The night before my grandmother’s heart surgery, I dragged my adoptive father into his study to go over a new medical breakthrough I’d been researching. I did this because, in my past life, when Grandmother’s heart failed, the "real" heiress—my sister, returned to the family—demanded to take over as lead surgeon. She wanted to perform the heart transplant herself. Knowing she had only completed three years of nursing school before dropping out, I refused. She took my refusal as an insult. To prove herself, she impersonated me, scrubbed in, and performed the surgery. The next day, Grandmother died on the table from massive rejection and ruptured vessels. Afterward, she threw herself into our father’s arms, sobbing: "Dad, I never thought Emily would be so jealous of me taking her spot as lead surgeon! She broke hospital protocol and operated on Grandma in the middle of the night just to beat me to it!" Before I could explain, my adoptive mother jumped in, pointing a shaking finger at me. "Emily Thorne, you are a murderer! Just because Grandma trusted Bella more, you sabotaged the surgery and killed her!" My father, blinded by rage and grief, pushed me off the 36th-floor balcony. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the day the "real" heiress demanded to operate on Grandmother. 1 "Emily, Grandma's surgery is critical. Just let me do it." "Your skills are average at best. If something happens to Grandma on the table, can you take responsibility?" Bella clutched Grandma’s arm, looking at me with pure triumph in her eyes. Hearing that familiar, sickly-sweet voice, I realized I had been reborn. I was back to the day before the surgery. The memory of falling from the skyscraper made me shudder. "No. Absolutely not." Before I could finish, a porcelain teacup smashed against my forehead. "Do you have a say in this?" My adoptive mother, Mrs. Thorne, sat elegantly on the sofa, not even bothering to look at me. "Bella is the true daughter of the Thorne family. She’s devoted to her grandmother. What’s wrong with her wanting to perform the surgery?" "Don't think just because you've been squatting in Bella's spot for years that you're actually a Thorne." Grandma, sitting beside them, was trembling with anger. "Bella has been separated from us since she was a child, yet she still became a fine doctor. Much better than you." "My own granddaughter wants to save me. What right do you, an outsider, have to speak?" Bella pouted, tears welling up in her eyes. "Emily, everyone knows you only became Chief Resident because of Dad’s donations to the hospital. You don’t have real talent." "Grandma is sick. I found a new experimental protocol that can save her. Emily, don't let your jealousy delay Grandma's treatment." I looked at the three of them—three generations of women united against me. I had planned to stop Bella from operating. But seeing their faces, I realized they wouldn't believe a word I said. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. 2 In my past life, Bella had just been found and brought back to the family. When she heard Grandma needed surgery, she volunteered immediately. I had secretly investigated her. She attended nursing school for three years but barely passed due to truancy and fighting. For the sake of the Thorne family reputation—and Grandma’s life—I refused her without hesitation. Bella thought I was gatekeeping the inheritance. She accused me of trying to cut her out. After a huge fight, she took Grandma to the hospital herself. I assumed they would listen to the doctors. I didn't tell Dad. The next morning, I arrived at the hospital for my shift. At the operating room doors, Dad slapped me across the face. "You ungrateful wretch! Your grandmother is dead! Are you happy now?" Before I could process the shock, Bella threw herself into Dad’s arms. "Dad, I can't believe Emily was so afraid I'd take her job! She sneaked in last night and operated on Grandma against protocol!" "The surgery failed, and she didn't even tell us! Grandma didn't even get to say goodbye!" I couldn't believe it. Grandma was gone. Grandma never liked me because I was a girl. She made me kneel in the ancestral hall for hours. When Bella returned, Grandma hated me even more. If it weren't for the fact that Grandma raised Dad single-handedly through poverty, and the surgery was high-risk, I wouldn't have even taken the case. But Grandma died before the scheduled time. I had been asleep in my apartment all night. I wasn't even at the hospital. Before I could defend myself, Mom started screaming. "Emily Thorne! Just because your grandmother was strict with you, you murdered her?" "You're an animal! Is this how you repay us for raising you?" Dad’s eyes bulged with rage. He lunged at me, his hands closing around my throat. I couldn't breathe. The world went black. The next thing I knew, I was falling. Pushed from the balcony of the hospital's VIP suite on the 36th floor. After I died, I learned the truth. Bella was terrified my surgery would succeed, cementing my place in the family. She convinced Mom and Grandma to let her operate early. When she botched it, she framed me. Dad, unable to handle the grief, killed me. He went to prison. Bella and Mom inherited everything. And the reason Bella was so desperate? She wasn't the real heiress either. She feared exposure. So she engineered a tragedy to remove both me and the old woman who might figure it out. Not a single good person in this family. This time, I will make them pay in blood. 