Three years after I disappeared with every cent my first love had, he stood at a banquet, holding another woman’s hand. “This is my fiancée, Vivian.” He looked radiant, powerful— as if he had never lain on an operating table, half-dead. Someone asked about me. Vivian answered for him, gentle and certain: “She left when he needed her most.” I was pushed into the spotlight. He finally saw me, gaze paused for a second, then turned mocking. “Three years, and you’re serving drinks?” “Perfect. We’re short on staff tonight.” I nodded, pulling my sleeve down to hide the bruises from IV needles. “Alright.” He didn’t know— the kidney that saved his life three years ago was mine. Sebastian’s gentle voice gradually reached my ears. It had been three years since we last met. Back then, in the early stages of kidney failure, his cheeks were sunken, and he was burdened by illness. Now, he was a completely different person—full of life and prestige. The engagement was lavish, with journalists gathered around the venue. Every corner was adorned with hibiscus flowers, just as I had imagined for our engagement. But it wasn’t me Sebastian was engaging with. A nosy journalist, noticing Sebastian’s good mood, tried to dig for some scoop: “Mr. Sebastian, why did you and Mrs. Sebastian miss three years together? Do you have someone you consider ‘The One That Got Away’?” The last question was meant to be a joke, but it wiped the smile off Sebastian’s face. Vivian, clutching Sebastian’s hand, explained with a mix of sympathy and indignation, “Sebastian did have an ex-girlfriend, but she heartlessly abandoned him when he was in trouble.” “This has always been a scar in Sebastian’s heart, so please don’t bring it up again!” Sebastian patted Vivian’s hand to comfort her, but his voice grew colder: “That’s all old news now. I’ve made a name for myself and have a wonderful fiancée like Vivian. That woman is left with nothing but regret!” “If it weren’t for her ruthless abandonment, I wouldn’t have bounced back so strongly.” I knew Sebastian too well; even though he tried to hide his emotions, I could sense the bitterness in his tone. Just as I was lost in thought, my colleague nudged me: “Evelyn, quickly bring the cake-cutting knife! Evelyn!” Pushed by my colleague, I accidentally stumbled out of the crowd. Upon seeing me, Sebastian’s eyes widened. Vivian exclaimed in disbelief, “Evelyn, what are you doing here?!” Clinging to Sebastian’s arm, she eyed me suspiciously, “Why are you here? You abandoned Sebastian three years ago, and now you want to cling to him because he’s successful? Evelyn, how can you be so selfish!” With every word Vivian spoke, Sebastian’s gaze grew colder. I awkwardly got up from the floor: “I’m not, I’m just working here…” Hearing my words, Sebastian chuckled dismissively, looking me over from head to toe with disdain: “Three years and you’re reduced to being a waitress, how laughable.” “Evelyn, do you regret leaving me back then?” Speaking of the past, Sebastian’s voice tightened, his eyes piercing through me. After all, it must have been the most humiliating time of his life. Not only diagnosed with kidney failure but also abandoned by me, his girlfriend of many years. To his surprise, I mustered a standard smile: “No regrets.” “Mr. Sebastian, I earn my living with my own hands; there’s no shame in that.” “You should go cut the cake with Mrs. Sebastian.” Sebastian was momentarily stunned when I calmly referred to Vivian as “Mrs. Sebastian.” Back in the day, after every setback in his startup, Sebastian would hold me and promise: “Evelyn, I’ll succeed someday. I want everyone to respectfully call you Mrs. Sebastian!” And I would boldly wrap my arms around his neck: “Whether or not you succeed, Mrs. Sebastian can only be me!” Now, after all the twists and turns, I respectfully handed over the title of “Mrs. Sebastian.” “Evelyn,” Sebastian said with a bitter laugh, “you really haven’t changed!” With those words, Sebastian pushed over the three-tiered cake. Cream and chocolate splattered all over me, and I stood there like a clown, enduring the mocking gazes of the crowd.
