Chapter 3
"Darren, can you go to The Stew Factory and grab us some beef stew? You know it's my favorite. Pretty please? I'll stay here and take care of Alicia," Helena chimed in sweetly.
Darren didn't even check with me. He just flashed a big smile and said yes.
"Alicia, see that? Darren still puts me above everyone else. But do you know why he's been acting so sweet to you these past four years?" Helena smirked.
She shot me a smug grin and tapped a spot over my side, right where my kidney is.
"Because this kidney of yours? Sooner or later, it's gonna be mine," she sneered.
Hearing that, my worst fears were confirmed. My face went pale.
I clenched my fists so tight my whole body shook. "Your sister snatched my sister's kidney, and now you're coming after mine too?" I snapped.
Helena's eyes flashed with fear for a split second before she went full-on brazen. "Who are you gonna blame, huh? Maybe if Bonnie wasn't so weak—or if your parents lasted a little longer—none of this would've happened."
I snapped, rage boiling over. I slapped her hard right across the face.
I threw every ounce of strength I had into the slap. Then I crumpled on the hospital bed, spent.
"Damn you, Alicia! You're just my live kidney. How dare you hit me?" Helena shrieked.
Helena raised her hand, her eyes savage, like she was about to eat me alive.
But she suddenly stopped, grabbed her stomach, and dropped to the floor.
"Alicia! What did you do to Helena?" Darren's voice rang out, taut with panic as he came bursting in.
He flung the steaming hot beef stew right at me.
Then he darted to Helena's side, carefully scooping her into his arms and giving me a furious stare.
"Helena came over to help you. What did you do to her? Have you forgotten that her kidneys have been bad lately?" Darren shouted, voice shaking with anger.
The steaming beef stew stung my skin, turning it red, but I forced myself not to cry out. Glaring coldly at Darren, I spat out, "She had the nerve to insult my parents and my sister.
"Why don't you explain why Bonnie ended up rejecting the kidney after her transplant? Care to answer that, Darren?"
Darren instinctively pulled Helena closer, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes.
"Kidney transplants aren't a sure thing, you know. It all came down to Bonnie's own health.
"Helena had nothing to do with that. How could you go after her like that? Apologize to her right now," Darren snapped, his anger boiling over.
Helena clutched her stomach, acting frail. "Don't blame Alicia, Darren. Bonnie passed away, while Maya is still alive. It's only natural Alicia's upset. I don't hold it against her.
"If Alicia really can't stand me, maybe I should just stay out of your way. I don't want to make things awkward for you."
The burn on my skin ached, but that pain was nothing compared to the way my heart felt—utterly torn apart, like nothing inside me was left intact.
Darren didn't even glance my way. He cradled Helena in his arms, kicked the hospital room door open, and rushed out to find a doctor.
I closed my eyes, and a single tear silently rolled down my face.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a message from my lawyer. [The divorce papers are ready.]
From now on, Darren and I were done. Our four whole years of relationship had ended.
*****
That night, I printed out the divorce papers and checked myself out of the hospital.
When I got home, I spotted the birthday present Darren had given me yesterday.
It was last year's limited-edition watch, already out of fashion.
Meanwhile, Helena had just posted on her social media. That was when I realized tonight was her wedding anniversary with Gordon.
In the photo, she looked every bit the pampered princess, showered with affection and basking in the spotlight at the center, appearing utterly radiant.
Gordon and Darren flanked her on either side, like two loyal and devoted knights.
The gossip sites were buzzing tonight, all saying Helena was seriously lucky—she had a young, successful husband and a childhood sweetheart who worshipped the ground she walked on.
And around her neck was the rare sapphire necklace Darren had spent half a year searching for.
The sapphire was deep and rich, shimmering under the lights with a mesmerizing brilliance. There was only one like it in the entire world.
Maybe, in Darren's heart, Helena was just like this one-of-a-kind sapphire necklace—utterly priceless, impossible to replace.
And at their anniversary party, Darren made a real spectacle of it, publicly handing over 40% of Hurley Group's shares to Helena—a wedding gift so outrageous it left everyone gawking.
He even went so far as to announce that 90% of Hurley Group's future business would be funneled straight to Rush Group, just so Helena could totally rule the scene and flaunt her status at the Shepard family.
Ever since Rush Group took over Landry Group, instead of flourishing like everyone expected, Rush Group had been sliding downhill.
Gordon's mom was starting to grow impatient with Helena. In her eyes, Helena was more of a burden than an asset—never able to make any difference for the family business.
So now, Darren spared no expense, showering Helena with everything he had, just to win a single smile from her.
But at the same time, I couldn't shake the feeling that something just wasn't right.
With the poor management of Rush Group, how did they even pull off the takeover of Landry Group all those years ago?
But it had been ages, and there was no way I could get to the bottom of it now.
Just like when Bonnie had her kidney switched—I'd got nothing solid to prove what I suspect.