Chapter 1

"Zoey, find a way to leak this clean medical report to Camilla." My mother leaned against the bathroom sink. Her face was as pale as paper, but a cold sneer tugged at the corner of her mouth. "I never wanted Nelson's change of heart. I want his reputation completely destroyed. I want to fight for the absolute maximum benefit for my Becky."

Tearfully, Zoey did as she was told.

Right at that moment, the muffled thud of a car door closing came from downstairs.

It was my father returning. The internationally renowned pianist walked in reeking of cheap perfume.

He didn't even loosen his tie, striding up the stairs while impatiently checking his watch.

"Jamie, is my luggage packed? Camilla has a cello recital tonight, and I need to rush over to support her right now."

I gripped the fabric over my chest tightly as a familiar, agonizing spasm gripped my heart, triggered by my rising fury.

My mother stepped out from the shadows. Her back was completely straight, as if the excruciating pain deep within her bones didn't exist at all.

"Nelson, do you have to go today? Becky's heart has been bothering her a lot today. She might have an episode tonight. Can't you stay and keep her company?"

My father stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and looked at my mother with absolute condescension. "Jamie, when will you finally grow up?"

"Do you think I want to waste my time on a young girl?" He walked over to me and patted my head. "Becky's heart is failing more and more each day. She needs a new one."

"Camilla's heart is a perfect match for Becky! I keep Camilla by my side, spend a fortune indulging her and coaxing her, just to keep her in the best possible mood. I'm keeping this backup heart healthy for our daughter!"

It was the most disgusting, hypocritical lie I had ever heard.

Under the guise of loving me, he righteously kept his mistress by his side.

Not only did he demand my mother accept this generously, but he also expected me to be overwhelmingly grateful for his sacrifice.

If it hadn't been for the fact that I frequently overheard his sickeningly sweet whispers when he called Camilla late at night, I might have actually believed he was some kind of great father.

My mother didn't become hysterical.

She merely looked calmly at this man whose mouth was full of lies. "But Nelson, my health..."

"What's wrong with your health?" Nelson interrupted her impatiently. "What else could possibly be wrong with you, other than whining about imaginary illnesses at home all day? Stop trying to keep me here with these pathetic excuses. My time is precious."

He turned around and was just about to head out the door.

Bang! The front door of the villa was violently pushed open.

It was Camilla.

"Nelson! You've been tricked by this vicious old hag!" Camilla shrieked, slamming several sheets of paper onto the table.

The papers scattered; it was the very report Zoey had just forged.

My father's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. Frowning, he walked back over, his eyes landing on the report.

Camilla tilted her chin up and nestled into my father's embrace like a victor. Pointing at my mother, she loudly mocked, "Darling, look at this! This is your wife who wallows in self-pity every single day! What terminal bone cancer? What 'so much pain she can't get out of bed'?"

"I had someone pull her highly confidential medical report from inside the hospital. She's not sick at all! The cancer cells in her body miraculously cleared up a long time ago. Her vitals are even healthier than mine!"

Camilla burst into a triumphant laugh. "Jamie, you're so pathetic. Seeing that Nelson's heart belongs entirely to me, and realizing you couldn't win back his favor, you bribed a doctor to fake a terminal illness?"

"Playing dead to win sympathy and using your daughter as a shield—did you really think that would tie Nelson to your side?"

I trembled with rage, my nails digging deeply into my palms. "Shut up! Don't you dare talk about my mother like that!"

Gasping heavily for air, I pointed right at Camilla's nose. "My mother throws up blood every single night! She is in so much pain she can't even walk! You evil woman, get out of our house!"

"Becky!" My father's furious roar cut me off.

The veins on his temples bulged as he gripped the report tightly in his hand.

"Fake?" he gritted through his teeth, advancing on my mother. He viciously hurled the report right into her face. "The terminal bone cancer was fake?"

"Jamie, you absolutely disgust me!"

My mother didn't dodge. She looked at him with profound sorrow. "Nelson, would you rather believe a report brought by an outsider than trust the wife who has shared your bed for over a decade?"

"The facts are right in front of you, and you're still making excuses!" My father seemed completely enraged.

He pulled Camilla by the shoulder to his side. "It's bad enough that you faked an illness to compete for my attention using such underhanded tactics. But you actually manipulated Becky into lying for you! She has a heart condition, and instead of taking care of her, you used her to attack Camilla!"

"Jamie, you have disappointed me so much. Not only are you a scheming, toxic woman, you aren't even fit to be a proper mother!"

My heart began to protest wildly. A sharp, piercing pain forced me to double over.

"Dad, no, Mom wasn't lying..." I tried to explain.

But my mother grabbed my hand in a vice grip.

"Fine." My mother's voice was as light as a breeze that could dissipate at any moment. "Just go."

My father scoffed coldly. "You'd better pray that Camilla's recital goes perfectly tonight. If her mood is ruined because of your hysterical fit today, I'll hold you responsible!"

With that, he turned around without a shred of mercy and slammed the door heavily behind him.

As the front door shut, the villa fell into a deathly silence.

Unable to hold it in any longer, I squatted on the floor and broke down sobbing.

"Mom, why did you pretend to be healthy? You're clearly in so much pain, why wouldn't you let me explain?"