"Think whatever you want." Evelyn didn't argue. She just stood up and walked away.

Daniel froze for a second. He had expected her to at least scold Noah. He really had gone too far with what he said.

Evelyn was halfway up the stairs when Zoe suddenly followed.

"Evelyn, it's been so long since we had some sister time. Let me keep you company," Zoe said sweetly.

As soon as she drew close, the smile on her face twisted, and her voice dropped to a harsh whisper. "You really are pathetic, Evelyn! You brought that report on purpose, didn't you? You thought you could steal Daniel and Noah away from me? Dream on! I'm not letting that happen!"

The next second, Zoe grabbed Evelyn's hand and raised her voice. "Evelyn, don't! I'm sorry! It's my fault!"

A heartbeat later, Zoe lurched backward, dragging Evelyn with her.

The two of them tumbled down the stairs. Evelyn's head cracked hard against one of the steps before her body hit the floor. Her skull rang, everything buzzing and spinning. Before she could even understand what had happened, she heard Daniel and Noah shouting in a panic.

"Zoe!"

"Aunt Zoe!"

Zoe curled up on the floor in tears. "Evelyn! I never meant to take Daniel and Noah from you! They just feel bad for me and want to take care of me while I still have time! Why did you push me down the stairs?"

"Evelyn! Have you lost your mind? Zoe is sick!" Daniel roared.

Noah saw the blood on Zoe's forehead and glared at Evelyn with pure hatred. "I don't have a murderer for a mom! I hate you! I hate you!"

Neither of them even glanced at the blood trickling down Evelyn's hairline.

Daniel rushed to scoop Zoe up, completely focused on her. Just before he left, Daniel seemed to remember something. "Noah, stay here and look after your mother."

"I don't want to!" Noah jumped back as if he'd been asked to touch something filthy. "She hurt Aunt Zoe! If she dies, she deserves it! Aunt Zoe is the only one who matters!"

Daniel and Noah didn't hesitate again. They rushed out with Zoe and disappeared.

Staring at the empty doorway, Evelyn's vision went from black to white and black again before finally cutting out.

When she opened her eyes again, she was still on the floor. Six full hours had passed. The smear of blood on the hardwood beside her had dried to a dark brown.

Neither Daniel nor Noah had come back once.

A small, humorless laugh slipped out of her. So, this was her good husband and son. They abandoned her without a second thought to hover over Zoe and her dramatized condition, not even bothering to check whether she was dead or alive.

Evelyn forced herself upright, every movement stiff and slow. On her way back up the stairs, her gaze caught on the wall calendar. She picked up a pen and drew a circle around the date 15 days away.

Just 15 more days, and she could finally be gone. She would leave Daniel and Noah for good.

...

When Daniel and Noah finally returned, three more days had passed. They had stayed at the hospital with Zoe, guarding her by her bedside over a minor injury as if she were made of glass.

Meanwhile, Evelyn, who had smashed her head on the stairs, was apparently not worth a second thought.

The first thing Noah did when he stepped back into the house was march up to Evelyn and accuse her, "Mom, why didn't you go see Aunt Zoe? She almost got a concussion because of you. You should go apologize."

Looking at Noah's tyrannical posture, Evelyn almost laughed.

"She got hurt, and I didn't?" she asked.

Noah faltered, as if it had only just occurred to him that Evelyn had fallen too. His hesitation lasted only a couple of seconds, though. Then, he lifted his chin, full of defiance and indignation.

"That's your own fault! If you weren't so jealous of Aunt Zoe, nothing would've happened."

Evelyn had known he would say something like that, but the words still stabbed into her chest like a knife. She held his gaze in silence.

Noah started to fidget and edged behind Daniel, suddenly unsure of himself.

Daniel frowned. "Why are you picking on a child?"

He stepped forward and reached toward Evelyn. "Let me see. Is it bad?"

Evelyn turned her head away, refusing his touch. She didn't need any of his fake concern.

Daniel's hand grasped at nothing. He froze, thrown off balance in more ways than one. Her rejection made something twist uncomfortably in his chest, and his brows knitted together as he spoke.

"Zoe is your sister. She has stomach cancer. She might not even have two months left. Why do you have to fight with her over everything? Do you really think someone who's about to die can still take anything from you? Evelyn, stop being so selfish!"

Selfish?

Evelyn almost laughed.

Wrong. They were all wrong.

She was the one with cancer. She was the one who was dying.

Daniel left with Noah, clearly determined to teach Evelyn a lesson. In the past, whenever Daniel and Noah froze her out, Evelyn would be terrified.

The moment they went cold, she would panic and apologize over and over again until they finally forgave her. Only then could she breathe again.

This time, she did nothing.

For days, she quietly packed up the things in the house.

The team handling the private island needed her documents, so Evelyn picked a time and handed everything in. She had just finished the paperwork when her phone rang.

"Ms. Wynn, your wedding gown is here," the consultant from the bridal boutique said. "When would you like to come in for your fitting?"

