anything."
At that moment, a suffocating guilt washed over Victor, leaving him trembling uncontrollably. His heart pounded as he wondered what he had done, and he finally forced himself to turn and look at Charlotte lying motionless on the hospital bed.