During my most financially desperate year, I overheard a classmate mention an ill heiress nearby. I secretly got tested. As soon as the results arrived, her older brother found me. He made me sign a contract and rushed me into hospitalization. Then live comments flashed before my eyes: 【Don’t sign! He’s your brother.】 【Your real brother.】 【Miles Sterling, you’ll regret this. You’re sending the sister you searched for to surgery.】 I ignored them. I knew the man before me had already learned the truth. He had simply chosen to abandon me. Six days post-surgery, as comments buzzed with excitement, I quietly left the hospital. Everyone anticipated my return—eager to see the lost daughter make the Sterlings pay. 【The big moment is here! Zoe’s happy ending!】 【The brother knows! YES!】 【The groveling arc begins!】 【Time to be the pampered princess and make them suffer!】 【Don’t forgive easily, Zoe!】 I shook my head. They’d be disappointed. I was exiting at the climax. That pampered life everyone expected? I didn’t want it. 1 The first time I met Miles Sterling was at a café near the hospital. The second he learned I was a kidney match for his sister, he contacted me. After confirming the details, he handed me the contract along with a disposable mask. “It’s probably best if you wear a mask outside.” I took it without a word, my eyes scanning the exorbitant penalty fee listed in the contract. After I put the mask on, his gaze lingered on my eyes for a moment. The hand holding the pen paused, then decisively signed his name. Suddenly, the live comments flickered to life. 【Baby, don’t sign it! He’s your brother.】 【Your real brother.】 【Miles Sterling, you are going to regret this. The sister you’ve been searching for is about to be sent to the operating table by your own hand.】 【Wait, I just re-read this part… isn’t this the point where Miles already suspects Zoe’s identity?】 【Definitely. With the mask on, her eyes are a dead ringer for their mom’s. No way he didn’t notice.】 【I bet he made her wear the mask specifically so he could get a better look without being obvious.】 【He’s a total snake. Right now he’s doing whatever it takes for Stella, but once Zoe’s identity is confirmed, he’ll flip and try to be the perfect doting brother.】 My expression didn’t change. I signed the contract and handed it to him. I had to admit, Miles was efficient. He had me admitted to a private room in the hospital almost immediately. I didn’t have to worry about a thing; my only job was to sign the surgical consent form when the time came. During my stay, besides the doctors and nurses, the person I saw most was Miles. Not that we had anything to say to each other. We were strangers, after all. But he didn't seem to see it that way. He was always finding excuses to wander into my room. “Are you really this free?” I asked, my voice flat as I stared at him on his fifth visit in two days. He had brought lunch. Miles just smiled. “Give it a try. Our cook made it. Hope it’s to your taste.” He added, “You need to rest up and build your strength.” I forced a tight smile. “Thanks, but you don’t have to. I just ordered takeout.” His cheerful expression froze for a split second. He recovered quickly, his voice dropping into a low, persuasive tone. “Takeout is so unhealthy. Nothing beats a soup that’s been simmering for hours, don’t you think, Zoe?” The casual way he used my name reminded me of my sister. She was the only one who called me that. “You can try both when it arrives, if you want. A little taste test. I have complete faith in our cook’s skills.” Just as Miles was about to say more, a soft knock came from the door. A young woman in a patient’s gown peeked her head in. “Miles, I knew I’d find you here.” It was Stella. She entered with a bright smile directed at me. “Hi, you must be the one donating your kidney to me. Thank you so much, Miss Zuo. Is it okay if I call you that?” My gaze fell on her. She was clearly well cared for. “Whatever.” Miles was instantly at her side. “What are you doing down here? Are you feeling alright?” Stella stuck out her tongue playfully. “I’m fine! I just wanted to meet my savior.” She leaned into him slightly. “And the surgery is coming up so fast, Miles. I’m a little scared.” He gently stroked her hair. “I promise you, there’s nothing to worry about. You’ll fall asleep, and when you wake up, it’ll all be over.” “I trust you.” Her eyes swept across my room before she spoke again, her tone hesitant. “Miles, why didn’t you get Miss Zuo a room on our floor? This one isn’t very big. Is she comfortable here?” Before Miles could answer, the comments erupted. 【Kinda weird to tell the person giving you a kidney that you’re scared.】 【Wow, the passive aggression is strong with this one. ‘My floor is so much better than yours.’】 【Stop being so negative. She was just making a suggestion, trying to be nice to the main character.】 【Nice? Can you not read the room? She’s blatantly showing off that her room is better than Zoe’s.】 【Why isn’t Miles answering?】 【He can’t. If they were on the same floor, the rest of the family might run into Zoe. This room was a deliberate choice.】 