For ten years since I was found and brought home, my relationship with Chloe, the fake heiress, was as close as real sisters, practically inseparable. Even my mother, Eleanor, used to say that Chloe didn’t care for her as much as I did. I once swore I’d give my life to protect our unique family of four. But then, Chloe’s sudden cerebral aneurysm ruptured, and she was on the brink of death in the ER. Yet, I refused to operate. I chose instead to practice a basic suturing technique. My boyfriend, Dylan, yelled at me, his voice raw with disbelief. “Audrey! Only your microscopic dissection technique can save your sister! All the specialists in the hospital are waiting for you! The surgical window is closing, less than an hour left! What are you still hesitating for?!” He was right. I was the only person in the country who could perform that level of surgery. But I just calmly hummed in response, continuing to tinker with the medical model. My parents, Eleanor and Richard, rushed in, tears streaming down their faces. “Audrey! That’s the sister you swore to protect with your life! How can you just stand there and watch her die?!” I gently pulled away from them and held out my right hand This hand, which had once performed countless medical miracles, was now trembling ever so slightly. “I’m sorry, Mom, Dad. This hand of mine… it’s ruined.”
The air in the room instantly froze. The expressions on their faces morphed into pure shock. They stared intently at my right hand. That slight, yet fatal, tremor was a death sentence for any top surgeon’s career. My mom’s lips trembled. “How… how can this be?” she stammered, disbelief etched across her face. “It was fine yesterday! Are you just overtired?” “It’s idiopathic tremor. The cause is unknown,” I said, pulling my hand back and sliding it into my lab coat pocket. “Maybe it’s fate.” “Fate?” My dad, Richard, frowned, his voice laced with accusation. “Audrey, don’t talk nonsense! Are you… are you still blaming us?” I didn’t answer. My gaze simply returned to the surgical simulator. Eighteen years ago, I was found in a small, forgotten town and brought back to the Stevens family. It turned out that Chloe, the precious daughter they’d raised for eighteen years, was an imposter. And I was the true heiress. My adoptive parents had died young, and my life had been incredibly difficult. When I returned to the Stevens’ home, I was sensitive and insecure. It was Chloe who gave me the most warmth. She taught me etiquette, bought me beautiful clothes, and defended me everywhere, saying we were real sisters and that I shouldn’t feel constrained. My parents also said that Chloe was their daughter too; they loved both of us like their own, equally cherished. Because Chloe’s original family background was very poor, they couldn’t bring themselves to send her away, so they decided to raise both of us. I was grateful to them, and I was grateful to Chloe. I studied hard, pushing myself to become their pride, swearing I would protect our family of four. Until now… Seeing my silence, Mom’s tears suddenly gushed out. She yelled at me, “Audrey! Are you still holding a grudge?! Just because we doted on Chloe a little more, you’re holding it against us, and now you’re going to just let her die?!” “Did you forget how much Chloe cared for you?! When you stayed up late studying, who was it that constantly made you nourishing soups?!” Her words pierced my heart, and for a fleeting second, it ached. Dylan quickly stepped forward to support my mom. “Eleanor, please don’t get upset. Audrey isn’t like that!” He then turned to me, his eyes filled with heartache. “Audrey, I know you have your grievances, but Chloe is innocent! You can’t let your personal feelings overshadow your duty as a doctor!” My dad, Richard, who was always a dignified university professor, had reddened eyes and a hoarse voice. “Audrey, even if your hand is injured, you could at least go in and guide them! Chloe is your sister, you can’t just stand by and watch her die!” But I remained unfazed, simply continuing to adjust my equipment. My mom finally broke down. She dropped to her knees with a thud, sobbing hysterically. “How could I have raised such a cold-blooded, heartless daughter?! Chloe is so kind, she always let you have your way, and now… now you’re going to force her to die?!” Her cries were piercing, as she pounded the floor, drawing curious and judgmental stares from other medical staff outside. I just smiled faintly. “Then that’s her fate, I suppose. There’s nothing I can do.” Then, I sat back down and picked up the operating stick of the surgical simulator again. On the screen, the robotic arm began its work once more. I was completely focused, as if everything outside had nothing to do with me. Seeing my cold demeanor, my dad swayed slightly. Dylan looked at me, seemingly utterly disappointed. He took a deep breath, as if making a momentous decision. “Richard, Eleanor, don’t beg her anymore.” He turned to my parents, his voice firm. “Let me do it!”
