Everyone knew how much Julian Sterling loved me. He started a film and television company just for me and proposed to me live on a global awards show. But then, my mother was diagnosed with late-stage kidney disease. Julian found a donor named Briar, but on the day of the surgery, she was “in a car accident.” I watched him carry a seemingly injured Briar, whose forehead only had a small scrape, out of the hospital. “She’s scared. Let’s reschedule the surgery.” My mother flatlined on the operating table. At that very moment, Julian was in bed with Briar at her place. I signed the divorce papers and left for Finland. Yet, there he was, covered in snow, standing outside my door. “I gave her back her kidney. Please, come home.” I turned toward the kitchen. “Leo, could you take out the trash by the door?” Scarlett POV Everyone knew how much Julian Sterling loved me. As CEO of the Sterling Group, when I said I wanted to be an actress, he poured a fortune into building a film and television company just for me. He poached the industry’s top talent at premium rates and soon became celebrated in elite circles as the ultimate devoted husband. Later, I achieved my dream, winning the coveted Actress of the Year award. At the globally televised awards ceremony, he got down on one knee in front of all the cameras, pulling out a custom-made diamond ring, and proposed to me with heartfelt devotion. From then on, I gradually stepped back from the spotlight and settled into my role as his full-time wife. For three years after our marriage, our relationship was seen by the outside world as the perfect example of enduring love. Until one day, my adoptive mother, Martha, was suddenly diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease in both kidneys. Her life depended on a kidney transplant. Julian offered a hefty reward and found us a highly compatible kidney donor-Briar. But on the day of the surgery, she was nowhere to be found. I was practically frantic, dialing her number dozens of times before the call finally went through. “Briar! Where are you?” My voice trembled beyond my control. “We agreed on the surgery for today! Why are you-” Her voice on the other end was weak and shaky. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Scarlett, I… I got into a car accident on my way over…” I froze. “A car accident?” She sniffled softly. “I’m hurt, so I might not be able to donate my kidney. Can the surgery be rescheduled?” Before I could even answer, a deep male voice, one I knew all too well, suddenly came from her phone. “Okay, stop crying. Reschedule it is. I’ll take you home to rest first.” It was Julian. The call was abruptly disconnected. Listening to the dial tone, I stood rooted to the spot. Like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head, my mind went completely blank. The doctor beside me asked anxiously, “Ms. Scarlett, how much longer until the donor arrives? Your mother has already been moved into the operating room; her condition is critical, we really can’t delay any longer.” I snapped back to reality, my face pale. “Please wait, I’ll go get her right now.” I practically stumbled out of the corridor. Soon, on the other side of the hospital, I saw Julian. He was carrying Briar, emerging from the emergency trauma department. The man who usually only held me, was now, in a public place, holding another woman in his arms. Briar had a bandage on her forehead and was leaning against his chest, her voice soft. “Mr. Sterling, aren’t you getting tired holding me? Maybe you should put me down, I can walk.” “Aren’t you dizzy? The doctor said you have a slight concussion. It’s safer if I carry you.” He looked down at her, his tone gentle in a way I’d never heard before. I stood not far away, completely frozen. My chest felt like it had been pierced sharply. And the “car accident” she’d claimed? It had only left a slight scrape on her forehead. Other than that, she had no obvious injuries. Then, I heard her speak hesitantly. “But… I promised Ms. Scarlett I’d donate my kidney today. Now I can’t go through with the surgery, I’m worried she might get angry…” Julian’s tone was calm. “You had an accident, it’s unavoidable. If the surgery is delayed a bit, she won’t blame you.” She looked up at him, her eyes slightly red, her hands resting on his shoulders. “Mr. Sterling, I’m actually really scared of the surgery. Just thinking about having a kidney removed from my body, I just…” Julian paused, then said, “If you’re truly scared and don’t want to donate, I’ll find another suitable kidney donor for her mother as quickly as possible during this time.” “Really?” “Of course.” Just as I saw him carrying Briar towards the elevator, I finally snapped out of my shock. I rushed over, my voice out of control as I shouted: “Julian! The doctor said Mom can’t wait any longer! Briar has to go in for the kidney transplant right now, immediately!”
