Chapter 1

On my 23rd birthday, Eric Welsh, my brother, claimed the spot as the richest man in the country. He threw an opulent birthday party for our housekeeper's daughter and declared that she would be his only sister from then onwards. Meanwhile, I only had one month to live because my artificial heart was wearing down, and I couldn't find a matching donor. Despite being tormented by the illness and suffering mentally, I video called him. When he heard me coughing, he reprimanded, "You abandoned me back then because you didn't want me to be a burden to you. What's the matter? Do you regret it now because I'm rich?" A knot welled up in my throat, and I stared at his unchanging expression. I smiled bitterly. "Eric, 30,000 dollars should mean nothing to you. Will you lend it to me?" On the other end of the line, I heard him assuring Fiona Dobler gently, "It's just a scam call. Don't worry." Of course he had nothing to worry about. His heart, which was beating healthily, was mine. The call ended, and I received a notification that I had received a transfer of 300,000 dollars into my bank account. My heart galloped, and I felt a sting in my nose. After I paid off my bills, I lifted my head and saw Eric. Hurriedly, I scurried into a corner at the lobby, where I saw him gently cupping Fiona's cheeks and smiling with adoration. Five years had passed, but nothing changed about Eric, who still looked full of life. However, the only one who brought him happiness was now Fiona, whereas I no longer had the right to be by his side. I thought he was at the hospital because he was sick. I suppressed the emotions swimming in my chest. I lowered my head and tried to leave, but I caught sight of him softly blowing over Fiona's scraped skin with a worried expression. Smiling wryly, I brushed past him, but someone grabbed my wrist tightly. I stumbled but was able to steady myself, meeting his steely and furious stare. After he gave me a onceover, Eric snickered, released his grip, and cleaned his hands with wet wipes in disgust. Panic washed over my face, and I wanted to leave quickly. He said, "Didn't you flee abroad with the money to save my life? What happened? Are you back now to scam another victim after spending all your money?" My eyes reddened, and I lowered my head, not daring to meet his gaze. After a few seconds of silence, I snickered softly. "Yes. So, will you lend me some money again?" The air around Eric turned cold, and his eyes glowered. He held my chin up, forcing me to look up at him. "We're siblings, after all. Aren't you going to explain anything to me?" Excruciating pain shot through my chest amidst the struggle, and a metallic taste spread in my mouth. His grip loosened, and I stepped back. "She's your sister now. Just take it that the money from before is used to buy-off our kinship for the first 18 years." Eric's hand paused mid-air before falling to his side weakly. Just when he wanted to speak, Fiona suddenly dashed forward and hugged me. "Are you Eric's younger sister?" She gave Eric a heart-breaking look and pinched my arm, which was covered in needle marks. "You turned your back to Eric back then. And now, you can't wait to ask him for money because he's rich. You have no shame at all." I was in pain, but before I could say anything, she dropped my arm and said, "I'm Eric's only sister now, and he spoils me to bits. Even my pet dog uses an unlimited credit card for its grooming." Fighting back my tears, I stole a look at Eric behind her. He looked great—healthy and seemed free from illnesses. When we were young, our housekeeper left us in a village, and we lived with an orphanage director, Macy Kingsley, in the freezing cold. After forever, we reunited with our family, but we lived happily for only three years. Unable to deal with the depression of bankruptcy, our parents leaped off a building and left us to fend for ourselves. Eric dropped out of school to support my education, taking up several part-time jobs without rest. On the day our debts were cleared and I was accepted into a renowned international school, he passed out all of a sudden and was diagnosed with a hereditary congenital heart disease. At that time, Eric's heart was failing, and almost all of our money was used on the enormous medical bills. Behind his back, I withdrew from school and got back the 100,000 dollars in tuition fees. Then, I transferred all the money to the hospital so that he could receive treatment without worry. I worked long hours—washing dishes, handing out flyers, working in bars—not daring to catch a break. Even having a meal depended on the situation. Most of the time, I barely had a sip of water. My body succumbed to exhaustion, but I only had enough money for a few days' of the cheapest medication to hold back the symptoms. As there was no news of a matching donor, I could only watch in vain as the illness ravaged Eric and turned him into a wreck. For him, convulsions, vomiting blood, and being unconscious were common occurrences. When he sobbed and told me to give up the treatment, the doctor hesitantly led me out of the ward. "Ms. Welsh, there's only one way to save him. Would you like to give it a try?"