Chapter 4

Instinct took over before I could think. I lunged at her and wrapped both hands around her throat. "How could you? She was your mother!"

Jessica leaned against the wall and laughed through reddened eyes. "So what if she gave birth to me? We were switched, and I got the better life. That was fate. What right did she have to come looking for me? Did she really think she was worthy?"

Her smile grew broader. "Anyone who's ever been kind to you, Madison, deserves to die."

Blood dripped from my nose.

It looked like I didn't have much time left.

If I was going down, she was coming with me.

A vicious slap cracked across my face. My head whipped to the side, and I slammed into the wall.

Jeremy stood where he was, slowly lowering his hand.

"Have you made enough of a scene? Jess' health has never been the same after saving my life. You spent a few years taking her place. What exactly are you so aggrieved about?

"You'll always be my wife. As long as you have that title, who would dare look down on you?"

He paused slightly, then gently wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with his fingertip and softened his tone.

"Jess stayed with your foster mother for months. She was there at the end. She even paid for the grave. She's already paid for what she did."

I stared at him with bloodshot eyes. "Jeremy! She murdered my foster mother!"

The room fell into dead silence, broken only by my ragged gasps.

He sighed. "You don't have to do this. I've already told you—you're still my wife. There's no reason to invent lies about her."

He pulled out his phone.

The screen lit up with our wedding photo from years ago.

I snatched it from his hand and smashed it onto the floor.

"Take a good look at this face of mine." I pointed at myself. "Does it look anything like your wife?"

I shoved him away and practically screamed, "Get out! All of you, get out!"

Jeremy tried to reach for me. But before he could, Jessica grabbed his arm and dropped to her knees.

"Maddie, if you're still upset about the surgery, I'll cut my own face. Just don't take it out on Jeremy," she pleaded, sobbing uncontrollably.

She snatched a knife from the ground and lifted it toward her cheek. The blade halted half an inch from her face and never moved further.

I let out a cold laugh. "Go on."

Jeremy knocked the knife from her hand and frowned. "That face is a gift from her parents. How could you push her to destroy it?"

Jessica said softly, "For all these years, I've been training in surgery under Jeremy just so I could personally atone for my sins. If you don't like this face, then please, Maddie, give me a chance to help you get yours back."

I tried to pull away. But when I opened my eyes again, I was strapped to an operating table, just like the nightmare five years ago.

I couldn't shout or move, but I could hear them.

"Jess, are you really not going to use anesthesia? She could die."

"Shut up. It's better if she dies."

"I spent years perfecting my skills for this very reason. I had to be prepared in case Jeremy ever softened toward her. The thought of her dying with my face disgusts me."

A nurse hesitated.

"But sooner or later, Dr. Grant will find out..."

"What are you afraid of?" Jessica laughed. "After she's gone, I'll just shed a few tears. Jeremy and that idiot son of his would gladly hand me their hearts if I asked."

My blood ran cold.

I fought with everything I had, but I couldn't get loose.

"Madison, let's see what you have left to compete with me now."

The cold edge met my skin.

Without anesthesia, the pain was a slow torture. I felt it carve through me, inch by inch, but I couldn't even find my voice to scream.

My awareness dimmed, and my breath grew shallow.

…

Jeremy sat in the hospital director's office, staring vacantly at my phone lying on the desk.

A call broke the silence. He reached for the phone and answered.

The voice on the other end was sharp and impatient.

"You've been stalling on this grave plot for weeks. How many times do I have to call you?

"Last chance. Do you still want it or not, you broke loser?

"You know what? You're pathetic. You've already lost one kidney, and now you're down to your last. If you weren't such a useless wreck, you could've hocked the other one and at least split a grave with someone.

"Are you mute? Say something!"