Chapter 2

When I come to, the first thing I do is ask *The System* what it said.

“As long as my body dies,” I ask, “I can go back to my original world. My heart disease will be cured. And I’ll get a hundred million dollars. Correct?”

[Correct.]

How ridiculous—when I first agreed to come this world to redeem four men, it was because I couldn’t afford treatment for my heart disease.Fifteen years later, those same four men repay me back a bad heart again.

I don’t hesitate to rip the oxygen tube out. To make me die faster.

Breathing becomes harder. My throat clamps shut. My face turns purple. I am moments from suffocating.

A small, humorless smile lifts my lips.

Good.

I won’t have to stay here and face their fake love anymore.

The heart monitor explodes into red lights and a keening alarm.

My three brothers and Julian burst into the room with a pack of nurses, bellowing,

“Ivy!!”

Ethan does CPR, he wants to save me. He puts the tube back in. Then he roars with bloodshot eyes.

"Are you insane?! Why did you pull out your tube? It’s just a lost baby—don’t give up on your life!”

I clutch at the hollow ragged pain where my heart should be and scrape out a voice.

"I only lost a baby?"

Julian collapses to his knees and keeps slapping his own face.

“It’s my fault. I asked Jade to give you that medication. thought it would help the pregnancy. I didn’t know you were allergic...The toxins hit your heart. But Ethan’s the best cardiac surgeon in the country—he can fix you. We can have more children.”

Julian crawls toward me on his knees. His eyes are wet. He grabs my hand.

“I already punished the pharmacist who made the mistake. She’ll never work again. Don’t blame Jade, don’t blame yourself. we love you.”

When I don’t answer, Marcus speaks. His voice is hoarse.

“I’ve contacted hospitals overseas. We’ll find a matching heart.”

Oliver pats my shoulder gently.

“I’ll prepare the targeted medication. You’ll breathe like a normal person again. You’ll run and jump.”

I feel nothing but so cold.

They want to sweep it all under the rug.

Jade poisoned me.

Killed my baby.

And now they’re planning to steal my heart.

I let out a bitter laugh. I look at the four men surrounding my bed. “Where’s Jade? I’ll go see her myself.”

Ethan frowns. “You’re still blaming her? She had a heart attack from the guilt. Lucky we found a donor just in time.”

Oliver, the brother who used to spoil me the most, quickly adds.

“Darling, Don’t cause trouble. Ethan will fix Jade, and he’ll fix you too.”

I snort.

“Really? Both surgeries, at the same time? My heart breaks, and Jade just happens to find a donor?”

The room goes silent.

“Ivy…"Ethan opens his mouth and closes it again.

I’m tired of their lies. “Go check on Jade if you want. I’m glad she’s well.”

They freeze, looking for something to say; I pull the blanket over my face. When I peek out again, they are gone. But Julian hesitates at the door and then stays. His shame is thick in his eyes.

I smile at him.

“Go see her. Come back and tell me how she’s doing.”

Then he leaves without another word.

When the house is finally empty, I breathe out and fumble for my phone.

*The System* promised me one wish if I helped it meet its KPI. Right before I went into surgery, I traded my System wish for two video clips.

I watch the videos until my vision blurs—over and over—

I watch them plan how to steal my heart. How my eldest brother methodically stripped it out and painstakingly placed it into Jade.

A chill runs through me.

And then I am glad I didn’t die just now.

Because leaving so easily would have been too kind for them.