The sudden incident caught everyone off guard. No one expected the engagement party to turn out like this. The manager rushed over to apologize, but Sebastian ignored him, focusing solely on me. I used to be so delicate, but even after being publicly humiliated, I didn’t say a word. Instead, I instinctively blurted out: “I’m sorry, Mr. Sebastian.” Contrary to feeling triumphant, Sebastian felt a blockage in his heart. “You let someone like her in on my engagement day. If you want me to let it go, you must fire her!” Hearing Sebastian wanted me fired, I quickly raised my head: “No! I… I need this job…” “Sebastian, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been here. Please don’t make the manager fire me…” Seeing my teary eyes, Sebastian smirked maliciously: “A heartless woman like you doesn’t deserve anything!” “If you’re so desperate for money, I can introduce you to some patrons. Guaranteed income!” I stared in disbelief at Sebastian, who was now slut-shaming me. The shame and anger made me cry instantly: “Sebastian, you’re too much…” Seeing my tears, Sebastian’s previous arrogance was replaced with panic. He almost instinctively wanted to wipe my tears as he did three years ago. However, the next moment, Vivian clutched her right eye and whimpered: “Sebastian, my eye hurts…” Hearing Vivian’s voice snapped Sebastian back to reality. Concerned, he picked her up: “Vivian, is your eye acting up again? I’ll take you to the hospital right away!” As they passed by me, Sebastian gritted his teeth and spat: “Evelyn, I’ll get back everything you owe me!” After Sebastian left, the engagement party ended abruptly. The manager, not wanting to offend Sebastian, immediately fired me. No matter how much I begged, the manager shook his head repeatedly: “Evelyn, do you realize who you’ve offended? That’s Sebastian! We can’t afford to offend him, you’d better find another job!” Clutching the crumpled three hundred dollars, I wandered aimlessly through the streets. The cold wind made me shiver, as if placing me back on the cold operating table from three years ago. As my vision blurred, my legs gave way, and I collapsed on the street. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. My brother, Nathaniel, helped me sit up, his eyes filled with fear: “Sis, how did you end up like this? Didn’t I tell you not to worry about money? I can work more jobs, you just need to focus on getting better.” “Sis, I heard everything. Sebastian is such a jerk, aren’t you going to tell him the truth?” I weakly shook my head. Since I made my decision three years ago, I never intended to turn back. Three years ago, Sebastian was diagnosed with kidney failure, and only a kidney transplant could save him. But the hospital had a shortage of kidneys, and Sebastian couldn’t get one. To save him, I secretly donated a kidney. I knew him well enough to know that if he found out I nearly exchanged my life for his, he wouldn’t accept the donation. So, I pretended I didn’t want to be burdened by him and disappeared after he was hospitalized. In reality, I was preparing for his kidney transplant. But due to my weak constitution, I developed chronic renal failure after the surgery. I didn’t want Sebastian to live with guilt, so after being discharged, I left for three years. Because of the need for dialysis, Nathaniel and I lived frugally, even working multiple jobs. That’s why I was working as a waitress at Sebastian’s engagement party. After waking up, despite Nathaniel’s protests, I insisted on being discharged. We simply couldn’t afford to stay in a top-tier hospital. However, just as Nathaniel was helping me out, we ran into Sebastian and Vivian in the corridor. Seeing me, Sebastian immediately frowned: “Evelyn, are you following me here? You’re shameless!” Hearing Sebastian insult me, Nathaniel immediately stepped in front of me: “Sebastian, what nonsense are you talking about!” Seeing a strange man in front of me, Sebastian’s eyes darkened, and the temperature around him dropped. “What’s that in your hand?” Sebastian reached for the medical report I was holding. Afraid he’d see the results, I quickly stepped back. Seeing my reaction, Sebastian’s hand froze mid-air. Just then, Vivian spoke up: “Since Evelyn is coming from the obstetrics department, could that be a prenatal check-up report?” When Sebastian began to hurl insults at me, Nathaniel quickly stepped in front to shield me. “Sebastian, what on earth are you talking about?” Sebastian’s expression turned cold upon seeing a stranger standing in front of me, and the atmosphere seemed to chill. “What are you holding there?” Sebastian spotted the medical report in my hand and reached to snatch it. Afraid he would see the results, I quickly stepped back. Seeing my reaction, Sebastian hesitated, his hand stopping mid-air. At that moment, Vivian chimed in: “Since Evelyn came from the obstetrics department, could that be a prenatal check-up report?” It was then that I realized the obstetrics department was indeed just behind me. “I never thought, Evelyn, that you were already pregnant.” “Although you wronged Sebastian in the past, he isn’t someone who holds a grudge. If you had just mentioned it earlier, he wouldn’t have treated you that way yesterday, right, Sebastian?” As Vivian’s words sunk in, Sebastian’s face darkened with anger, his eyes blazing as if they could cut through Nathaniel, who stood protectively before me. I knew Sebastian was relentless once he pursued something. To avoid further questions about the report, I chose to stay silent. Seeing my tacit admission, Sebastian gritted his teeth, nodding sharply: “Evelyn, you’re unbelievable!” “A heartless woman like you—how have you not met your comeuppance yet?” “I must have been blind to have been with you for so many years!” Watching Sebastian storm away, his anger still palpable, my heart grew heavy. Vivian approached me with a triumphant smirk: “Evelyn, don’t expect Sebastian to love you like he did three years ago. His heart belongs to me now!” “You, his past love, should be long forgotten!”