Dylan stepping forward instantly rekindled hope in my parents. “Dylan! You… do you really have confidence?” My mom, Eleanor, gripped his hand excitedly. Dylan glanced at the two elderly people on the ground, then at me, a look of profound compassion on his face. He spoke with a heavy heart, “Audrey isn’t willing to act, and I understand. After all, she carries the prestigious title of ‘The Hand of God,’ she cannot afford to fail. But I can’t just stand by and watch Chloe die!” His words, while seemingly understanding of me, subtly nailed me to the pillar of shame for “abandoning someone to die out of concern for my reputation.” The colleagues who had rushed over to see what was happening now looked at me with even greater disdain. Dylan turned back to my parents, requesting again, “Richard, Eleanor, please trust me! I’ve followed Audrey’s microscopic dissection technique in every surgery she’s done. I’ve memorized all the theory and the essence. Please allow me to combine traditional surgical methods with her theories to take a risk for Chloe!” “Good! Good boy!” My dad, Richard, was so moved that old tears streamed down his face. “Dylan, if you save Chloe, our Stevens family… half of our family fortune, it’s yours!” Upon hearing those words, I, who had been silent all this time, finally lifted my eyes. I looked at my ecstatic parents and the righteous Dylan, calculating silently in my mind. Half of the Stevens family fortune was at least a hundred million. But… I slowly stood up, looking at Dylan, and said mockingly, “You want to use my technique? Did you get my authorization?” Dylan froze for a moment, then looked at me, exasperated. “Audrey Stevens! What time is it now? You’re still arguing about this? Saving a life is what matters!” “Saving a life is one thing, patents are another,” I said, shrugging indifferently, my tone firm. “Without my authorization, if you dare to touch that scalpel, I’ll sue you until your reputation is ruined, and you’ll never wear a lab coat again for the rest of your life.” “You!” Dylan’s face turned pale with anger. My dad, Richard, was trembling all over, pointing his finger at my nose. “Audrey Stevens! You’re utterly unreasonable! For money and a patent, you’re willing to disregard your sister’s life?!” I looked at him coldly, as if he were a stranger. “Make your decision quickly. The patient can’t wait.” Time ticked by, second by second, and the murmurs around us grew louder, but I showed no sign of impatience. “Fine! I agree!” Finally, my dad gritted his teeth and accepted my terms. “As long as you authorize it, I’ll immediately hire a lawyer afterward and transfer half of all the shares in my name to you!” I smiled, pulled a voice recorder from my pocket, and pressed the record button. “Dad, please say it again. You are voluntarily granting me half of the Stevens Group’s shares as authorization fees for my patent.” My dad’s face turned purple with rage, but he humiliatingly repeated the statement. I pocketed the recorder with satisfaction, then nodded at Dylan. “Go on. I hope your hand is steadier than mine.” With that, I walked straight out of the office, ignoring the disgusted looks from my parents and Dylan’s disappointed gaze. I didn’t go home. Instead, I went to a coffee shop across from the hospital and ordered the bitterest black coffee. Through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see the lights on in the surgery ward building. They got what they wanted. And so did I.
