The day my med school application madness hit its peak, my wealthy biological parents showed up. Turns out, I was the real heiress, switched at birth. The moment I stepped into their mansion, the fake heiress, Isabelle, started sobbing about how the shock of not being their real daughter was making it hard for her to breathe. My eyes lit up. “Hold still. I’ve dissected a frog. Let me have a look.” My new father frowned, warning me in a stern voice not to bully her. I ignored him, spun around, and slid to my knees in front of my new brother, grabbing his hand with feverish excitement. “Bro, you have to have a rich pre-med friend, right? Oh my god, please, I will literally worship the ground he walks on!” 1 Isabelle stood there, clutching the handle of her suitcase, her shoulders shaking with sobs. “Mom and Dad said what happened in the past has nothing to do with me, but I’m so scared my sister won’t forgive me! I should just go!” She said she was leaving, but her feet were glued to the marble floor. My mother wrapped a comforting arm around her, stroking her silky hair. “Isabelle, what are you talking about? You’ve lived in this house your whole life. You’re our precious daughter! No one is kicking you out.” My father’s expression darkened as he turned his intimidating gaze on me. “That small town you came from is a complete backwater. Isabelle couldn’t possibly live like that. Just think of her as your new little sister and try to be more accommodating.” I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood, but I couldn’t stop myself. “Wow, a classist and a bigot. Is there a tumor pressing on your frontal lobe? You should really get that checked out.” My father, realizing his gaffe, froze. His face went rigid, and he didn’t say another word. Just then, I spotted a young man in a sharp suit walking in from the entryway. He had the same eyes as me. My focus shifted instantly. I scrambled over, a huge grin plastered on my face, and grabbed his hand. “Hi! You must be my brother, Liam, right?” Liam’s face soured, and he tried to yank his hand away. But I clung to it like a lifeline, letting him pull me into his chest rather than let go. His expression grew even darker. “Yes,” he bit out through clenched teeth. My smile only widened. “Bro, you have to have a rich pre-med friend from an Ivy League school, right?” To get into a top medical program, I would do anything. I didn’t care if my brother was biased. I needed to get in. The entire hall fell silent. Liam’s face was a thundercloud. He squeezed my hand hard, pushed me to the ground, and loomed over me. “You just got here and you’re already causing trouble. I’m warning you, drop the sleazy social climbing act.” Isabelle quickly suppressed a smirk, tapping her designer leather shoes anxiously. “Liam, how could you push her? It’s all my fault. Seeing me obviously makes her uncomfortable. Blame me, don’t be angry with her!” I blew on my scraped palm, flicking away a small piece of gravel embedded in the skin, and looked up at him. “You know, after that little push, I could say I’m dizzy, nauseous, and my limbs feel weak. Then I could stand up, spin around a few times, and collapse. I could probably sue you for a condo, you know that?” My mother rushed over to help me up, but her eyes were fixed on Isabelle. “Isabelle, honey, don’t overthink it. It has nothing to do with you. You’re Mommy’s good girl. If anyone says otherwise, I’ll rip their tongue out!” Then she shot a glare at Liam. “Why would you push your sister? Honestly, you’re all brawn and no brain! Go to the backyard and pull weeds. No dinner until you’re finished!” Liam’s eyes flickered with a hint of regret as he saw the blood beading on my hand. But at the mention of weeding, his face hardened, a vein throbbing in his forehead. “What? I barely touched her! Who knows if she’s…” Isabelle immediately stepped in front of him and took my hand in a gesture of faux intimacy. “Sister, it’s okay, Liam didn’t mean it. Let me blow on it, it’ll feel better…” I calmly pulled my hand away. “No thanks. Your spit would be more effective. At least saliva has some antibacterial properties. Your breath isn’t exactly magical, and frankly, I find it a little gross.” As a med student, my precision was impeccable. I mentally gave myself an A+. The concern on Isabelle’s face froze, and she was left speechless. Then, a thought struck me. I frowned at her. “By the way, you don’t have tuberculosis, do you? Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be transmitted through respiratory droplets.” I took a deep breath and forced a warm, sunny smile at Liam. “But hey, we’re family, right? Of course I don’t blame you… bro.” The last word hit him like a physical blow. His face flushed a deep red. He let out a sharp scoff, turned on his heel, and stalked off toward the backyard. 