Scarlett POV I don’t know if Julian heard me call out to him. The elevator doors slowly closed before my eyes. He stood inside, holding Briar, without looking back, without reaching out to stop them. The numbers on the elevator display steadily dropped. I didn’t waste a second, turning and rushing down the emergency stairwell to the underground parking lot. But by the time I got there, I only saw his car speeding out of the exit, disappearing into the distance. He just left with Briar. Completely disregarding my mother, who was currently lying on the operating table, and me. A chill spread from the depths of my heart. I couldn’t stop trembling, my fingers stiff as I fumbled for my phone and dialed Julian’s number. The phone rang twice, then was abruptly hung up. I dialed several more times. This time, only a cold, robotic voice answered: “The subscriber you have dialed is unavailable.” Unavailable. I couldn’t believe it. Not only was he not answering my calls, he had deliberately turned off his phone. The person lying on the operating table was my mother. I dragged my jelly-like legs back to the operating room waiting area, my throat so dry I could barely speak. “The person who promised to donate can’t make it,” I told the doctor. “Is there really… no other suitable kidney donor at the hospital?” The doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry, Ms. Scarlett, currently there isn’t.” “What about mine?” The doctor looked at me, his voice cautious and objective. “You and your mother are not biological relations. We already did compatibility tests, and it wasn’t a match. Even if you were willing to donate, it couldn’t be used.” I was an orphan. Mom adopted me from a foster home, raising me little by little. All these years, she treated me like her own daughter, never mistreating me. My only wish was to one day earn a lot of money and repay her properly. But now, I couldn’t even find a suitable kidney for her. My throat tightened, I could barely form a complete sentence. “Doctor… can you find a way to keep her going for a few more days…” Before I could finish, the operating room door suddenly opened from the inside. A nurse walked out, her expression solemn. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Scarlett.” “We’ve done everything we could, but your mother… flatlined a minute ago.” In that instant, my world shattered. Everything went black. I couldn’t stand anymore, collapsing directly onto the cold floor. After that, I don’t remember much. I moved like a numb automaton, mechanically signing all the paperwork, and sending Mom for her final arrangements. “Mom, I’m so sorry…” “I was useless…” My chest felt like a vital piece of my soul had been ripped out, the pain making it almost impossible to breathe. Clutching Mom’s urn, I returned home in a daze. The moment I collapsed onto the bed, my eyes, which hadn’t closed for days, finally gave out. I fell into a fitful sleep, punctuated by sobs. In my dream, I kept returning to the year I turned twenty. Back then, Julian hadn’t taken over the family business yet. And I was just an unknown extra, trying to make it in the industry. That day, we were filming a scene involving a high fall. The safety harness suddenly malfunctioned, and I plummeted five meters straight down. The anticipated pain never came. I landed in a warm, strong embrace. Looking up, I met a pair of deep, captivating eyes. Julian Sterling. The scion of a powerful, well-known dynasty. He held me, looking down at my panicked expression, a light laugh in his voice. “Good thing I caught you. Otherwise, that fall would have caused quite a bit of trouble.” It was from that day on that he began to pursue me. He appeared on set again and again, sharing the most ordinary crew meals with me. I casually mentioned wanting to see the Northern Lights, and he arranged everything, taking me on a trip. Because I said I didn’t like the smell of smoke, he actually quit smoking. Later, he established a film company that served only me. Against his family’s objections, he insisted on marrying me, a woman with no background. The media called our wedding the “Wedding of the Century.” In front of everyone, he held my hand and said: “Scarlett, in this life, I will only ever love you.” But it had only been three years. Yet, because Briar was afraid of losing a kidney, He abandoned my critically ill mother.
