Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
My adopted sister and I were diagnosed with terminal cancer at the same time.
And the only chance at a life-saving clinical trial was in the hands of my husband, Ethan.
The moment I learned the truth, I quietly withdrew my application and swallowed a heavy dose of lethal nerve-blocking pills.
The price? Complete organ failure in three days.
During these three days, I gave up everything.
When I signed over my hard-earned boutiques and design firm to Serena, my parents smiled with relief.
When Ethan slid the divorce papers across the table and I signed without hesitation, he sighed and called me "sensible and mature."
When I nudged my six-year-old daughter, Chloe, encouraging her to call Serena "Mommy," Chloe leaped with joy, shouting that Serena was the best mom in the world.
Even when I surrendered my real estate and private bank accounts to Serena, none of them suspected a thing.
They just looked at me with warm approval and said, "Our sweet, understanding Cora is finally back."
I couldn't help but wonder: after I'm dead, will they ever miss me?
Under the doctor's sorrowful, pitying gaze, I swallowed the black-market pain blockers.
Seventy-two hours left until my heart stopped beating.
Leaving the pharmacy, I walked straight to Serena's VIP hospital room.
Inside, my father, Robert, was peeling an orange for Serena, while my mother, Eleanor, held her hand, whispering soft comforts.
The moment I pushed the door open, their gentle smiles vanished, replaced by icy disdain.
"What? Done playing the sick victim?" Robert snapped, his glare cold as frost. "Or did you come here to torment Serena again? Let me tell you, as long as we're breathing, you will never lay a finger on her!"
"Every child in this family is kind and generous—except you," Eleanor sneered, pointing an accusing finger at me. "Your jealousy is disgusting! You're actually trying to steal your sister's treatment? If I had known you'd turn out like this, I should have never given birth to you!"
In the blind spot behind my parents, Serena looked up at me. A triumphant, mocking smirk danced on her pale lips.
I lowered my eyes. I had heard these vicious words thousands of times before.
In the past, I would have screamed. I would have torn off Serena's fake mask right in front of them, even though my parents never believed a single word I said.
Now? I was simply too exhausted to fight.
"You came at the right time anyway. I have something to discuss with you," Robert said coldly.
I gave a faint smile. "Dad, I have something to tell you too."
"Serena wants my stores and my company, right? I've thought it over. She can have them all."
Robert froze. Eleanor turned to me in disbelief.
"How did you know I was going to ask for that? You... you really agree?"
A bitter curve formed on my lips. No wonder they were shocked.
Serena had coveted my businesses for years. My parents had used every guilt trip, every manipulation in the book to force me to surrender the empire I built from scratch. I had never yielded.
Not until now.
I was a walking corpse. Wealth meant nothing to a dead woman.
Seeing my deadpan expression, Eleanor finally cracked a relieved smile. She stepped forward, patting my head like she used to when I was a compliant little girl.
"You've finally come to your senses!" she praised. "Serena was always brighter than you in school. Even though she's sick, her business instincts are sharper than yours. Handing your brand over to her gives us peace of mind."
I said nothing, merely handing the transfer contract to Serena.
The second Serena signed her name, my parents grasped my hands tightly, showering me with endless praise, calling me their "good girl."
A chilling irony bloomed in my chest.
How pathetic. My mother only showed me warmth when I offered my blood and sweat on a silver platter to Serena.
I truly wondered... when they finally uncovered Serena's true colors, and when they realized I was already buried six feet under... would they ever regret this?
That evening, I returned home.
The smell of cooking drifted from the open kitchen. Ethan and Chloe were busy at the stove.
Because of the cancer ravaging my body, my footsteps were light, and the click of the front door was faint. Neither of them noticed my arrival.
Ethan plated the dish. When he turned around and saw me standing by the foyer, the bright smile on his face instantly stiffened.
"Cora? When did you get back? Why didn't you make a sound?"
I stared quietly at the dinner he had prepared: smoked salmon fettuccine Alfredo. Serena's absolute favorite.
Plated to perfection, worthy of a five-star chef.