2 The dinner spread was magnificent. But I was so hungry I was seeing stars, and I still hadn’t had a single bite. “Isabelle is so sweet. She won’t eat because she’s worried about her brother still weeding the garden,” my mother cooed. “Honey, just start without him,” my father added. “We can’t have our baby girl starving! That brother of yours made a mistake, he deserves to be punished.” Isabelle smiled shyly, her cheeks blushing. “It’s okay, Mom and Dad, I can wait. Let’s all eat together when Liam gets back. He’d be so sad if he came back to a table of leftovers.” She shot me a triumphant glance, then leaned in conspiratorially, her voice dripping with pity. “Sister, what happened this afternoon was Liam’s fault. I apologize on his behalf. Can you please forgive him and let him come eat?” My blood sugar was already dangerously low. It had started with tingling in my hands and feet, then blurry vision, and now a ringing in my ears. I was so deep in my own world I couldn’t process any external information. My breathing grew shallow. I started talking to myself. “The body burns carbohydrates first for energy, then fat, then protein. I think I’m about to hit stage two.” My mother, who was also worried about her son but too proud to admit it, seized the opportunity to lecture me. “Ava, I know your brother was also in the wrong this afternoon, but you’re siblings. You can’t be so petty. Look at your sister, she’s so much more mature. I know you’ve had a hard life, and I understand, but that’s not Isabelle’s fault…” Finally, my brain performed a forced shutdown. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I slumped sideways. As I fell, my hand conveniently knocked a bowl of lukewarm curry soup all over Isabelle. The unappetizing yellow liquid stained her limited-edition dress in ugly blotches. Her face turned green. “My new dress!” she shrieked. Liam had just walked in the door and saw me slide off the chair like a limp noodle. He sprinted over and caught me just before I hit the floor. He heard the shriek and instinctively looked up, only to see Isabelle recoiling from me in disgust, her brow furrowed as she stared down at her ruined dress. Sensing Liam’s gaze, she belatedly snapped back to reality, her face paling. “Liam… is Ava okay? The soup just burned me a little, but I’m fine, she’s more important!” Ignoring the mess on her clothes, she rushed over as if to help me. Liam’s flicker of suspicion vanished. He gave a distracted nod and lifted me into his arms, carrying me to my bedroom. My parents, startled by the sudden turn of events, followed anxiously upstairs. The dining room fell silent, leaving Isabelle alone, her fists clenched in rage, her beautiful, pitiful face twisted with resentment. When I woke up, I wasn't staring at the moldy ceiling of the orphanage or the cramped walls of my dorm room. I was in a princess-style bedroom with a sparkling crystal chandelier. A teasing voice sounded from my side. “You’re awake?” “So, I hear you were asking for me.” 3 I turned my head. A man about my brother’s age was standing there, wearing a white lab coat. A jolt went through me. I shot up in bed. “Whoa, easy there! Don’t get too excited. I know I’m devastatingly handsome, but please, try to contain yourself.” “Did you graduate from King’s College of Medicine?” I asked, kneeling on the edge of the bed and staring at him with manic intensity. Miles Kent was silent for a moment, then looked up at the ceiling as if asking for divine intervention. “Can you please not call it that? It’s one of the top medical schools in the country.” The confirmation sent another jolt of excitement through me. “So, about my application…” Before I could finish, the door burst open. It was Isabelle, her voice edged with urgency. “Miles, you’re here!” She turned to me. “Ava, come down for dinner. Mom and Dad had the cook make a whole new meal. I wasn’t trying to be difficult earlier, I just wanted to wait for Liam…” Her eyes reddened as if she’d been deeply wronged. I tasted something sweet in my mouth—the glucose Miles must have given me—and gave a distracted nod. At the dinner table, a medium-rare steak was placed before each of us, flanked by a neat arrangement of knives and forks. Isabelle was exceptionally attentive, constantly refilling our parents’ glasses, earning their praise for being so filial. After sitting down, she gave a subtle smirk and looked at me with feigned concern. “Sister, why aren’t you eating? I had the chef make this steak especially for you. It’s perfect!” She gracefully cut a small piece with her knife and fork, but didn’t eat it. “Oh, sister, I’m so sorry. You probably don’t know how to use a knife and fork, do you? I can help you.” At her words, all eyes turned to me. One of the maids let out a small, derisive snort. My father’s face was stone, his eyes filled with disgust. I calmly pressed her hand down. “No need.” Was she kidding me? I aced my anatomy practical. I could isolate any nerve in the musculature of a cadaver on command. This little piece of beef was nothing. In seconds, it was cut into perfectly uniform cubes, neatly arranged on my plate. Isabelle’s nails dug into her palms, her smile strained. The rest of the meal was tasteless. My parents and Miles chatted amiably. I leaned closer to Isabelle. “Do you know what part of the cow this tenderloin comes from?” I whispered. “My guess is it’s equivalent to the psoas major in a human. Originating from the transverse processes and lateral aspects of the vertebral bodies from T12 to L5, extending down through the pelvis to insert on the lesser trochanter of the femur.” I continued, lightly tracing a line along her slender waist. “What do you think would happen if someone were to, say, stick a knife in right here?” Isabelle’s entire body went rigid. She started