【Can’t wait for his groveling arc to start.】 Just then, Stella’s phone rang. “Mom? I just came to find Miles… Okay, we’re heading back now.” She turned and gave me a polite smile. “Miss Zuo, my mom’s calling. We’re going to head back. I’ll come visit again when I can.” A gust of wind from the hallway seemed to usher them out. 2 The lunch Miles brought sat untouched on the table. I sat on my bed, staring out the window. The truth was, I’d first heard about Stella’s kidney failure from my roommate, Hannah. I had just gotten back to the dorm, exhausted from my part-time job, when she’d said, “Did you guys hear? That heiress from the business school, Stella Sterling? I think she has kidney disease.” “Seriously?” “For real. And I heard a rumor that her family is looking for a donor match. Money is no object.” “Wait, isn’t it better for a relative to donate?” “Who knows with rich people? What family member would willingly give up a kidney?” Hannah held up five fingers. “I heard a successful match gets at least this much.” “Whoa, five million?” “You bet.” “I still wouldn’t do it. Who knows what losing a kidney does to your body.” “The chances of a stranger being a match are tiny anyway. Don’t even think about it.” I had stopped on my way to the bathroom, my head down. Five million dollars. If I was a match, it would be more than enough to cover my sister’s medical bills. I found a contact and quietly got tested. After the results came in, Miles Sterling contacted me, desperate to get me into the hospital as soon as possible. The comments had screamed at me not to sign, but they didn’t know what I knew. A few days before, I had been getting hot water down the hall when I overheard Hannah on the phone. “Mr. Sterling, I told Zoe about it. About that job interview…” “You don’t need to interview. Just show up for work on Monday.” “Okay, thank you, Mr. Sterling.” The male voice on the other end was identical to Miles’s. That’s when I realized the person who wanted me to hear that rumor was Miles himself. He couldn’t just stand by and watch the sister he’d adored since childhood waste away. In his world, nothing was more important than Stella. And me? I was desperate for money. The cost of my sister’s treatment was a mountain I could never climb, no matter how many jobs I worked. He knew I’d jump at the chance. He understood desperation. And he played it perfectly. 3 That’s why, when the live comments first appeared, I barely reacted. What did a blood connection matter? His scheming had started long before we ever met. From the comments, I’d pieced together the story. When I was three months old, my parents had a huge fight. My mother, in a fit of rage, took me and drove off. After a few hours, exhausted, she pulled over to the side of the road to sleep. When she woke up, I was gone. She spiraled into a deep depression. Six months later, her younger sister gave birth to a baby girl but died from complications. By family agreement, my parents adopted the baby, giving her my mother’s maiden name. That child, Stella, became my mother’s lifeline. My two older brothers came to see her as their real sister. As for me, I was passed from one trafficker to another before being sold. My sister, Mia, was a victim of trafficking too. The difference was, I was just a baby, with no memories. She was four, and she remembered her parents, but she could never find them. When Mia got sick, her biggest fear was leaving me all alone. She dragged me to the police station to give a DNA sample for the national database, just in case. In fact, just before my kidney match results came in, I got a call from the police about a potential familial match from that sample. I’m sure Miles got the same notification. Why else would he have been in such a hurry to get me hospitalized the moment we met? More importantly, I didn’t believe for a second that if the rest of the Sterling family knew the truth, they would let me just walk away. It would be a guilt trip of epic proportions. A daughter they’d raised for twenty years versus one they’d lost for twenty years? Was there ever any question who they’d choose? 4 Miles had actually hired a caretaker for me, but he fired her after only a day. He’d overheard her on the phone, gossiping. “You wouldn’t believe it. This girl in my room is having major surgery, giving up a kidney, and no one is here with her. Just me. The guy who hired me, her employer I guess, barely knows her. It’s so weird. The room is nice, though. Such a shame.” Miles fired her on the spot and left in a hurry. Half an hour later, someone else came to my room. It was Catherine Sterling. Miles and Stella’s mother. The new caretaker trailed behind her. Elegant, with a hint of resolve. That was my first impression. The comments appeared again. 【It’s the mom!】 【She’s going to recognize her, right?】 【Mrs. Sterling is so classy.】 【Even if she doesn’t recognize her, she has to feel some kind of connection, right?】 