Scarlett POV When exactly did Julian start falling for Briar? I vaguely recalled that when Briar first appeared, she was almost identical to how I had been back then. Also a fledgling actress, just starting in the entertainment industry, with no real name for herself. She was young, with the same innocent, clear eyes I’d once had. To thank her for agreeing to donate her kidney, Julian established a dedicated studio team for her, arranged for her to live in a luxurious house, and personally accompanied her for medical check-ups and health consultations. Later, he even started taking her to private dinners. He would interrupt important meetings because of a single message from her. He would meticulously pay attention to her diet, her sleep schedule, and her emotional state. I wasn’t oblivious; I had asked him. “Don’t you think you’re paying too much attention to Briar?” “Are you… falling for her?” That time, he was visibly displeased. “What are you talking about?” he said. “I’m only taking care of her so she can rest and recover, to donate her kidney. Don’t overthink things.” For the sake of my mother’s condition, I didn’t press the issue. I could only choose silence, enduring his care for Briar, which had long crossed the line of normalcy. I thought that if I just endured it, my mother’s kidney source would be secured. But in the end, this was the outcome I got. Over the next few days, Julian never showed up. He did send me a message: “Briar got into a car accident, and her emotions are a bit unstable. Let’s put the kidney donation on hold for now. I’ll take her out to clear her head for a while. Take care of yourself and your mother.” I looked at that message, then down at the urn in my arms, a cynical laugh escaping me. He still didn’t know that my mother was gone. And no longer needed anyone’s kidney. But then again, why would he? He clearly didn’t plan on letting Briar donate anymore anyway. I didn’t reply to him. Instead, I privately contacted the relevant personnel and chose a quiet, suitable burial place for my mother. From the final arrangements to the burial, I didn’t inform anyone. Five days passed by the time everything was done. That day, I opened my social media. The first post on my feed was from Briar. It was a photo of her and Julian at a ski resort. In the picture, her head rested naturally on his shoulder, and the expression on his face was one of gentle softness I hadn’t seen in a long time. The caption read: “Mr. Sterling brought me out to relax. The trauma from the car accident has faded so much. So happy!” I stared at that photo, feeling my heart being pierced by countless tiny needles, making it almost impossible to breathe. I exited the page and dialed another number. The call connected, and the voice on the other end was cold. “Scarlett? Why are you calling me?” “Mrs. Sterling,” I said calmly, “haven’t you always thought I wasn’t good enough for Julian? Well, now, I agree to leave him, to divorce him.” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. “What made you suddenly see sense?” They had always despised my humble background. In their eyes, being an actress, a celebrity, was nothing more than an undignified profession. Even if I had won the highest honors, and later completely left the industry for Julian, learning the lifestyle they approved of, the Sterling family had never truly accepted me. If Julian hadn’t insisted on marrying me back then, I would never have set foot in that house. “Mrs. Sterling,” I didn’t explain why, but continued, “you must have a way for Julian and me to end this marriage quietly, right?” She seemed to understand something, her tone immediately lightening. “This is your decision to divorce, so don’t say I forced you later.” I replied, “Don’t worry, it’s my choice.” “Good,” she said, “I’ll have someone send you the divorce papers tomorrow. Sign them, and once the process is complete, your marriage will be over.” “Understood.” She added, “Remember, once the paperwork is done, never appear before Julian again.” I gripped my phone, silently answering in my heart. I wouldn’t. More than anyone, I hoped to have no further ties with Julian Sterling in this lifetime.
Scarlett POV The next day, Mrs. Sterling sent someone to the house with the divorce papers. I carefully read through all the clauses, found nothing unfavorable to me, and signed my name without hesitation. “Then I won’t disturb your rest.” The butler took the agreement, placed it in a file folder, and turned to leave the mansion. He had just reached the door when he met Julian, who was driving back. Whenever someone from the family came over, it was rarely for a good reason. Julian saw the butler, and his face immediately darkened. “Is my mother bothering Scarlett again?” His tone was clearly displeased. “Go back and tell her that as long as I’m here, anyone who dares to secretly cause trouble for Scarlett is going against me.” In the past, every time I was targeted or bullied, he would stand in front of me like that. And back then, I truly loved him, couldn’t bear to leave. So no matter what cold treatment or injustice I received, I chose to endure it. But this time, it was different. The butler stood there, looking somewhat awkward. I calmly intervened for him. “No one’s bothering me. He just came to drop something off.” Julian frowned, looking at me. “Drop something off?” I nodded, gesturing to the butler. “You can go back.” “Alright.” After the butler’s car left, Julian looked back at me, still with a hint of suspicion. “What did he give you?” I managed a slight smile. “Nothing important.” If he had returned five minutes earlier, he would have known what that “something” was. Unfortunately, he came back too late. I didn’t want him to press further, so I changed the subject. “Didn’t you go out to relax with Briar? When did you get back?” His attention was indeed diverted. He looked at me, testing the waters. “Still angry?” I didn’t answer. His tone softened. “These past few days, you’ve been alone at the hospital taking care of your mother. It must have been hard. I apologize, okay?” Apologize? He suddenly took my hand. “I heard a new restaurant opened. I’ve already made reservations. Let’s go grab something to eat.” Without waiting for my response, he pulled me out the door. Only when the car stopped did I realize that Briar was already waiting in the restaurant. She sat at the table, saw us, and smiled, raising her hand to wave. “Mr. Sterling, Ms. Scarlett, over here.” My steps faltered, and I instinctively looked at the man beside me. Julian then explained. “This restaurant’s food is supposedly good for post-operative recovery, so I brought Briar to try it out first. If it’s suitable, after her donation, we can arrange meals here for her and your mother.” After the surgery. How ironic. But my mother had already been cremated and buried. And he, to this day, was completely oblivious, still bringing Briar here to sample so-called “nourishing meals.” I only felt a bitter irony. But I said nothing, letting him lead me to the table. He ordered a whole spread of dishes. He picked up a piece of pan-fried fish and placed it in her bowl. “I checked; this fish is high in protein and low in fat, easy on the body. Eat more.” Briar’s face flushed slightly, and she obediently replied, “Okay.” Julian smiled, then served a bowl of soup and pushed it in front of her. “This soup is good for recovery. Try it and see how it tastes.” She took a sip, her eyes lighting up. “It’s really delicious.” “You’re too thin. Eat more.” A smile on his lips, he kept serving her food. Almost every dish on the table was for body recovery. I sat there quietly, watching the tenderness in his eyes as he looked at Briar. That kind of gaze once belonged only to me. Including his current focus, patience, and thoughtfulness-they were once exclusively mine. But now, he gave all of it to another woman. Briar seemed afraid I would misunderstand, and explained softly, “Ms. Scarlett, please don’t overthink it. Mr. Sterling is only being kind to me to ensure I’m in the best possible condition to donate my kidney to your mother.” I lowered my gaze, a cold, indifferent curve on my lips.