Only then did Evelyn remember that Daniel was planning a wedding for their anniversary.

When they got married, Daniel was still in a wheelchair. There was no ceremony or wedding photos, just a marriage certificate and a rushed signature at the courthouse. He promised that on December 26th this year, he would make it up to her with a proper wedding. He even ordered her wedding gown six months in advance.

But now, Evelyn wasn't going to go through it anymore.

"There's no need anymore. Please cancel the order," Evelyn said.

"What?" The consultant sounded stunned. "But Mr. Hayes is already here at the store."

Evelyn went straight to the bridal boutique. Daniel and Noah were sitting in the lounge area. When Noah saw Evelyn, his small face twisted up.

It had been three full days. Evelyn hadn't called or texted once. That had never happened before. Noah was angry and hurt in a way he didn't know how to name. Had his mother really decided she didn't want him anymore?

When the consultant called to say the wedding gown had arrived, Noah had insisted on coming along. Now that Evelyn looked perfectly fine, his anger only burned hotter.

"Grandma was right," he thought. "Mom really is heartless! She's nothing like Aunt Zoe, who's always so gentle!"

Daniel's expression didn't look good either, but he held his temper in check. "Have you made enough of a scene? You were the one who was wrong the other day, yet you're the one sulking. Now, you don't even want to try on your gown."

Evelyn almost laughed.

They were the ones giving her the silent treatment, icing her out like she didn't exist. Somehow, it had turned into her throwing a tantrum.

"I'm not sulking," she said calmly. "There's just no point trying it on."

The 26th was the day she was leaving. There would be no wedding.

Daniel's expression darkened.

"Bad mom!" Noah stomped his foot, his voice rising. "You're so petty! You don't deserve to be my mom at all!"

Noah was spoiled and used to getting away with talk like that. He knew how to jab where it hurt, and every other time in the past, his words had left Evelyn so upset that she could barely hold back tears.

But this time, she only answered in a level tone, "You're right. I don't. Let Zoe be your mother instead."

Noah froze.

Daniel's expression went instantly cold. "Enough, Evelyn. There's nothing going on between Zoe and me. Don't twist it into something dirty! I just feel bad for her! She's barely in her 20s, and she has cancer! The doctor said she might not even have two months left. She's your sister! How can you be so cruel, so vicious?"

Evelyn let him say whatever he wanted. Her heart barely even twinged anymore. If anything, a distant, bitter curiosity flickered up. If the day ever came when Daniel found out Zoe did not have cancer at all, what kind of face would he make?

"Anything else? If not, I'm leaving," she said. With that, Evelyn turned to go.

Panic flashed across Daniel's face. "Evelyn!"

"Mom!" Noah shouted too.

Before Evelyn could react, Daniel's phone rang. He answered it, and the blood drained from his face even as his voice softened to a tone Evelyn barely recognized. "Zoe, don't be scared! I'm on my way!"

Before Evelyn could process that, Daniel grabbed her wrist.

"You're coming too!" he said.

He didn't give her a chance to pull away and shoved her straight into the car. Daniel slammed down on the gas, sending the car shooting forward. For the first time, Evelyn saw Daniel in such a panic.

When they reached the club and pushed open the door to a private room, Zoe was already crying as she threw herself at him.

"Daniel, help me! They're trying to force me to drink!" she sobbed.

Daniel immediately pulled her into his arms and shielded her with his body.

Noah stepped in front of her too, his little face drawn tight and serious. "Don't you dare bully Aunt Zoe!"

The room was full of men in suits. A contract lay open on the table. It seemed like they were in the middle of a business deal.

Seeing Daniel and Noah like that, one of the men casually dug a finger into his ear, looking completely unimpressed. "Ms. Wynn, that's not fair. Who's forcing anything? All we ask is that you finish this drink. Once you do, the deal is done."

Daniel's expression darkened. "Zoe has stomach cancer. She can't drink. I'll drink it for her!"

The man chuckled. "Are you from Wynn Group? If you drink it, what does that count for? I want someone from the Wynn family to drink!"

The next second, Daniel and Noah both turned to look at Evelyn.

Evelyn's face went white. Now, she understood why Daniel had dragged her here. She was here to clean up Zoe's mess.

"No!" Evelyn said, her hands curling into fists. "I'm not drinking!"

Zoe broke down again, tears streaming down her face. She begged, "Evelyn, please. Wynn Group is the Wynn family's company! It's practically yours too! Are you really going to just stand there and watch the family go under?"

Daniel snapped, "Evelyn, do you have to be this heartless? Do you have any idea how many nights Zoe stayed up working on this project? It's just one drink!"

Noah chimed in, "Mom, hurry up and drink it! If you do, I won't be mad at you anymore for pushing Aunt Zoe down the stairs!"

Evelyn's hand tightened around the edge of the wall. A cold numbness spread through her whole body. Every word from them pushed her closer to the edge.

She had late-stage stomach cancer, and they wanted her to knock back hard liquor. That wasn't just a drink. That was a death sentence.