3 I took a deep breath, channeling my professional ethics for one last attempt. "Bella has zero surgical experience. She's lying." "Grandma, with the proper procedure, you could live another three years." Grandma sneered. "With your half-assed skills? I'd rather die than let you cut me open. Just you wait." With that, the three of them left for the hospital. It was getting late. They were afraid Dad would come home and stop them, so they were going to do the surgery tonight. Watching their retreating figures, a cold plan formed in my mind. If Bella wants to impersonate me, fine. I'll stay with Dad all night. Let's see how Bella explains her way out of that. I turned and went upstairs, grabbing a stack of medical files, and headed to Dad’s study. Dad and Grandma were close. The night before her surgery, he wouldn't be sleeping. Seeing me, his face darkened. "Why aren't you asleep? Tomorrow is the surgery. If you mess up because you're tired, I'll kill you." I flinched, acting scared, and held out the file. "Dad, the hospital just sent over Grandma's latest labs. I thought you should see them." Dad's expression softened slightly. "Dad, the reports are excellent. Grandma is strong. After the surgery, she could be home in a week." "We can all take care of her together. She'll be so happy." Dad couldn't hide his relief. Tears welled up in his eyes. He grabbed my shoulders. "Good. That's good. Your grandma suffered so much raising me. If you cure her, you're the hero of this family." He pulled me into the study. "Tell me everything. Go through the data with me." I hid a smile. Exactly. The happier he is now, the more devastating the crash will be tomorrow. Nothing fuels rage like hope destroyed. Bella, you wanted to play doctor? I hope you're ready for the malpractice suit. Dad kept me there for hours. He asked about every number, every potential complication. He held my hand, his voice thick with emotion. "Emily, you're a good daughter. If this surgery goes well, I won't mistreat you." "You and Bella will be equal. I'll give you half the company shares." I shook my head shyly. "Dad, saving Grandma is reward enough." "Besides, Bella just came back. She needs to feel secure. She's your real daughter." Dad looked thoughtful but didn't argue. "Time to go," I said, checking the clock. "We should head to the hospital. I need to prep." Dad nodded eagerly and called the driver. We arrived at the hospital. I changed into my scrubs. As I walked toward the VIP ward, a figure lunged at me. "You bitch! You killed Grandma!" 4 It was a busy morning at the hospital. Patients and staff gathered around the noise. Bella saw the crowd and her eyes lit up with malicious glee. She pointed a shaking finger at me, tears streaming down her face. "Emily! I knew you were jealous that Mom and Dad found me, their real daughter! But to take it out on Grandma?" "Grandma trusted you! Just because I suggested a better surgical plan, you got scared I'd overshadow you! You operated on her in secret and killed her!" Bella wailed, her performance Oscar-worthy. The crowd began to whisper. "She looks like a doctor... she killed her own grandmother?" "Rich family drama. Who knows the truth?" Just then, Dad pushed through the crowd. "What is going on here?" Bella threw herself into his arms. "Dad! Emily killed Grandma! She was afraid I'd take her position as Chief Resident, so she broke protocol and operated last night!" "It failed! She didn't tell anyone! Grandma died alone! She wanted to see you, Dad!" "Grandma was crying for you at the end! Emily is a monster!" Dad froze. His face went gray. He started shaking. "Impossible. Mom was fine yesterday. She was stable." "Bella, stop talking nonsense! Don't curse your grandmother!" At that moment, Mom wheeled a gurney out of the operating room. "Husband! Come look! Mom... she died so painfully." "Bella told me everything. She found a new cure, but Emily was jealous. She operated early to sabotage Bella." "If she hadn't touched Mom, Bella could have saved her! Mom died of massive hemorrhaging!" Mom pulled back the white sheet. Grandma’s face was grey and stiff. Dad’s eyes turned red. He stumbled forward, hands trembling as he pulled the sheet further down. "Mom? Mom, wake up. I brought Emily. She said you'd live to be a hundred." Then he saw it. The chest cavity was a mess of blood and sutures. Amateur work. Dad’s fists clenched until the knuckles cracked. Bella, seeing her chance, added fuel to the fire. "Dad, it was Emily! I told her about my plan, and she screamed at me." "She was terrified I'd cure Grandma. She sneaked in here last night." "Grandma died because her veins burst. That doesn't happen in a normal surgery! Emily did it on purpose!" Bella looked at me, a smirk playing on her lips. She thought I was dead. The next second, Dad’s hands were around her throat.
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