How bitterly laughable. It took dying for me to realize that Ethan, the man I had lived with for five years, was actually an exceptional cook.
Whenever I cooked for him, he criticized the seasoning. And under his constant complaints, Chloe had gradually grown to despise my food as well.
I had spent years wearing myself out for this home, only to be treated like garbage.
In the past, I would have thrown a fit. But now, I calmly walked past them, sitting on the sofa to organize my purse.
Seeing my eerie silence, Ethan hesitated. He set the plate down and walked over, rubbing his nose nervously.
"Cora, there's... something I need to talk to you about."
He paused, then forced himself to speak.
"It's about Serena."
My heart went numb. A dark premonition swept over me.
His next words confirmed it.
"Her mood has been terribly unstable since the last chemotherapy session. Mom and Dad suggested... that I marry Serena. Temporarily. Just to cheer her up and give her the will to fight."A violent ringing filled my ears. It took me several seconds to find my voice.
"So... you agreed?"
Ethan sighed, feigning reluctance. "Cora, she might be adopted, but she's still your sister. She's family. And this is just a paper marriage. Once she's in remission and discharged, I'll still be your husband. Chloe's father."
Before I could reply, six-year-old Chloe chimed in, tugging my sleeve. "Mommy, Mama Serena has been so sad lately! You need to be understanding!"
I stared at the father and daughter standing before me.
This was the man I had loved for a decade.
This was the child I had nearly bled to death to bring into this world.
I had done nothing wrong. I had been a devoted daughter, a faithful wife, a loving mother.
And my reward was utter betrayal.
Fine. Since Serena wanted everything that was mine, she could choke on it.
I didn't want any of it anymore.
I looked up at Ethan. "Okay. I agree."
A flash of stunned disbelief crossed Ethan's eyes. "Really?"
Without missing a beat, he pulled pre-printed divorce papers out of the coffee table drawer and placed them before me.
I curled my lips into a self-deprecating smirk.
Ethan, oh Ethan... you didn't even bother hiding how eager you were.
I grabbed a pen and signed my name with a steady hand.
The moment the ink dried, Ethan's face flushed with solemn relief and feigned tenderness.
"Cora, as soon as Serena recovers, we'll remarry immediately. I promise you, I will never abandon you."
He quickly signed his name, letting out a heavy breath. "You've grown so much more sensible, Cora. I was wrong in the past too. I shouldn't have been so impatient with you. Once Serena beats this, I'll never let you worry about a single thing again!"
"Yeah, Mommy!" Chloe piped up like a little adult. "You're being so nice to Mama Serena. I'm proud of you!"
Looking at them, every ember in my heart turned to ash.
Until this very second, I had clung to one final shred of hope for Ethan and Chloe.
Now... nothing remained. Except death.
I stood up, planning to retreat to my bedroom.
A violent, crushing wave of dizziness slammed into my skull. My vision blackened, and my knees gave out.
In the final split-second before the darkness swallowed me, I caught a glimpse of Ethan's frantic face rushing toward me.
...
I woke up shivering from bone-chilling cold.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself still lying flat on the cold hardwood floor.
Standing above me, Ethan and Chloe looked down with unvarnished disgust and disappointment.
"Daddy, see? I told you Mommy was faking it!" Chloe huffed. "Mommy, can you stop being so childish? You're making us late to visit Mama Serena at the hospital!"
Faking?
Ethan looked at me with deep frustration. "Cora, can you stop throwing tantrums? Didn't I tell you? Even if we signed the papers, you're the only woman I love! You don't need to pull pathetic stunts like playing dead just to test my loyalty!"
Listening to him, a hollow laugh bubbled in my chest.
The lethal blockers worked wonders. For seventy-two hours, they completely suppressed my cancer symptoms, making my skin look flushed and healthy, like a normal person's.
The trade-off was rapid, catastrophic multi-organ failure on the third day.
It seemed the drug's disguise was flawless.
I gritted my teeth and dragged myself up from the floor. "My blood sugar just dropped. It's nothing. I'll go to the hospital with you. There are still a few asset transfer documents Serena needs to sign."
