Chapter 4

The surgery was scheduled for three days later.

I contacted an online media company and sent them the photos of the things I'd found in Mindy's trash, the voice recording, and also Mindy's spending records over the past few years.

They immediately replied, "Holy shit, this is an interesting scoop! We'll take on this job!"

I then contacted my old college friend, Phil Stewart, who worked in the hematology department in Luxora Hospital.

"Hey, Phil, I need you to do me a favor. Could you bring a few experts to observe the surgery that day?"

"Sure. Just say the word, and I'll be right there!"

…

I went through all sorts of tests before the surgery. However, I was careful and secretly replaced all the blood samples with those Phil had prepared for me beforehand.

The night before the surgery, Mom made me a bowl of cheddar soup for the first time in as long as I could remember.

"Here, Cindy. Have some of this soup before you go for the surgery tomorrow."

She looked at me with a rare hint of dilemma in her eyes. "I'll… I'll always think of you fondly after this."

I held the soup to my nose and sniffed it. There was a faint smell of bitter almonds in it.

Was she trying to drug me?

I sneered inwardly. So, this was why she was already waiting here like a vulture.

I knew that something had to be off the moment Ian agreed so easily and quickly to my request back then. They were up to no good after all.

"It's a little too warm, Mom. I'll drink it after it's cooled down a little."

I then placed the bowl on the bedside table and smiled at her.

Mom didn't want to linger and left after another line or two.

Once the door closed behind her, I immediately poured the soup into the toilet bowl before smashing the bowl on the floor, making it seem as though I had passed out completely right after drinking it and dropping the empty bowl to the floor.

I slept fully clothed that night with my phone tightly clutched in my hand.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but I suddenly heard the sound of the door being unlocked while I was still in a hazy state.

I held my breath at once.

Two pairs of footsteps entered my room and stopped before my bed.

"She's already drunk everything in the bowl. What are you still so worried about?"

It was Mom. She spoke in a very low voice as she said, "It's a very powerful drug. She probably won't even wake up the next morning. Must we really take action now?"

"She's been acting too strangely this time," Ian replied, his tone as cold as ice and tinged with a sinister edge.

"She never used to question anything when we made her draw the first lot in the past. But she's too calm about everything this time. It's as if she's a completely different person altogether.

"Also, her conditions for the live-streaming won't do. If the media come, I'm afraid that things will get out of control. And the longer this drags out, the more complications will arise. I don't think I can wait until tomorrow morning anymore.

"I've already made all the necessary arrangements with Dr. Bean on his side to bring forward the surgery by a few hours. There's now less than an hour to the scheduled time. We should get her wheeled to the operating theatre now."

"Now?" Mom exclaimed in shock before clapping a hand over her mouth. "But… but the anesthesiologist hasn't arrived yet…"

"Dr. Bean will handle everything. Once Cindy's behind the operating theatre door, her life and death will entirely be up to us."

After speaking, Ian pulled off my bed covers. Then, I felt a cool sensation on my arm followed by the sharp piercing of a needle into my skin.

He was giving me an extra injection!

Almost instantly, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me like a tidal wave, and my consciousness began to blur.

"Alright. Take her away."