Chapter 3

I said, "Get out. This is what Emily deserves for being the other woman."

"Smack."

My cheek turned red and swollen. I blinked.

And Charles was stunned. "I'm sorry, Olivia. I don't mean to."

He grabbed my hand, and I slapped him across the face like I'd lost my mind, but he didn't fight back.

After I'd vented all my anger, his lips were trembling. "Emily isn't the other woman."

He pulled out his phone, opened a photo, and shoved it at me.

Next to the red marriage certificate was a divorce agreement, and to my shock, my signature was on it.

"I divorced you three years ago so Lucas could have his legal status. I've already married Emily," he said.

My throat tightened. "What do you say?"

He couldn't even look me in the eye. "If anyone's the other woman here, it's you."

I gripped my phone, my hands trembling as I kept pinching and swiping the screen, zooming in and out on the photo.

I fixed my gaze on Charles, disbelief flooding me, before collapsing onto the hospital bed.

Tears soaked the pillowcase as I laughed so hard I ended up crying, the sound turning bitter as my emotions spiraled out of control. "Charles, you'll regret this. Karma will catch up to you."

My nails dug so deep into my palm that blood welled up, and in my mind, I asked the System, "Can I choose how I die?"

After the System confirmed it, I looked at Charles. "Okay, I'll donate."

He gripped my hand tightly, his eyes rimmed with tears. "Liv, I knew you still loved me. Don't worry. This is the last time I'll help Emily. After the surgery, I'll cut ties with her. From now on, it'll be us."

I looked into his eyes. "But I have a condition. I want to hear you say it out loud. Admit you are the one who switch the babies, admit you cheat, admit that everything is your fault. If you do that, I'll save her."

I thought Charles would refuse, but he nodded without hesitation. "Okay. As long as you're willing to save her, I'll do anything you want."

I gritted my teeth and kicked him out. "System, I want to die right there on the operating table. Make him feel what it's like to push me to my death with his own hands."

The night before the surgery.

From the next room, I could hear Charles playing with Lucas and cracking jokes with Emily, their laughter echoing down the hall.

My parents were there too.

"It's a good thing Olivia's a match for you. I guess this is her way of finally paying you back," Clara said.

I traced the silver bracelet in my hand.

It was a blessing bracelet I got from a mountain temple when I was pregnant with Lucas.

Without a second thought, I tossed it into the trash.

Soon after, my phone started blowing up with messages.

I opened my social media and saw Charles's apology post. [It's all my fault. I destroyed this family. I let Liv down...]

He even posted it on Twitter, and suddenly, my phone was flooded with messages from friends checking in on me.

But I didn't feel the rush of payback I'd always imagined.

All I felt was numbness.

Soon after, there was a knock at the door. Clara came in, carrying a lunchbox, and set it on the table. "I make you some soup. Make sure you eat it."

I looked at her, who once fought with my teachers for my sake, and my heart was overflowing with pain I couldn't even begin to express. "Mom, if I die..."

Clara gave me a few quick slaps. "Don't say that. Quit talking about dying. Isn't this because you don't want to donate?

"You promised, so don't go back on your word. If that's what it takes, Damon and I will stay away from Emily as much as possible."

Damon sighed. "Make sure you and Charles are okay from now on."

The System flickered again. "Countdown: twelve hours left."

The next morning at ten, the nurse came to get me.

As I was being wheeled into the operating room, Charles squeezed my hand. "When you come out, we'll be okay."

The operating room lights flickered on, and I stared at the blinding white bulbs until everything went dark.

Not long after, the nurse screamed. "Doctor, her blood pressure's dropping. She's bleeding out."

"Oh no, she's going into shock. Get the adrenaline ready, stat. We need to save her," the doctor yelled.

Half-conscious, I heard the System's electronic voice. "Detachment sequence initiating. Five, four, three, two, one..."

The heart monitor let out a piercing alarm.

*****

My soul floated upward.

The operating room doors burst open, and the nurse rushed out. "Where are Olivia's family?"

Charles sprang forward.

"She's in shock and bleeding out. Her condition is critical. We're doing everything we can, but you need to prepare for the worst," the nurse said.