Chapter 47

Evan Smith was diagnosed with leukemia right after he was born. He stayed in the hospital for over a year before his condition finally stabilized enough for him to come home. Only the Smith family knew about his illness. Outsiders just thought he was born frail—no one questioned why he got sick and hospitalized so often these years. This time, after getting injured and losing a lot of blood, his immune system tanked. On top of that, he accidentally took something laced with poppy shells. It completely wrecked his body. The doctor said he needed long-term hospitalization, maybe even surgery if things got worse. Best-case scenario? He recovers in six months. But the Smiths were already preparing for the worst—looking for a bone marrow match for Evan just in case it came down to surgery. When I heard the news, my whole brain just froze. From the moment I started competing for the Harmony project, I was ready to risk everything. Even my life, if it came to that. But never, ever did I imagi