Chapter 3

Three days later, it was revealed that Bella had bribed a doctor to fake her allergy attack.

Faced with our parents' questions, Bella looked utterly wounded.

"Mom, Dad, I swear I never meant to frame Luna. I was just scared that once she came back, you wouldn't want me anymore..."

Seeing her like that, Nolan's heart broke instantly. "Mom, Dad, you heard her. She's just insecure."

Then a flicker of something vicious crossed his eyes. "But Luna, on the other hand..."

...

The door banged open, someone kicking it in from outside.

Before I could even register what was happening, Nolan yanked me off the bed. My vision went dark at the edges.

He loomed over me, a cold smile on his lips. "Don't even try playing innocent with me."

"Did you already figure out Bella has no sense of security, and decide to provoke her these past few days on purpose, just to trick her into framing you so Mom and Dad would turn on her instead?

"Luna, you're really something. That's a hell of a scheme."

Theodore and Lily walked in right as he said that, and they stopped in their tracks.

A second later, Damian knocked on the door, methodical as always.

"Sir, Madam. Ms. Luna has refused to take any medicine since she fell ill three days ago. She said she didn't feel she deserved something so expensive.

"As a result, she's been unconscious for three full days. She woke up ten minutes ago and currently has a fever of a hundred and four degrees."

Theodore's face darkened instantly. He shot Nolan a furious glare. "Did you hear that? And you're still spouting nonsense! Luna is your sister! Look at what you've become!"

Meanwhile, Lily had gone pale at Damian's words. "W-what do we do now?"

Damian's expression remained flat, then he stepped forward and calmly knocked me unconscious.

"Not to worry, Madam. Now we can have Ms. Luna taken to the hospital by force."

That was the last thing I heard that day.

When I woke up again, Bella's broken, hiccupping voice was the first thing I heard.

"Never mind, Mom, Dad, Nolan. What I did to Luna a few days ago was wrong. It makes sense that she's angry with me. Since she'd rather let her illness get this bad than donate a kidney to me... I really shouldn't push her any further.

"Just let me die, then. At least I got to spend my last days with all of you. I'm grateful for that much."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke, and Nolan rushed to comfort her.

"Don't worry, Bella. As long as I'm here, no one's going to hurt you. Wasn't this exactly why we brought her back? Even if her temperature hits a hundred and forty today, she's giving you that kidney."

Damian happened to walk in just then, holding the medical report. For the first time, a flicker of genuine surprise crossed his usually unreadable face.

"Mr. Nolan, are you saying you want Ms. Luna to donate a kidney to Ms. Bella?"

Nolan's voice climbed even higher. "So what if she does? It's not like it'll kill her! If Luna still wants to stay in this family, this is the least she can do!"

Lily hesitated. "But right now, in her condition..."

She looked at me lying in the bed, where I was barely breathing. Her eyes turned red-rimmed, and she took a step toward me.

That was when Bella suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed, her whole body going limp.

"Bella!" Three voices cried out at once.

Lily froze mid-step. Nolan and Theodore bolted toward Bella without a backward glance.

"What are you standing around for? Go check on Bella!" Nolan barked at the doctor who'd been about to examine me.

The doctor flinched.

Given the Sinclair family's power and influence, he could only shoot me an apologetic glance before hurrying over to Bella instead.

The situation was declared a dire emergency. There was no time to lose. The kidney transplant had to happen right away.

This time, our parents didn't hesitate for a second.

"Then let's do the transplant. Luna is also our daughter. Once she wakes up, she'll... she'll understand."

Damian opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again. He watched them with an expression that grew increasingly stranger, tinged faintly with disbelief.

The surgery went smoothly.

As they watched Bella's condition stabilize, everyone finally let out a breath of relief.

"What exactly did you want to say?" Nolan snapped at Damian, impatient.