to tremble. When she didn’t respond, I kept going. “The books say this is a deep muscle group. If the person holding the knife had an unsteady hand, which nerve would they likely damage? Oh, right. The lumbar plexus.” The color drained from Isabelle’s face. She shot to her feet. Realizing her overreaction, she forced a stiff smile. “I’m… I’m full. I’m going to head up.” Everyone at the table stared. I spoke up, my voice light. “Where is she going? The guest hasn’t even finished eating. Don’t you think you spoil her a little too much, Mom and Dad?” My mother gave an awkward laugh, at a loss for words. My brother just kept his head down, lost in thought. After dinner, I went straight to my room. I’d heard the application review didn’t have a written test, but the professors would ask questions on the spot. I needed to review all the key concepts in internal medicine and surgery before the interview. 4 After my little scare tactic, I thought Isabelle might back off for a few days. I had no idea she was about to go completely off the rails. I was oblivious to her careful plotting. The application system allowed for three choices. I only submitted one: King’s College. All or nothing. This was it. “Hi, Miles. It’s Ava. So, I’ve been having some recurrent tonsillitis. On examination: T 36.2, P 78, R 16… apical impulse is located in the fifth left intercostal space at the midclavicular line…” Miles sounded annoyed. “Just send me a picture of the case study.” “Okay, Miles!” My relentless academic questioning finally wore him down. He offered to take me out to dinner. As I was leaving, I ran into Isabelle. She was dressed to the nines, looking stunning, clearly on her way to meet someone. “Oh, are you going out too, sister? Be careful on the road. It would be a shame if something happened to you. Mom and Dad would be so sad, I think.” Her words struck me as odd. My gaze fell to her exposed back. “You know, you have an issue with your back.” “Your scapulae are protruding. The medical term is winged scapula.” Isabelle, furious, slammed her purse against her leg and stormed out to her car, her usually sweet voice stiff with anger. “Sorry, sister, I’m in a hurry. You’ll just have to let me go first. Didn’t Mom and Dad tell you to take care of me?” I rolled my eyes and headed for the subway station. As I passed through a narrow alley, a sudden sense of unease washed over me. Suddenly, a sharp blow struck the back of my neck. He missed his mark. But I didn’t want a second hit, so I let my eyes roll back and went limp, collapsing to the ground. Several pairs of hands stuffed me into a burlap sack and threw me into the trunk of a car. I opened my eyes, turned on my phone’s video recorder from inside the sack, and sent a quick text to Miles. “I’ve been kidnapped. You’ll have to eat dinner alone.” Miles: ? “The assailant was an amateur,” I typed. “He was probably aiming for my carotid sinus to induce syncope, but he hit my cervical spine instead. The carotid sinus, as you know, is located on both sides of the neck and contains a high concentration of baroreceptors. Impressive, right? Even under duress, my foundational knowledge is solid.” I heard the trunk open and quickly put my phone away. They pulled me out of the sack and threw me on the ground. A cloyingly sweet perfume filled the air. It was familiar. It was Isabelle’s. “Okay, untie her, then tie me up. And then you need to cut me,” Isabelle’s delicate voice instructed from above. As soon as the ropes were off, I discreetly angled my phone’s camera towards her. She was just as ruthless as her mother, the nanny who had switched us at birth. The bodyguard hesitated, unwilling to cut the now-bound Isabelle. “Useless!” she hissed. “If you don’t cut me, how am I supposed to frame that bitch Ava? The more pathetic I look, the more Mom, Dad, and Liam will pity me, and the more they’ll hate her!” When the bodyguard still didn’t move, she got up and stumbled into the knife herself. “…Ouch. Okay, Mom and Dad should be here soon. You can go now. I’ll wire you the money, every last cent.” Not long after the bodyguards left, my parents and Liam rushed in. “Isabelle! Oh, Isabelle, please be okay! If anything happens to you, what will I do?” my mother wailed. “Don’t be afraid, sweetie, Dad’s here to save you! Ava! Get out here!” I chose that moment to let out a faint groan, giving them a clue to my location. Isabelle was trembling, tied up, tears streaming down her face like a tragic heroine. “No… sister, please let me go. I’ll never try to compete with you for Mom and Dad’s love again. I’ll leave the family right now, I’ll get out of your sight, just please don’t kill me…” My mother saw her pitiful state and the blood, and all the color drained from her face. She lunged forward. “Isabelle! Mommy’s here! Are you okay? Oh my god, the blood…” My father aimed a kick at me. I dodged to the side. Missing me only made him angrier. “You monster! You psycho! How could you do this to your own sister? I should never have brought a venomous snake like you into this house!” I pulled out my phone, opened the video, and held it out for them to see. “Watch for yourselves. It’s not like you’d believe anything I say anyway.”
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "386680", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel