4

An hour before the surgery, the whole family was gathered around Sofia's bed.

My father held her hand and reassured her while my mother stroked her hair and wiped away tears.

Dylan was off to one side, asking the doctor if Sofia's incision would hurt after surgery. He also wanted to know if they could make it smaller, since an ugly scar would upset her.

A nurse wheeled me to the operating room doors with tubes attached to my body. When my mother saw me, she rushed over. "Sofia says she shouldn't have gotten angry at you when she's the one taking your kidney," she said urgently. "She's crying so hard she's about to faint. Could you go tell her you don't mind?

"Don't make her go into surgery feeling guilty, okay?"

I lay there with an oxygen mask over my face, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Sofia came out of her room, supported by my brother and father. She looked at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Aria, I know you resent me. I know you don't want to give me your kidney.

"But finding a match takes so long, and I really can't wait anymore. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

My mother gently wiped away Sofia's tears. "Sweet girl, she's your sister. This is what she's supposed to do."

My father joined in scolding me. "Aria, you're the eldest daughter of the Leone family. Show some generosity! Comfort your sister."

They'd already given me enough anesthesia to numb the agony in my body. I was too exhausted to speak.

When I didn't answer, Dylan finally snapped. He roughly hauled me up off the gurney as the nurse cried out. "Sofia already feels guilty, and you're lying there half-dead. Are you trying to upset her on purpose?"

I coughed...

I suddenly threw up a mouthful of blood. My brother let go of me as though he'd been shocked, his pupils shrinking. "Why is she suddenly throwing up so much blood?"

The nurse beside him raised her voice. "Didn't you sign the form acknowledging that she's in critical condition? Don't you know how sick Ms. Leone is?"

Nurses and passersby began to whisper.

"She's so young. How did she get this sick?"

"She's giving her sister an organ while she's barely clinging to life. I don't know whether to call her selfless or feel sorry for her."

Dylan's fingers began to tremble uncontrollably. For the first time, panic showed in his eyes.

Just then, Sofia burst into tears. "I don't want Aria's kidney anymore! I'd rather die than hurt her! Just let me die! Stop worrying about me!"

Dylan snapped out of it and held her, soothing her. "Don't talk nonsense. She's thrown up blood before, and she's always been fine afterward. This time will be no different.

"Once you're both out of surgery, we'll take good care of Aria and help her get her strength back."

I struggled to turn my head, then looked at him through a blur of blood. With the last of my strength, I asked, "Will I be okay...?"

My brother didn't even stop to think. "Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"

I slowly looked away and let out a sigh.

Maybe he'd forgotten that he had lied to me.

He'd promised to spend every birthday with me, but whenever mine came around, he was too busy comforting Sofia.

He'd said he'd walk me down the aisle himself. But because of him, I'd never live to see my wedding day.

He'd promised, "As long as I'm around, nobody's ever going to hurt my little princess."

But in the end, he was the one who dealt the fatal blow.

They really had done so much to treat my illness over the years.

Now I was using my life to buy more time for Sofia, the one they loved most. Surely that would repay everything I owed them.

Just before the operating room doors closed, I heard my mother's worried voice. "Aria seems sicker this time than before."

Dylan sounded conflicted. "She's just upset and doesn't have much energy, that's all."

My father sighed. "Isn't this how she always looks when she has an episode? It's just her way of getting more attention from us. Let's take care of Sofia first. Aria's much healthier than she is."

The operating room doors closed. We were in separate worlds now.

As they gave me the anesthetic, half my body went numb.

All 20 years of my life flashed before my eyes.

I saw 18-year-old Dylan carrying me on his back through gunsmoke.

I saw my mother humming a Sicilian lullaby by my bed when I was sick.

I saw my father proudly introducing me to people. "This is my most precious daughter."

Then they began choosing Sofia over me. I became the one they didn't need.

The monitor let out a long, piercing beep, and the line on the screen went flat.

From now on, they would never make me sad again.

Chaos erupted in the operating room. Then the doors burst open.

My mother was crying tears of joy as she asked, "Is it done already? Is Sofia saved?"

Matteo yanked down his mask, breathing hard. His voice shook. "Aria Leone has been pronounced dead!

"The kidney will no longer be viable in half an hour. You need to decide whether we go ahead with the surgery!"