Ethan nodded. No surprise on his face—my parents must have already bragged to him about my surrender.
At the hospital, Serena was propped up on pillows, watching TV.
"Cora, you're here!" Her face was pale, but her energy was high. The smug, venomous triumph in her eyes didn't escape me.
"Thank you for trusting me with your brand, Cora. Don't worry, I won't let you down!"
"That's right, sweetheart," Eleanor beamed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "With Serena running your stores, you can just sit at home, relax, and collect quarterly dividends. Isn't that wonderful?"
I pulled the remaining legal folders from my bag. "Since that's the case, I'll hand over my private liquid assets and real estate to her management as well. That way, I won't have to worry about anything ever again."
Dead silence fell over the room."Cora... are you serious? You're giving all your personal savings and properties to Serena too?" Ethan grabbed my arm, his eyes wide with shock.
Now it was my turn to be puzzled.
For years, they had worshiped Serena. Whatever she wanted, they forced me to hand over.
If I refused, I was selfish, petty, and evil.
Now that I was giving her my entire life without a fight, why were they acting like this?
Robert was the first to recover. Pride lit up his face. "Our girl has finally matured! All those years raising you weren't in vain after all! Cora, accepting your sister into your heart is the best thing you've ever done. Now we can grow old knowing you girls will look after each other!"
Look after each other?
Dad, Mom... you've been blinded by her snake-like deceit for a decade. Do you honestly believe Serena will ever look after anyone but herself?
Another violent wave of vertigo crashed over me. A warm trickle ran down my upper lip.
I touched it. Crimson blood stained my fingertips.
"Cora? Why is your nose bleeding? The air isn't even dry today," Eleanor asked, frowning.
My hand froze. Looking at the expectant, indifferent faces around me, I couldn't stop the question from slipping past my lips.
"Dad. Mom. If... if I died of a terminal illness one day, would you regret any of this?"
Eleanor didn't even blink. She merely chuckled dismissively.
"Look at that healthy glow on your cheeks! How could you possibly die? Stop spouting such morbid nonsense!"
"She's right," Robert chimed in, turning his worried eyes back to Serena. "Serena is the frail one here. Once she's discharged, we need to hire a private chef to rebuild her health."
"I agree!" Chloe piped up, hugging Ethan's leg. "Mommy is super healthy. It's Mama Serena who needs our protection!"
The last dying ember in my chest extinguished completely.
I had nothing left to lose.
I looked down at Chloe, a soft, dead smile grazing my lips.
"Chloe, didn't you always want Serena to be your real mommy?"
"I'm granting your wish. Serena is your real mom now. Aren't you going to call her 'Mom'?"
A spark of raw excitement exploded in Chloe's eyes. "Really?!"
I smiled faintly. "Yes. Once you call her Mom, you can eat her cooking every single day, and she'll stay by your side forever. Isn't that what you always dreamed of?"
Chloe practically jumped into the air. "Yay! Mommy, you're the best! Thank you, Mommy!"
Dropping my hand without a backward glance, she threw herself into Serena's open arms.
Serena hugged her, while Robert, Eleanor, and Ethan watched the picture-perfect scene with glowing adoration.
I turned and walked away.
At the doorway, I took one last look back.
My parents and Ethan were gathered around the bed, laughing and playing with Chloe and Serena.
Not a single soul noticed my departure.
I closed the door softly, leaving the hospital forever.
With only twenty-four hours left to live, I had nowhere to go.
My entire youth had been spent running, working, and begging for breadcrumbs of love. I had never stopped to breathe.
I bought a one-way train ticket to a coastal town. I sat on the chilly beach, watching the crashing black waves under the moonlight. I wanted to climb a mountain to see the sunrise, but my body finally gave out.
Collapsing onto the sand, right before my consciousness faded, I dialed a number I hadn't called in five years.
The world went pitch-black.When I woke up, the rhythmic beeping of hospital monitors filled the air.
I moved my heavy eyelids toward the wall clock.
Six hours left.
Sitting beside my bed, her eyes swollen and bloodshot, was my childhood best friend, Jane.
Five years ago, Jane had begged me on her knees not to marry Ethan. She told me he was a spineless, calculating parasite who would ruin me. I had refused to listen. We had a catastrophic falling out, and she didn't even attend my wedding.
I knew I had no right to drag her into my mess.
Yet in this vast, cruel world, she was the only person I had left.
"What the hell happened to you?!" Jane choked back a sob, gripping the bed rails. "Weren't you supposedly living your fairytale life with Ethan? The happy little family of three?! Why the fuck are your organs shutting down?! Why did the doctor say you're dying?!"
An oxygen mask covered my face. I looked at her, offering a weak, trembling smile.
When we were little girls, we made a pact: if one of us ever reached the end of the line, the other would handle everything that followed.
I couldn't speak anymore. With the last ounce of strength in my trembling arm, I pointed toward my leather tote bag on the chair.
Jane reached inside and pulled out several sealed legal files.
She skimmed through the documents. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she nodded firmly and tucked them into her briefcase.
Our unspoken bond hadn't faded after all these years. One glance, and she understood every single plan I had laid out.
Three hours left.
I signed the DNR form, refusing any invasive resuscitation.
After another round of comatose darkness, I opened my eyes again.
Jane held her phone in front of my face. It was a message from Serena:
【Cora, I won! Everything you owned belongs to me now.】
【Did you really think you could compete with me? Blame your own pathetic uselessness. Your parents love me more, after all.】
【Just leave the Foster family quietly. Don't worry, I'll take wonderful care of your parents, your husband, and your precious little daughter for you~】
Reading it, Jane broke down, cursing violently through her tears.
I let out a silent, self-mocking sigh beneath the mask.
In this life, I regretted nothing—except begging my father to sponsor Serena ten years ago.
I had found Serena in a dilapidated suburban orphanage during a winter charity drive.
Snow was falling heavily that day. All the other children were huddled around the radiator indoors, but Serena was digging through a dumpster behind the kitchen, gnawing on discarded chicken bones.
My heart broke for her. I cried and begged my father to sponsor her schooling.
We became inseparable best friends. A year later, she transferred into my private prep school.
She was charming, delicate, and brilliant. She instantly won over every teacher and classmate. Whenever people praised her, I beamed with genuine pride.
Until everything started rotting from the inside out.
One by one, my friends began icing me out, making Serena their queen bee.
The boys who once wrote me love letters turned cold, publicly declaring their devotion to Serena.
Even my parents began inviting Serena over every weekend, eventually giving her my guest room, and later, half of my own bedroom.
I was too naive, too emotionally numb back then.
I never realized that Serena's greatest talent was stealing everything that belonged to me while wearing the mask of an innocent victim.
By the time I woke up from the illusion:
My bedroom was hers.
My parents were hers.
My life was hers.
I had once confronted Serena in private, demanding to know why she hated me so much. Her chilling answer still echoed in my nightmares:
"Cora, did you honestly think I'd be grateful for your charity? I loathed the way you looked down on me with pity! I swore I would rip away every single thing you loved. I just want to see the look of absolute despair on your face when you have nothing left."
...
I once believed I could kick her out. I believed the truth would wake Ethan and my parents from their trance.
How arrogant I was.
I underestimated Serena's psychopathic cunning, and I vastly overestimated the microscopic amount of love my family had for me.
I lost. Completely and utterly.
Nine minutes left.
My mind drifted into an endless fog. My vision blurred into gray static.
On the screen Jane held up, one last text notification popped up from Eleanor:
【Cora, hire painters to repaint your townhouse master suite pink this week. Serena loves blush pink.】
【Also, she's getting discharged in two weeks. Move your clothes and personal junk out into storage. Serena needs the closet space!】
Until my very last breath, my mother's mind was consumed solely by Serena.
I truly meant nothing to them.
Whatever... let it go.
Jane was screaming my name, weeping hysterically against my chest, but the sound was already miles away.
After fighting for so long, I was finally, truly exhausted.
I could finally sleep.
On November 24th, Cora Foster passed away in a quiet coastal hospital, at the age of twenty-nine.
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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