I thought Sebastian and I, separated by worlds, would never cross paths again. But fate was unkind. Half a month later, at a diamond exhibition, I unexpectedly encountered him once more. Beside him, Vivian deliberately chose me to serve her. Not long after, she screamed: “Evelyn, have you lost your mind? How dare you steal the engagement ring Sebastian gave me!” Hearing the commotion, Sebastian hurried over. Faced with the crowd’s scrutiny and Vivian’s accusations, I defended myself with a clear conscience: “Vivian, haven’t you had enough? I just want a job to make a living. Why do you have to keep targeting me?” Vivian clung to Sebastian’s sleeve, sobbing: “Sebastian, I didn’t… It was clearly Evelyn. I asked her to keep my jewelry box safe, but when I checked, the engagement ring was missing!” “Evelyn was the only one who touched my jewelry box. Who else could have taken it?” Sebastian’s disgusted gaze swept over me, then he reached directly for me: “Return Vivian’s ring.” Seeing him unquestioningly side with Vivian, my heart sank once more: “I told you, it wasn’t me!” Sebastian wouldn’t listen to my explanation. Seeing my refusal to admit, he sneered: “Fine, if you won’t confess, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” “Take off your clothes!” Sebastian’s words left me stunned in place. Seeing no movement from me, Sebastian stepped forward, trying to unbutton my clothes: “If you stole the ring, you’d hide it on yourself. If you want to prove your innocence, I’ll give you the chance!” In terror, I pushed him away, clutching my sleeves tightly: “Are you insane… Sebastian, I didn’t steal anything. You know I’m not that kind of person…” “I don’t know!” Sebastian raised his voice abruptly: “Evelyn, I don’t understand you at all.” “If you won’t cooperate, don’t blame me for being merciless. You guys, strip her clothes off!” The bodyguards moved at his command, surrounding me. I fell to the ground in terror, desperately avoiding their hands reaching for me. But no matter how I struggled, I was ultimately outnumbered. With a loud “rip,” my shirt was torn open from the back. Just as I was about to be exposed, Nathaniel broke through the bodyguards, shielding me: “What are you doing! Let her go! Stop it!” At the same time, a bodyguard suddenly handed something to Sebastian: “Mr. Sebastian, we found the ring!” Seeing the recovered ring, Sebastian looked down at me with disdain: “Evelyn, you’d go to any lengths for money. This ring is worth five million. If I want, I could make you rot in prison for life!” As I trembled uncontrollably, Nathaniel couldn’t hold back, roaring at Sebastian: “How can you treat my sister like this! She once donated her kidney for you!” As Nathaniel’s words fell, the once bustling exhibition fell silent. After a long pause, Sebastian spoke hoarsely: “What did you say?”
Before my brother could continue, Vivian interjected: “You’re lying! Evelyn abandoned Sebastian back then and left without a second thought. If it weren’t for me taking care of Sebastian and donating my kidney, he might not have survived…” “Sebastian and I recently saw you two hugging and leaving the obstetrics department. You dare deceive Sebastian that you’re siblings? You really are two of a kind! One full of lies, the other obsessed with money!” Staggering to my feet, I looked at Sebastian with disappointment. For love, I once bore the blame, just so he could live well. But now he humiliates and tramples on me repeatedly. No one could endure this. I cast a sarcastic glance at Vivian: “You say you donated your kidney to Sebastian. Do you have any proof?” I expected Vivian to back down, but she teared up immediately: “Sebastian, don’t you believe me? You’ve seen the scar on my abdomen. What, do I have to strip in public to prove it?” Seeing Vivian cry, Sebastian comforted her, patting her back: “Of course I believe you. You’re not just anybody. You don’t need to undress in public.” Just not long ago, I was nearly stripped by his order. Now, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. I realized clearly once more that the Sebastian I wanted to save had “died” three years ago. The current Sebastian was a stranger to me. With a cold, stern face, Sebastian looked at me, his eyes icy: “Evelyn, you think I’d believe you?” “Today, you stole Vivian’s ring and dared to come between us. I have to teach you a lesson!” “You there, strip her and throw her out!” The bodyguards knocked Nathaniel down. My already tattered shirt was completely torn apart. I screamed, covering myself, pleading for help. But no one dared to defy Sebastian. Vivian nestled in his arms, leisurely enjoying my plight. “Don’t touch my sister; come at me instead! Sebastian, if you have something against me, do it!” As the bodyguards reached for my pants, Vivian suddenly stopped them. Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, she coquettishly told Sebastian: “Sebastian, since they are so devoted, why not give them a chance?” “The doctor said if I had a suitable cornea, my right eye could recover. Why not take his?” She pointed at Nathaniel, as if discussing a trivial matter. I screamed frantically, hair disheveled: “No! You can’t touch him!” Seeing me, now defenseless, still desperately protecting Nathaniel, Sebastian stepped on his face: “Being useful to Vivian is his good fortune.” Ignoring my brother’s curses and shouts, Sebastian forcefully took Nathaniel away from me. When I tried to follow, Sebastian grabbed my throat: “Evelyn, what you owe me, your lover should repay!” The suffocation was so intense I couldn’t utter a complete sentence: “He’s… brother…” The continuous suffocation soon triggered kidney failure, and I fainted. When I awoke, everyone was gone. Remembering Vivian’s words, I rushed to the hospital where I last saw her. But upon opening the ward, I saw Nathaniel, eyes covered with bandages, lips pale. “Nathaniel…” Hearing my voice, Nathaniel turned stiffly to me: “Sis… they blinded me…” “I can never see again…” Seeing the tears soaking my brother’s bandages, regret washed over me… I regretted saving Sebastian… Regretted giving him a “second chance”… I held Nathaniel, a painful wail escaping my throat: “Brother… I was wrong, sister was wrong…” “Sister was wrong from the start…” I learned about Vivian’s hospital room from the nurse. Inside, Vivian’s right eye was wrapped in bandages, yet she showed no sign of post-surgery frailty.
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