Chapter 2

The decision settled in my bones, cold and hard. When my adoptive mother, Mrs. Davis, came to visit later that morning, her face was a mask of strained concern. She brought a bouquet of lilies that filled the sterile room with a cloying, funereal scent.

"Sarah, dear, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice a little too bright. "We were so worried. Alex is a lucky man to have you."

I looked at her, at the carefully styled hair and expensive jewelry, and felt nothing. The desperate need for her approval that had defined my entire life had vanished, burned away by Alex's cruel words.

"I'm fine," I said, my voice flat.

She fussed with the flowers, avoiding my eyes. "Your father and I were talking. There's... there's something we need to discuss with you."

I already knew what it was. I waited.

"You know about the arranged marriage with the Cole family," she started, her words hesitant. "It was meant for Chloe, of course. A wonderful opportunity for our family, to ally with Cole Industries."

"I know," I said.

She took a deep breath. "Well, Chloe is... she's a sensitive girl. And Mr. Cole... you know he was in that terrible accident. He's paralyzed. It's a tragic situation. We can't bear the thought of Chloe sacrificing her happiness."

The hypocrisy was breathtaking. They couldn't bear the thought of Chloe's unhappiness, but they had no problem watching me get carved open for a man who was using me.

"So you want me to marry him instead," I stated, not a question.

Mrs. Davis flinched, then her expression hardened. "It's your duty to this family, Sarah. We took you in, we raised you. Chloe deserves a happy life with someone she loves. This is the least you can do to repay us."

Emotional blackmail. It was their favorite tool. For years, it had worked. I would have done anything for a scrap of their affection. But not anymore.

"I'll do it," I said.

A wave of relief washed over her face. "Oh, Sarah, thank you! I knew we could count on you. You're such a good girl."

"On two conditions," I added, my voice cutting through her false praise.

She stopped, her smile faltering. "Conditions?"

"First," I said, meeting her gaze directly. "I want a public announcement. I want everyone to know that I, Sarah Miller, am the true heiress of Miller Tech, the company my biological parents founded. No more hiding me in the background while Chloe pretends to be the family genius."

Her face paled. "Sarah, that's not..."

"That's my first condition," I repeated, my voice unyielding. "Second, I want my shares. A significant portion of the company, signed over to me, legally, before the wedding. It's my birthright."

She stared at me, speechless. This was not the pliable, eager-to-please girl she was used to. This was someone else.

"Your father will never agree to that," she finally stammered.

"Then I won't agree to the marriage," I said simply. "You can tell Chloe to pack her bags. I'm sure she and the paralyzed billionaire will be very happy together."

The threat hung in the air between us. We both knew they would sacrifice me in a heartbeat to protect Chloe. My mother's face cycled through shock, anger, and finally, reluctant acceptance. She saw the steel in my eyes.

"I'll... I'll talk to your father," she said, her voice tight. She grabbed her purse and practically fled the room, the scent of her lilies hanging in the air like a bad memory.

Later that afternoon, Alex came. The moment he walked in, my body tensed. He was putting on a performance, his face etched with fake worry and gratitude.

"Sarah," he whispered, rushing to my bedside. He tried to take my hand, but I pulled it away. "How are you? I was so worried. You're so pale."

I looked at the man I thought I loved, the man who was going to throw away a piece of me like garbage, and I felt a vast, cold emptiness. The love was gone. All of it.

"I'm fine, Alex," I said, my voice devoid of emotion.

He looked confused by my coldness. He was used to me fawning over him, reassuring him. "The doctors said the surgery was a success. You saved my life, Sarah. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

The dramatic irony was so thick I could almost taste it. "Don't worry about it," I said. "It was just a kidney."

I watched him, a detached observer at a play. He kept talking, murmuring sweet nothings, telling me about the future we would have now that he was "healthy." I just nodded, my eyes focused on a spot on the wall behind him. I didn't have the energy to fight, to scream, to confront him. It was pointless. The man I knew didn't exist. This person in front of me was a stranger, a monster wearing a familiar face.

He stayed for an hour, his performance never wavering. When he left, he promised to be back first thing in the morning, on the day of my discharge.

He never came.

The next morning, the nurses helped me get dressed. I waited. The hours ticked by. My phone remained silent. I knew, with a certainty that settled deep in my gut, where he was. He was with Chloe. He was probably picking her up from the airport. She was his priority. She had always been his priority. I had just been too blind to see it.