Scarlett POV I could barely eat that meal. After a few bites, I put down my cutlery, made an excuse about going to the restroom, and temporarily left the table. When I returned after nearly ten minutes in the restroom, Julian was no longer at the table. Briar spoke up. “Mr. Sterling went out to take a call. He said something urgent came up at the company.” I pursed my lips, offering no response. She studied me, then suddenly chuckled. “Ms. Scarlett, Mr. Sterling is so good to me, and you don’t mind at all?” In the past, I certainly would have minded. And I suffered for it for a long time. But now, I was about to leave Julian. What was there left to mind? I sat back down calmly. “Didn’t you say he’s only being good to you to keep you in shape to donate your kidney to my mother?” “Do you really believe that?” Briar laughed out loud, her words loaded with obvious insinuation. “Mr. Sterling has already fallen for me. You can’t possibly not see that.” I gave a faint, cynical smile. “Is that so?” “Mr. Sterling told me you’re too cold,” her voice held undisguised triumph. “Spending time with you is like being with a block of ice, utterly boring.” “Unlike me, I’m young, vibrant, and always bring him new excitement.” Cold. Like a block of ice. My heart stung faintly. Just as I was about to speak, our phones chimed almost simultaneously. It was a message from Julian: “I’m waiting for you downstairs. Come down.” Briar glanced at it, picked up her bag, and stood. We left the restaurant together. In the elevator, it was just the two of us. She didn’t seem ready to stop, continuing, “Ms. Scarlett, do you know what Mr. Sterling told me the day I had the car accident?” I closed my eyes, not looking at her, simply waiting for the elevator to descend. She went on. “He said, if I didn’t want to donate…” Before she could finish, the elevator jolted violently. Then, after a brief pause, it began to plummet rapidly. A powerful sense of freefall instantly overwhelmed me. Briar shrieked. “What’s happening?!” “Back against the wall, knees bent!” I was closer to the control panel, instinctively pressing all floor buttons and the emergency call button. In less than a few seconds, the elevator jolted to a violent halt mid-descent. A voice crackled over the intercom. “Please remain calm and do not move. Rescue personnel are on their way.” “I’m so scared!” Briar’s voice was hysterical. “Help me! I don’t want to die!” No sooner had she spoken than the elevator shook violently again. Screams filled the confined space. My palms were drenched in cold sweat. I dared not think what would happen if the elevator continued to fall. Soon, urgent, chaotic sounds came from outside. Julian’s voice vaguely reached us from outside. “Scarlett? Are you two in there?” Briar immediately cried out, “Mr. Sterling, save me! I’m so scared!” “Don’t worry, rescue is here.” The staff’s voice sounded again. “The equipment malfunction hasn’t been completely resolved. The elevator could fall again at any moment. We can only get one person out first.” The air suddenly went silent. Just a few seconds, yet it stretched like an eternity. “Briar is timid. Get her out first.” Julian’s voice came through. In that instant, I felt completely frozen. So, in a life-or-death situation, the answer was still so clear. Rescue personnel pried open the elevator doors, creating a gap just wide enough for one person to squeeze through. Julian rushed forward and pulled Briar out. She collapsed into his arms, trembling all over, sobbing uncontrollably. “It was so horrible… I was really terrified…” “It’s okay, it’s okay now.” He patted her back, just about to instruct the rescuers to continue- The elevator suddenly vibrated violently again. The next second, a powerful sense of freefall returned. The elevator plummeted. I felt a dizzying disorientation, my heart seemingly stopping at that very moment. “Scarlett!” Julian’s shout was completely swallowed by the rapid descent.
