Chapter 4

The day I was discharged, I dragged my still-healing body home. A rotten stench hung in the stairwell.

A black garbage bag sat outside my door, fluid seeping out across the floor.

My chest tightened for no reason. I crouched down and pulled open the bag.

Inside was a matted ball of gray-and-white fur.

It was the stray cat I'd been feeding for half a year.

His name was Marshmallow. Every time I got home from work, he'd rub against my legs.

I always kept his favorite treats on me.

He'd listen quietly while I talked about Julian, and when he wasn't happy, he'd let out a few little meows.

Now his body was stiff, his eyes half-open, a ligature mark around his neck.

Julian opened the door and stopped short when he saw me.

"You're back? That animal just lunged at Vanessa out of nowhere.

"She's pregnant. She can't handle a scare like that, so I took care of it. Take it downstairs and toss it while you're at it. Don't leave it by the door drawing bugs."

I stared at the tiny paw poking out of the bag, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Without a word, I turned, carried the bag downstairs, and took him to a pet shop to have him washed.

I'd always said I wanted to adopt Marshmallow, but Julian wouldn't allow it.

He called me selfish. "Vanessa's allergic to cats. You can't just think about yourself."

My eyes stinging, I pointed to the most expensive cat bed in the shop and swiped my card.

After I'd laid Marshmallow to rest, I came home completely drained.

Julian was on the couch with a gilt-edged binder open across his knees.

"What took you so long to take out the trash? Come here. Look at our wedding plans."

He acted like nothing had happened.

He flipped to a page and tapped the stained-glass windows of a church.

"Vanessa said the beach would be too sunny, so I moved it into a church.

"And the white gown you picked, she said it's so long you'd trip on it, so I switched it to a short dress. Anything else you're not happy with?"

I clenched my fists as hard as I could.

"No."

It didn't matter. I was never going to marry him.

I already had it all planned out. On our wedding day, I'd fake my own death, take the fortune his lies had earned me, and live the rich life on the other side of the planet.

The day before the wedding, my phone rang. It was my mom's attending physician.

"Ms. Collins, the donor heart has been reassigned. Your mother may not make it through the night."

A sharp pain stabbed through my heart, and I raced to the hospital.

When I got there, the light above the operating room door was glowing red.

When Julian saw me, a flicker of guilt crossed his face.

"What are you doing here?"

I pointed at the closed door, my voice shaking.

"What happened?"

"Vanessa's mom suddenly took a turn for the worse, so I had the heart redirected to her at the last minute. Trust me, your mom's going to be okay. I'm already reaching out to..."

The system's deposit chime rang out.

He was lying!

I shoved him away and burst into my mom's room. She was deathly pale, barely breathing.

"Mom..." I was sobbing so hard my whole body shook.

Julian followed me in, his eyes full of pain.

"Baby, don't cry. This hurts me too, but it was the only way to save Vanessa's mom."

I broke down, screaming until my voice gave out.

"You swore you'd keep my mom alive! Please, I'm begging you!"

But no matter how I pleaded, Julian didn't say a word.

His eyes full of pain, he planted himself in front of me.

"I'm sorry. This is all on me. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

I screamed at him like a madwoman. "I don't believe you! Not unless you give my mom back her heart!"

The operating room door opened. Vanessa stood there clutching her stomach, looking miserable.

"Just give her the heart back. Let my mom, me, and the baby I'm carrying fend for ourselves."

Julian's eyes went red as he looked at me, full of anguish.

"Hannah, I'm sorry. I swear, just this once. After tonight, I'll do whatever you say."

He took Vanessa's hand and walked out without looking back.

"Julian, after tonight, you'll never see me again."

His back went rigid, but in the end, he didn't turn around.

The heart monitor's alarm blared.

The system's voice sounded. "Host, I'm so sorry for your loss."

I screamed myself hoarse, clinging to my mom's body, sobbing so hard I couldn't breathe.

"I don't want to accept it! I don't want to! I want her back!"

I don't know how long I cried.

I reached over and tucked the white sheet neatly around my mom.

When I looked up again, there wasn't a trace of tears on my face, only a cold, dead stillness.

"System, pull me out of this world."