Chapter 4

After I posted the statement admitting to plagiarism, the campus forum exploded with criticism.

"I can't believe Victoria always seemed so quiet and disciplined, yet she pulled something as shameless as plagiarizing someone else's thesis!"

"She didn't just plagiarize. She bullied her own sister too. Just how malicious can one person be?"

"Poor Felicia. She's so unlucky that she's stuck with a sister like that."

"I heard Victoria used performance enhancers before the cheerleading competition to snatch first place. Thankfully, a sharp-eyed audience member reported her. That's how Felicia got the title she deserved."

"Felicia's too kind. She was bullied by Victoria, and even though she knew Victoria took performance enhancers to win the competition, she still kept quiet about it. She's such a good sister!"

As I read through the comments, I felt a coldness settle deep inside my chest. It wrapped around my heart, slow and suffocating.

On the day of the surgery, just before they wheeled me into the operating room, Rowan reached for my hand, looking at me affectionately.

"Victoria, don't worry. I've already come up with a way to make everything right. You won't have to bear the stigma of plagiarism, and Felicia's reputation will stay intact. Once the surgery's over, I'll take care of it."

Nelson even patted my shoulder for the first time in years. "This time, you finally stopped being selfish, Victoria. I'm proud of you."

Their words should have filled me with warmth, but instead, all I felt was bitterness.

I had finally earned their praise, yet I was running out of time. My life had hours left, at most.

They wheeled me into the operating room, where Felicia and I were placed side by side for the kidney transplant.

Outside the operating room, Rowan and Nelson paced anxiously.

"I hope Feli's doing okay. Do you think the surgery will go smoothly?"

"It will. Once she wakes up, we'll make sure she has everything she needs to recover."

They went back and forth, chatting anxiously outside the operating room.

Three hours later, the surgery was over.

Felicia received my kidney, and the transplant was a success.

When the doctor announced the news, Rowan and Nelson nearly jumped with joy. "She made it! Feli finally has a future again."

"Yeah. We've got to take good care of her. She'll recover in no time."

They welcomed Felicia out of the operating room with bright smiles and open arms. No one asked about me.

I lay on the operating table, staring up at the harsh, sterile lights. My vision blurred, the edges of the world fading into darkness.

While they were outside celebrating her survival, I slipped away without a sound. My eyes closed, and I never opened them again.