And Wynn Group? What did that have to do with her? She might be the eldest daughter, but she didn't own even 1% of the company. Her eyes burned red. "Don't even think about it!"

Daniel's jaw clenched, and his face went rigid. Zoe's sobs filled the room as Daniel made up his mind. He grabbed the glass and lifted it. Then, without warning, his other hand shot out and clamped hard around Evelyn's lower jaw.

"No! Don't!" Evelyn's whole body shook with panic. She tried to shove Daniel's hand away, but Noah lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Dad, now!" Noah yelled.

Noah was only six years old, yet his grip was so tight that Evelyn couldn't break free. The liquor hit her throat in one burning rush. It tore its way down.

The moment it hit her stomach, it felt like someone had poured fire straight into an open wound.

Evelyn dropped to her knees and gagged over and over, her body convulsing with dry heaves.

Noah froze, stunned.

Zoe, however, lowered her eyes, burying the flash of triumph. When she lifted her gaze again, it was all trembling innocence. "Daniel, what's wrong with Evelyn? Anyone who doesn't know better would think she's the one with cancer..."

Her words wiped the worry clean from Daniel's eyes.

"Evelyn, you really should've gone into acting. Your performance is unbelievable," he sneered.

Noah snapped out of his shock and quickly found his voice. "Yeah, Mom, you're faking it again! Grandma said you used to love drinking!"

Daniel's voice turned sharp and mocking. "You used to go out for business dinners every night and drink until you were throwing up in the bathroom. Now, you take one glass and act like it's killing you?"

Tears streamed from Evelyn's eyes, but this was just her body's reaction. Her throat burned with the metallic taste of blood. She couldn't say a single word.

Right then, Zoe pressed a hand to her stomach and winced. "Daniel, it hurts. My stomach hurts..."

Daniel and Noah panicked instantly and completely forgot Evelyn was there.

"Zoe, hold on! I'll get you to the hospital!" Daniel said urgently.

"Aunt Zoe, you can't get sick! I need you!" Noah cried.

Their voices faded, drifting farther and farther away.

Evelyn's pain was like a wave crashing over her. Just before she blacked out, she doubled over and vomited a mouthful of bright red blood onto the carpet, sending a shock through the men still in the private room.

"What the hell!" one of them choked out.

Another man's voice shook as he said, "Damn! Zoe said this was just for fun! Is she trying to get her killed?"

"This has nothing to do with me! I didn't do anything!" another quickly yelled.

"Let's go now!"

They bolted instantly, clearing out the room as if a fire alarm had gone off.

Evelyn, left alone on the floor, trembled. A laugh broke from her, wet with tears. So, this was the woman Daniel and Noah loved. This was the woman they'd chosen.

Evelyn only hoped that when the truth finally came out, they wouldn't choke on regret.

...

The next time Evelyn opened her eyes, she was in a hospital bed. The ward was quiet. No one was sitting beside her.

She asked a nurse what had happened and was told that someone had dropped her off at the emergency room after she passed out in pain, then left.

The doctor came in a few minutes later. His face hardened as he questioned, "Your body is already in this state, and you're still drinking? Are you out of your mind, or do you not want to live?"

Evelyn gave a bitter smile. She hadn't wanted to drink. Her husband and son had forced that glass down her throat with their own hands. She wanted to live a little longer. They were the ones who had pushed her toward death.

The doctor sighed. "Listen. You need to get this through your head. If you want to suffer less, you can't touch alcohol again."

Once the doctor left, Evelyn asked to be discharged. Whatever time she had left, she didn't want to spend it staring at hospital ceilings.

On her way out, she walked past a cluster of patients and visitors chatting just outside one of the wards.

"That woman in Ward 6 is lucky. Her husband and son hover around her day and night. They treat her like she's made of glass."

Another replied, "She really hit the jackpot with that man. Did you see what happened earlier? She said she felt like eating cake, and they ordered one of everything from every bakery in town. If she wanted the stars in the sky, I swear those two would try to find a way to get them down for her."

"Stop talking. They're coming out."

The group shuffled aside.

Evelyn lifted her head and saw Daniel and Noah walking out of Ward 6. Both of them froze when they spotted her.

"Mom?"

"Evelyn?"

Daniel's eyes dropped to her hospital gown, and his face went slack with shock. "What are you doing in the oncology wing?"

Noah panicked, his whole body going rigid. People didn't end up on this floor because of a mild cold.

Before Evelyn could answer, Zoe stepped out of the ward. "Daniel? Noah? Why are you just standing here?"

She slipped her hand through Daniel's arm as naturally as breathing. Then, she saw Evelyn, and her fingers went stiff around his sleeve.

Daniel immediately shook Zoe's hand off, his whole body going tense. He strode toward Evelyn in a few quick steps, staring straight into her face. "Tell me, why are you here?"

Noah rushed to her side as well. "Yeah, Mom. Are you sick?"

Zoe bit down on her lower lip, unable to hide the flicker of panic in her eyes.

Evelyn smiled. So, Zoe could be afraid, after all.