I never imagined that on my eighteenth birthday, I would be diagnosed with stomach cancer. The only way to extend my life was through money, but the pain of treatment was unimaginable.

I stumbled into the house, barely feeling my legs as I dragged myself through the door. There, in the living room, sat Eva, glowing with that same innocent smile, accepting fruit from my parents.

My brother, ever the dutiful son, wiped the corner of her mouth as if she were a child, his gaze soft with affection.

As soon as they saw me, their smiles froze.

I stood there, heart hammering, feeling more invisible than ever.

Eva looked at me, eyes widening with feigned innocence, her lips curling into a perfect pout. "Is something wrong, darling? You don't look so well."

"Eva..." My voice cracked. "It's me. I'm... sick."

My father shifted in his chair, avoiding my gaze. "You're always so dramatic, aren't you, sweetie?" He didn't even bother to look up from his newspaper.

"Always the troublemaker," my brother sneered. He didn't even stand up. "What's this new act?"

I clenched the cancer diagnosis tightly in my hand, feeling my whole world slipping through my fingers. "Dad... Mom... I have cancer. I need money for treatment. Please."

The room fell dead silent.

Eva tucked her hair behind her ear, watching me like I was some kind of spectacle.

"Cancer?" My brother finally broke the silence.

He stood up, snatched the diagnosis out of my hand, and gave it a cursory glance. "Ha! This is rich! A great way to get attention, don't you think?"

"Stop lying!" My mother's voice cut through the air, sharp as ice. She stood from her seat, her eyes narrowing at me. "Eva was right. You're nothing but a drama queen. Always have been, always will be."

"Mom, I'm serious... I-"

"You've always been selfish, always stirring trouble. You think I'm going to buy this pathetic story?"

"Don't worry, darling. I'm sure you'll figure something out. You've always been good at... getting people to feel sorry for you."

Just as I was about to speak, Eva interrupted with feigned concern. "Dad, Mom, I saw her faking the cancer diagnosis earlier. I didn't understand it then, but now it's clear-she's trying to scam you for money. She's gone mad, even willing to lie about something as huge as cancer! I'm so glad I warned you about her, or you'd be fooled!"

She paused, acting like the saint, then softly handed over a tissue. "Please don't be angry, but you know how she is. She's always spending recklessly, racking up debts. This is just her desperate attempt to get money."

. "No! It's not true, I really have cancer! She's lying!" I rushed to explain.

Before I could say another word, my brother, Philp, slapped me across the face. "You're pathetic! And now you're dragging Eva down with you!" His voice was cold. "She's not like you. We know exactly who she is!"

This was the first time he ever hit me.

"Please, I'm not lying, I really-"

"Enough!" My father, Kinson, cut me off, his voice filled with disgust. "You have one month left before you marry John, so why can't you just stay quiet for once?"

With that, they turned their backs on me and left, taking Eva upstairs, their laughter echoing as they went.

Later, at dinner, they filled the table with fancy cakes, all for Eva. I couldn't stomach the sight of the cream-filled pastries-my stomach twisted in agony just from the smell. Since my diagnosis, even the thought of them made me nauseous. I silently retreated upstairs.

As I sat in my room, I couldn't take it anymore. I called John, my childhood friend, my rock. But as soon as I heard his voice, he sounded distracted.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

"Eva just called. Something urgent. I have to go."

For days, they kept me locked in my room, refusing to let me see a doctor. The pain from the cancer spread, and I could only swallow painkillers, listening to their laughter downstairs.

Finally, the day of my wedding arrived. John came to pick me up in a sleek black suit. His warm smile made my eyes well up.

He took my hand, his expression turning worried when he saw how pale I looked. "Are you okay? You don't look well."

Before I could answer, my parents rushed in, panic in their eyes. "John, Eva's gone!"

John's expression shifted immediately. "What's going on?"

But there were only ten minutes left before the ceremony was supposed to start. Panic gripped me. I grabbed his hand. "John, the wedding... let's just start the wedding."

Before I could say more, Sara shot me a venomous glare. "What are you talking about? Eva's missing, and you're still thinking about the wedding?"

In an instant, John made his decision. "Emma, the wedding's postponed. We need to find her first." He pulled his hand from mine and followed Sara out, leaving me standing there.

. Then, distant screams and cries from my parents echoed through the house.

The scene that greeted us in Eva's room was one of chaos. She lay on the bed, pale as a ghost, surrounded by empty pill bottles and a note that caught everyone's attention. It read:

"John, you're about to marry Emma, and I've never told you how I feel. I've loved you in silence. I hope you two will be happy, but in the next life, I will find a way to tell you how much I care."

We all waited outside the operating room.

John paced relentlessly. Every few seconds, his gaze shot toward the door. "How's she doing? Why hasn't it finished yet...?"

Time dragged on until, finally, the lights in the operating room went out. John rushed in, followed by the rest of us.

The surgeon removed his mask with a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, we acted quickly. The dosage wasn't lethal. After emergency stomach pumping and treatment, she's stable for now. However, we did discover signs of mild depression. You must be careful moving forward, avoid triggering any more emotional distress."

Eva was wheeled out, ghostly pale, her eyes closed, barely conscious. John rushed to her side, gently holding her hand. "Eva, you're okay..."

Sara and Kinson rush to her. "If anything happened to you, how could we live with ourselves? Why didn't you tell us you loved John? Why suffer in silence? You've caused us so much heartache."

Eva collapsed into Sara's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry, