Chapter 1

"Jade, how does it feel to be lying in bed like the living dead?"

Jade Severin, who had just gotten out of surgery, struggled to open her eyes. When she did, she saw the radiant Neve Severin standing by her bed.

"Sis—Neve..." Jade tried to speak, but her voice came out hoarse and unintelligible.

A car accident had wrecked her life, leaving her once-smooth skin wrinkled and her hands ruined by burns, while her sweet voice had been lost amid this tragedy. Jade, who had been a top-notch medical expert, had become a worthless shell of her former self.

"You miserable creature, do you know how disgusting you look right now? It brings me immense joy. Perhaps you still don't know that your current state was my doing." Neve gloated by Jade's ear. "Let me enlighten you. Lloyd has already slept with me. He said he feels nauseous just looking at you."

The revelation that Lloyd was involved with Neve hit Jade like a ton of bricks.

No, he wouldn't do this! He loved her so much that he had told her he would marry her.

"No, he wouldn't do this to me," Jade whimpered, her words getting lost in the distorted sounds she was able to produce.

Seeing her miserable state, Neve laughed even louder. "You want to talk, don't you? Do you want to ask why this happened?"

Jade blinked, indicating her agreement.

"Because only when you're dead will Lloyd fully belong to me," Neve hissed.

The shock in Jade's wide eyes turned into resentment.

"I'm telling you all this so you won't die feeling confused. You think Dad truly cares about you? Don't be naive. He only values your abilities. Now that you're useless, he won't pay you any mind."

That was why her father hadn't visited her since the accident.

How foolish it had been of Jade to be so loyal to the Severins, to believe her father genuinely cared about her. She regretted not seeing Neve's true colors sooner, as she had cunningly approached her under the guise of a caring sister. She had treated Neve like a real sister, only to end up in such a tragic state.

Seeing Jade's despair, Neve touched her chest, her expression becoming more vicious. "So, die. Only when you're dead will this healthy heart belong to me. I will then be able to marry Lloyd and live happily ever after with him."

Jade broke down in hysterics and shook her head, unable to accept this reality.

The person she had trusted the most had used her and abandoned her. The person she had cared about the most hated her so much that she had robbed her of everything and was now asking her to die.

Hoarse noises escaped Jade, who sounded like a trapped beast struggling before taking its last breath. She wouldn't let Neve have her way.

Neve grinned brighter upon seeing her struggle. "No need to be so surprised. I have good news for you."

She flashed the diamond ring on her finger, brandishing it in front of Jade. "Lloyd proposed to me just now. He said he will love me forever, and Dad fully supports our marriage. He even transferred your assets to me as a wedding gift. I'll marry Lloyd with everyone's blessings, and you'll only lie in a cold coffin. That’s all you deserve."

As Neve reveled in her victory, she looked down at the broken Jade. "Oh, one more thing. Caelan Fitzgerald is dead."

Jade's stupefied eyes refocused and sharpened. Caelan was dead?