Chapter 8

• It was Victoria and Arthur.
• Victoria was dressed in a Chanel suit, and her hair was meticulously styled, but her complexion was not great.
• Arthur sat beside her with his head down, unable to meet Elena's eyes.
• "Mom..." Elena's voice sounded harsh. She instinctively reached out, only to be blocked by the glass.
• She thought they were here to rescue her, that they had finally come to their senses.
• But Victoria frowned, as if she had seen something dirty. "Don't call me Mom. I can't bear it."
• Elena's hand froze in midair, and the hope that had just ignited was instantly extinguished.
• "We're not here to see you."
• Victoria got straight to the point, pulling out a document from her bag and pushing toward Elena through the tiny opening at the bottom of the glass partition. "Chloe is sick—kidney failure—and she needs a transplant."
• Kidney failure?
• Elena's mind buzzed as her fingertips turned icy cold.
• She remembered how Chloe had been strutting around the Fay family, so how could she suddenly get this illness?
• "The doctor said that the success rate is highest with a relative match."
• Arthur finally looked up, his eyes avoiding Elena's. "Your blood type matches hers, and a match will definitely work."
• Elena looked at them and suddenly understood.
• They weren't here to save her. They were here for her kidney.
• A wave of nausea swept over her, and she covered her mouth as the physical revulsion continued to rise.
• The grievances of being beaten and abused recently had all turned into sharp bitterness at that moment.
• She took the blame for Chloe and endured inhuman torture in prison, but they just saw her as an organ bank that could be used at any time.
• "So... you're here for my kidney?"
• Elena's voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes.
• "Yes." Victoria's tone was matter-of-fact. "This is what you owe Chloe. You had eighteen years of a comfortable life, so now it's time for you to give back with a kidney. We're not asking for too much here."
• "Owe her?" Elena laughed, tears streaming down her face. "I took the blame and went to jail for her. But I still have to donate a kidney to her? Why?"
• "Just because you took eighteen years of her life!"
• Victoria raised her voice sharply, pointing a finger at Elena behind the glass. "If it weren't for your mom swapping the both of you, Chloe wouldn't have to suffer so much. Now that she's sick, isn't it right for you to donate a kidney?"
• Arthur chimed in from the side, "Elena, please. Chloe is your sister. You can't just stand by and watch her die."
• "Sister?" Elena repeated the word with despair-filled eyes. "When you sent me to prison, did you ever think that I was your daughter? While Chloe was living it up outside, did you ever think about how I was being beaten in jail?"
• She rolled up her sleeves, revealing the bruises and burn marks on her arms. "All of these are thanks to your precious daughter! She paid off the prison bully to make my life a living hell every day, and now that she's sick, she wants me to donate a kidney?"
• Victoria's eyes flickered but quickly became icy again. "Chloe couldn't have done such things, and even if she did, it's because you owe her. Blame yourself for having a wicked mother."
• "Elena," Victoria's voice softened slightly, "this is the organ donation consent form. If you sign it, we will get a lawyer to help you appeal for a lighter sentence."
• Victoria then pushed the pen towards Elena. "Otherwise, you'll spend the rest of your life in this prison and never see the light of day."
• A reduced sentence?
• Looking at the flimsy consent form, Elena couldn't help but feel the irony.
• A kidney in exchange for a reduced sentence?
• The ridiculousness of the bargain nearly made her want to laugh.
• She remembered how, before she entered prison, Victoria had forced her to take the blame for Chloe, promising compensation when she got out.
• But what happened? Elena was not only ignored by the Fay family, but she was also subjected to abuse by the people in prison. She hadn't had a moment of peace or a good night's sleep since her arrival.
• Finally, when Victoria and Arthur finally came, it wasn't to take her home but to take her kidney. So what was the point of her perseverance all this time?
• Even if she got a reduced sentence, what would it change?
• Could she go back to being Elena Fay?
• The last trace of fantasy about a warm family was shattered.
• Her heart felt like it had turned to ice, numb to even the pain.
• Nothing really mattered anymore. She would just consider her kidney donation as the repayment for the 18 years they raised her. But from that point forward, she would just be Elena.
• So, she picked up the pen, her fingertips turning white from the force of her grip.