Chapter 2 A Wicked Suggestion

Something flickered in Christopher's eyes when he saw my blistered hands, but it lasted only a second.

The next moment, his expression turned solemn again. "You'll be fine, Riley."

He looked away, unwilling to meet my eyes. "Dianne's artificial heart matters more. We have to save every penny we can. Soon… it'll be enough."

He must be referring to the 999th test.

It was important because Dianne was supervising these tests. Her attitude would influence the results, so I couldn't afford to upset her.

He still believed that we could get married and finally begin our happily-ever-after after I passed the last test.

But now, I opted out.

Before I could open my mouth, Dianne teared up. "Riley, please don't blame Chris. It's all my fault for burdening the two of you. I'm truly sorry. I don't need the medicine, just please don't be angry…"

Then, she pretended to throw herself against the wall.

Christopher grabbed her in time. His face was filled with worry.

He turned to me. "Riley, just listen to me once, will you? Forget about the burn cream. Just rinse your hands if they're hurting again. Everything will be fine soon, I promise."

Staring at the reddened skin on the back of my hands, I couldn't help but recall the past two years.

I bought cheap sanitary napkins sold in bulk instead of the good-quality ones to save money for Dianne's imported medicines. As a result, I had an allergic reaction and experienced a rash.

To help Christopher recover, I gave all the meat to him and drank only the broth myself, until my weight dropped below ninety pounds.

And all that time, I carried the guilt like a stone inside me.

I kept thinking that I was the one who caused him to hurt his leg and Dianne to have a heart problem.

I thought I owed my life to them, so I worked myself to exhaustion to pay them back.

However, I discovered the truth today.

"Sure, I understand." I nodded and turned into the cramped bathroom.

I turned the water tap and rinsed my aching hands in the cold water.

Tears fell along with the water splattered onto my face into my mouth. I could taste bile in my throat.

Just then, my phone vibrated.

An unknown caller sent me a simple message, stating, "Got it."

But I knew it was Declan.

He was the only person who would contact me in such a way.

My nightmare would end soon.

…

After showering, I collapsed onto the bed and passed out. By midnight, I had developed a fever.

I groggily forced myself to get up to fill a cup of water.

Before I could lift the curtain at the door, I heard Dianne's hushed voice outside. "Chris, let her last test be a full-body lifecast."

He sounded hesitant. "It's too risky. What if she suffocates?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, drawling sickeningly sweet, "Well, only then can it prove that she isn't after your wealth but truly loves you. Think about it, your family has no more reason against your marriage if she proves that she's willing to sacrifice herself for you."

I had heard about the full-body lifecast on the black market.

The model would be covered in plaster or silicone. Only their nostrils remained clear.

If anything went wrong—accidentally or otherwise—it could lead to suffocation.

Even though a second person was monitoring the process, it took time. And until the mold was removed, the model couldn't eat or drink.

It was an incredibly dangerous process, one that demanded a terrible price from the person inside it.

The fever and disbelief made me shiver.

Meanwhile, she continued to coax. "After this final test, the two of you can finally live happily ever after."

Christopher didn't answer immediately.

He was silent for a long time—long enough for me to think he was feeling bad for me and talked her out of the ridiculous request.

Finally, his decision crushed my hope. "Fine. We'll do as you say. I'm going back to bed."

He pushed his wheelchair toward the door. Terrified, I slipped back into bed and pretended to be asleep.

My heart hammered in my chest.

I couldn't stay here anymore. I needed to protect myself against them before Declan came to get me.

Once Christopher was deep in slumber, I pushed myself up despite the pain and went to the door.

The moment my hand touched the handle, a blinding light snapped on.

"Where are you going at this hour, Riley?"