Catherine’s voice was gentle. “Hello, Zoe. I’m Miles’s mother. I’ve arranged for a new caretaker for you.” She paused. “I just wanted to ask… are you doing this voluntarily? My son can be a bit… intense when it comes to his sister. I was worried he might have pressured you.” I shook my head. “You don’t have to worry. It was my decision. I signed a contract with Mr. Sterling.” Her gaze drifted to my eyes, and for a moment, she seemed lost in thought. Snapping out of it, she glanced around the room. “Are you here alone?” “Yes.” She hesitated. “Do your parents know?” A small smile touched my lips. “My consent is all that matters.” If Mia knew I was having surgery, she’d drag me out of this hospital by the ear. In her eyes, my health was everything. But in my eyes, her life was everything. A heavy silence fell between us. Just as it became unbearable, Stella appeared in the doorway. “Mom, are you visiting Miss Zuo too?” Catherine rushed to her side. “Stella, darling, what are you doing here? Are you feeling alright?” “I’m fine, Mom, don’t worry. I just wanted to see how Miss Zuo was doing, in case she was nervous.” Stella looked at me. “Miss Zuo, are you scared about the surgery? To be honest, I’m getting a little nervous myself.” “Don’t you worry, sweetie,” Catherine soothed her. “Everything is going to be fine.” When she turned back to me, presumably to offer similar words of comfort, I just shrugged. “I’m not scared.” The thought of five million dollars was all the motivation I needed. Fear hadn't even entered the equation. Stella laughed. “You’re so much braver than I am, Miss Zuo. I should learn from you.” She leaned against her mother’s shoulder. “You don’t think I’m a coward, do you, Mom?” Catherine stroked her hair. “Of course not. In my eyes, you’re the bravest girl in the world.” This scene of mother-daughter affection felt deeply familiar. The comments drifted by. 【Déjà vu. First Miles, now Catherine.】 【Stella really is the family favorite.】 【I’ve noticed the Sterlings only ever visit Zoe in groups.】 【It’s like they need a buffer. Wonder if it’s intentional.】 Before they left, Catherine introduced the new caretaker. I had to hand it to her; the woman was a professional. She took care of everything, leaving me with nothing to worry about. 5 The day before the surgery, my sister called. She was ecstatic. “Zoe, the police think they’ve found your birth parents!” She babbled on for a while before asking if I wanted to meet them. I knew this was what she’d always wanted for me, for me to not be alone. Before I could answer, Miles burst into my room, his voice urgent. “Can we move the surgery to tonight?” I instinctively covered the phone, terrified Mia would overhear. I’d never seen Miles so panicked. On the other end of the line, Mia must have heard his voice. “Zoe, are you busy? Think about it and call me back. If you decide to go, I’ll go with you.” “Okay,” I said quickly. “Take care of yourself, Mia. Get some rest. I’ll be home soon.” After I hung up, I looked at Miles. “Fine.” The comments went into a frenzy. 【NOOOO!】 【I feel so bad for Zoe. Miles does not deserve to be her brother.】 【What’s the rush? Is Stella your only sister?】 【They were so close! If he’d just waited one more day, Zoe and her sister would have agreed to the meeting! Why move it up?】 【I’d bet my last bag of chips Miles knows the truth.】 【Someone in the Sterling family must have gotten the police notification. That’s why Miles is panicking.】 【So the parents are excited their precious daughter has found a donor, huh?】 【I wonder how they’ll feel when they find out that donor is their other daughter, the one their own son sent to the operating table.】 【How did Catherine not feel anything? She literally just met her.】 Hearing my agreement, Miles seemed stunned. He asked, a strange note in his voice, “Why did you agree so easily?” I blinked. “What’s the difference between having surgery today and having it tomorrow?” His eyes darkened. “Just remember to fast until then.” The comments screamed back. 【There’s a HUGE difference!】 【If you’d waited a day, your parents would have known the truth! They never would have let this happen!】 【Liam needs to find out, NOW! I can’t stand seeing Zoe get hurt like this.】 【Okay, unpopular opinion, but she’s not really losing here. She’s getting five million dollars and she’s doing it willingly. Why is everyone acting like she’s some huge victim?】 【They’ll make it up to her when she comes back to the family.】 【Why does everyone assume the long-lost daughter is automatically more important than the one they raised for twenty years? It’s obvious Stella is the priority right now.】 【If she went back now, they’d just guilt-trip her into donating anyway.】 My eyes scanned the comments, a small smile touching my lips as I read the last two. They thought just like I did. Miles quickly confirmed the new time with the doctors. As I was wheeled toward the operating room, I saw a familiar figure standing beside another gurney. It was Miles, surrounded by what I assumed was the rest of the Sterling family. As we passed, my eyes met a woman’s across the hall. It was Catherine. I didn't have time to read her expression. The doors swung shut, and soon, the anesthesia pulled me under.
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