For the next few days, I took leave. Hashtags like #TrueHeiressLetsFakeHeiressDie, #EvilSisterAudreyStevens, and #TheViperWithin took turns trending. My entire background was dug up. Netizens concocted a vulgar drama: “Country Bumpkin Heiress Returns to Rich Family, Jealously Harms Kind Sister at Every Turn.” Chloe’s social media accounts were unearthed, filled with heartwarming anecdotes of how good she was to me, accompanied by gentle captions, making me appear even more despicable. I didn’t look at my phone. I simply locked myself in my apartment, polishing an old photo frame over and over. Inside the frame was a gentle, scholarly middle-aged man – my mentor, Professor Hayes. Three days later, the news exploded: “Devoted Boyfriend Steps Up, Miraculously Saves Girlfriend’s Sister,” “A New God Is Born! Dr. Dylan Successfully Completes Ultra-Difficult Intracranial Surgery!” The reports painted Dylan as a hero. He faced the camera, saying emotionally, “I only did what I had to do. Audrey Stevens is my beloved, and her sister is my sister.” This statement made me, the actual sister, seem even more cold-hearted. Online, the condemnation against me reached its peak. Then, an even bigger piece of news broke. TheraMed Innovations, a domestic medical device giant, grandly announced a deep strategic partnership with Dr. Dylan to jointly develop and promote a改良版 (improved version) microscopic dissection technique and related surgical instruments. A week later, I received a call from the hospital director. His tone was an unrefusable command. “Audrey Stevens, tomorrow at 9 AM, the hospital is holding a city-wide neurosurgery expert consultation meeting, which will be live-streamed. As the patent holder of this technology, you must attend.” I knew it wasn’t an invitation. It was a summons. They wanted me to witness Dylan’s triumph with my own eyes. The next day, I arrived punctually at the hospital’s International Conference Center. The hall was packed with neurosurgery experts from across the city, and reporters from major media outlets, flashbulbs constantly firing. As soon as I walked in, I saw a dazzling sight. Dylan and Chloe, seated in a wheelchair, were surrounded by a group of reporters, with my parents, Eleanor and Richard, hovering around them. The true family of four. Suddenly, just a second before the meeting was about to begin, Chloe tearfully addressed the cameras. “Everyone, I’m sorry to take up your valuable time. But today, I need to reveal the truth!” Her pale face was streaked with tears, making her appear utterly fragile and instantly capturing everyone’s attention. “My aneurysm rupture wasn’t an accident! It was… it was caused by my sister, Audrey Stevens, from long-term poisoning!” The revelation hit like a bombshell! The entire room erupted, and all the cameras instantly swiveled to point at me. Chloe cried even harder, clutching my parents’ hands, sobbing, “From the day she came back to the Stevens family, she’s constantly bullied and ostracized me! I endured it, for the sake of Mom and Dad raising me, not daring to ruin our family harmony! But I never imagined she would be so cruel as to try and take my life!” Dylan gently stroked her shoulder, seemingly giving her the courage to speak the truth. He then produced several lab reports. “I didn’t dare say anything before, fearing it would harm Audrey Stevens’ reputation. But after this surgery, I obtained irrefutable evidence proving that Chloe was poisoned with a chronic neurotoxin! I can’t let her continue to harm Chloe!” The live stream exploded. The comments section scrolled wildly. The hashtag #TrueHeiressPoisonedFakeHeiress shot to the top of the trending list at rocket speed. I stood at the entrance of the conference hall, surrounded by countless eyes filled with revulsion. Reporters’ questions bombarded me. “Dr. Stevens, did you really poison your sister?” “Why would you do such a thing? Was it out of jealousy?” “Do you even have the right to be a doctor anymore?” I ignored everyone and walked towards my biological parents. I looked at them, my voice trembling slightly. “Dad, Mom.” “Do you also believe I’m that kind of person?” My question brought a momentary silence to the room. “Audrey, we gave you a chance…” My mom cried, “Chloe presented the evidence… we… we’re so disappointed in you!” My dad, Richard, turned his head away, his face etched with sorrow, unable to look at me. “See? A true monster, even her parents disown her!” “What a monster hiding in plain sight. After doing something like that, the Stevens family should never have taken her back!” “She absolutely cannot be allowed to practice medicine again!” The malicious whispers filled my ears. I stood under the spotlight, isolated and helpless, like a criminal already condemned by the whole world. Just then, several uniformed police officers entered the hall. Their expressions were serious, their voices loud. “We received a report about intentional poisoning. Who called it in?” Everyone’s eyes landed on me. Even Dylan and Chloe couldn’t help but let a smirk tug at their lips. In the police officers’ sharp gaze and the deathly silence of the entire room, I calmly raised my hand. “Officers.” “I made the call.” For a moment, time in the entire conference hall seemed to stand still. Everyone looked at me as if I were insane. Calling the police on myself? What kind of move was that?
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