Scarlett POV When I woke up, looking at the stark white ceiling, I briefly thought I had arrived in the afterlife. Until Julian’s joyful voice came from beside me. “Scarlett, you’re awake?” My consciousness slowly returned. I turned my head and found Julian sitting by the hospital bed. “How are you feeling now? Is there anything that’s especially uncomfortable?” His tone was gentle, and he reached out to touch my forehead, but I instinctively turned my head, avoiding his touch. His hand paused in mid-air, then slowly retracted. “I’m sorry, Scarlett,” he said. “The situation was so urgent then. Briar is timid, and I pulled her out first because I was afraid she’d panic too much in the elevator and do something dangerous, making the situation even more uncontrollable…” I only felt a bitter irony. Pain rippled through every inch of my body, yet it still couldn’t compare to the distinct, twisting ache in my chest. Seeing that I hadn’t spoken, he continued to explain. “Besides, she was going to donate her kidney to your mother. She couldn’t suffer any accidents, which is why I saved her first.” “Julian,” I finally spoke, my voice hoarse. “Did you really save her just because she was going to donate her kidney to my mother?” He froze. After a brief silence, he said, “Of course. What else could it be?” I didn’t press further. I closed my eyes, not wanting to speak anymore. His voice was filled with remorse. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t expect the elevator to start plummeting right after I got her out, causing you to get hurt… If I had known, I would have saved you first.” But even with those words, I felt no comfort. Perhaps out of guilt, for the next few days, whenever he wasn’t working, he stayed by my side in the hospital. But he was always distracted. His phone was practically glued to his hand, as he replied to messages one after another. Each time he looked down at the screen, his voice would soften noticeably, even carrying an unconscious smile. He was so engrossed that he didn’t even hear me when I said I was thirsty. I didn’t need to look to know he wasn’t handling work. He was chatting with Briar. Because that expression, I knew it too well. It was almost identical to when he was pursuing me. A little over a week later, I was discharged from the hospital. The day I was discharged happened to be the Sterling family’s annual gathering. Every year around this time, they would return to the Sterling family estate, and we were no exception. Just as the car pulled up to the entrance, his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen and answered. “What’s wrong?” “Mr. Sterling.” Briar’s tearful voice came from the other end. “It’s thundering. I’m so scared. Can you… can you come stay with me?” He looked up at the sky outside. Dark clouds gathered, and thunder rumbled across the sky, as if a heavy storm could break out at any moment. Then, he looked at me, hesitating for a moment, and said, “I’m sorry, Scarlett, something urgent came up at the company, and I need to go deal with it. You’ll be alone…” I lowered my eyes, not looking at him. In the past, he never felt comfortable leaving me alone at these family gatherings. Because he knew very well they didn’t like me, and only with him present would I avoid being deliberately targeted. But this time, I didn’t expose his excuse. I just calmly said, “Go ahead.” He seemed relieved, reaching out to ruffle my hair. “I’ll finish up quickly and come back. Wait for me.” I got out of the car and stood there, watching his car quickly disappear into the night. At the gathering, apart from Victoria Sterling, who already knew about my impending divorce from Julian and no longer bothered me, everyone else still gave me the cold shoulder. They despised my humble background. From beginning to end, they barely gave me a kind look, their words laced with sarcasm. And that night, Julian never returned. He only sent me a message mid-way: “Still busy, can’t leave.” Looking at that message, I felt my heart completely turn to ice. After the gathering, no one cared for me. It was hard to get a cab in that area, so in the end, I walked for four whole hours alone before finally getting back to my place. That night, having just been discharged, I developed a high fever again and completely passed out. Julian called a doctor to the house, who gave me an IV drip to bring down the fever. When I groggily woke up, the first words he said to me weren’t an apology, but a reproach. “Why didn’t you have the staff arrange a car for you? Why didn’t you wait for me to pick you up, instead of walking back in the rain and getting yourself like this?” For a moment, I wondered if I had misheard him. I looked at him, drained. “Are you saying I deliberately walked back in the rain and made myself sick?” He knew they didn’t like me. And he hadn’t shown up until after the gathering was over. But now, he was blaming me. “Fine, I was just worried about you,” he sighed. “The company was genuinely busy that day. I couldn’t get away in time to pick you up. I’m sorry.” All I felt was a wave of utter exhaustion. In that moment, I finally understood what it meant for a heart to truly die. Julian, I will never love you again.
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