Chapter 3

"These are the progress notes from Tina's final days. She suddenly went into heart failure and pulmonary edema in the early morning. We attempted resuscitation for two hours, but we couldn't save her," the doctor explained.

Serena snatched the medical records and fixed her eyes intently on the text.

"No way…" Her fingers trembled over the pages. "She was supposed to… She could still hold out…"

"Her condition was very unstable. She had end-stage uremia, with no suitable kidney donor. Surviving for three years was already a feat."

"Kidney donor?" Serena suddenly looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. "How could there not be one? I had Jason tested six months ago! He's her own brother—how could he not match?"

The doctor paused. "Jason? You mean Mr. Shaw, the one who passed away after the liver donation?"

He sighed. "Mr. Shaw passed away six months ago. How could he donate his kidney? And even if he were still alive, matches between family members aren't 100% successful."

"You're lying! Jason isn't dead! He faked his death to avoid donating a kidney. His sister's death is fake too! You're all in on this act to fool me!" Serena yelled, slamming the records onto the desk.

The doctor's face hardened. "Ma'am, please show some respect for the deceased!

"Ms. Shaw's remains were handled by one of her brother's friends. The cremation certificate is on file at the funeral home. If you don't believe me, you can check."

Serena froze in place, her lips quivering slightly. She looked at the doctor's stern expression, then down at the medical records scattered on the floor.

The medical terminology, the vital sign records, the detailed list of resuscitation efforts… They all felt too real—so real that it was unsettling.

"A friend?" Serena clung onto the last thread of doubt she had. "What friend? Since when does Jason have friends?"

"It was someone named Mr. Crawford. He said he was Jason's college classmate and helped handle the funeral arrangements."

"Crawford?" Serena repeated softly.

Then, as if grabbing a lifeline, she suddenly demanded, "The contact info—give it to me!"

After a moment's hesitation, the doctor pulled up a number on his phone.

Serena snatched the phone and dialed the number, but only a busy tone answered. She dialed again, but the same busy tone played in her ear.

She didn't give up. Instead, she called the funeral home. This time, the call went through.

"Tina Shaw? Ah, that young woman. She came in last month. Her ashes were claimed by her brother's friend, who said he wanted to bury her alongside her brother."

"Her brother…" Serena's voice began to shake. "Did her brother… really die?"

"He died six months ago due to complications from a liver donation." The staff member's tone was matter-of-fact, as they were used to seeing death by now. "Both siblings had bad luck. It's a real shame."

The phone slipped from Serena's hand and hit the floor with a clatter. She stood frozen, not moving.

The hallway lights cast a harsh glow on her face, making the red veins in her eyes stand out.

Serena opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. In the end, she crouched down slowly and picked up the scattered medical records.

"How could this…" she finally croaked, her voice rough and broken. "Jason… did you really die? And Tina…"

Serena didn't finish, because she suddenly recalled something.

She had checked Tina's hospital records two weeks ago. Back then, the system showed Tina was still in bed 37.

But if Tina died last month, what had she seen? Who had tampered with the records?

Or was it…

Serena shot up, took her car keys out, and rushed toward the parking lot.

"Fake! It's all fake!"

She revved the engine, shouting into the air as if trying to convince herself, "Just you wait, Jason! I'll find out what you're up to!"