Chapter 2

"Dr. Farley said there's nothing wrong. I can finally stop worrying. You just rest here for a bit. There's still something I need to discuss with Dr. Farley," Darren said.

I forced a bitter smile. Stop worrying? What exactly was he worried about? Guess that was something only he knew.

Once they left, I turned and made my way straight to the records office.

"Hi, could you help me find Bonnie Landry's surgical records?" I asked.

The young nurse on duty was pretty new and didn't recognize me at all.

I told her I was Bonnie's older sister, and she eagerly pulled up Bonnie's kidney transplant files from years ago.

Sure enough, when I looked through them, I saw the details about the kidney source had clearly been altered.

While the nurse was distracted, I quickly scanned a copy of the record with my phone.

By the time I got back to the lounge, Darren was already there.

I was messaging my lawyer, asking for more information, when Darren gave me an apologetic look and said, "Sorry, Alicia. Something came up at the company, and I have to run. I won't be able to spend your birthday with you today."

I couldn't help but frown, feeling a little hurt. "Can't it wait until tomorrow? Today isn't just my birthday—it's also the day my parents and Bonnie..."

"I know, and I'm really sorry, but I have to deal with this now. I'll make it up to you tomorrow. Your birthday present's already at home. You'll see it when you get back," he replied.

His sudden interruption brought me crashing back to reality.

Darren claimed he'd stand in for my family and always be there for me. But that was just a lie.

My birthday, and the day my family passed, clearly didn't matter to him—it was nothing compared to being there with Helena to celebrate Helena's sister, Maya's graduation.

Standing at Bonnie's grave, my phone lit up with a message from Helena.

Helena: [Today is Maya's graduation day. Darren made a special trip just to celebrate, and he even gave Maya ten percent of Hurley Group's shares. Why didn't you come along to celebrate with us?]

Helena: [Oh wait, I almost forgot—it's Bonnie's death anniversary, isn't it? You must be busy with that. Well, we're just going to keep the party going over here.]

Next, she sent me a group picture.

In the photo, Maya stood front and center, all youth and sunshine, grinning from ear to ear.

Helena and Darren were on either side of her, but Darren wasn't even looking at the camera—his head was turned toward Helena, eyes full of unmistakable affection.

I clutched my phone, staring at Bonnie's black-and-white photo on her tombstone, my heart twisting with sorrow and resentment.

Bonnie should be alive. But the architect of all this misery turned out to be Darren—the man I'd loved for four years.

Just then, the lawyer messaged me, saying that just having the tampered surgery report wasn't enough proof that the kidney had been illegally switched out.

I stood before my parents' and Bonnie's graves, letting tears and rain both slide down my cheeks continuously.

I didn't even know how long I'd been spaced out there, before my legs finally gave way and everything faded to black.

*****

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Darren, his face full of worry and concern.

"Alicia, you're finally awake. Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" Darren asked.

Seeing him look at me so tenderly, I nearly lost control. I almost blurted out the one question burning inside me: had he ever truly loved me, even a little, in these four years?

Just then, Helena came over and gently hooked her arm around Darren's, putting on her best concerned look.

"Alicia, I know today's the death anniversary for your family, but you shouldn't have gone out into the rain like that. Darren and I were worried sick about you," she said.

Honestly, they looked so affectionate together—like a loving couple.

This scene snapped me wide awake. I bit back the ache in my chest, and made my tone as flat as possible. "Well, thanks for worrying about me, but I'm fine. If you two have things to do, feel free to leave."

Darren's face changed ever so slightly. He quietly pulled away from Helena.

Then he held my hand, gently swept his fingers across my pale cheek, and tucked a stray lock behind my ear.

"Company stuff can wait—you matter most. The doctor says you've got a bit of a fever from that rain, so you need to take it easy. I've pushed all my work aside, just want to be here with you for now," he said.

The warmth from his hand sent my mind spinning for a moment.

Whenever I fell sick in the past—even if he was closing deals worth billions—he'd leave it all behind and race home just to be with me.

For these past four years, he had been impeccable towards me.

If I hadn't accidentally overheard his talk with the doctor yesterday, I never would've guessed he could go so far for Helena.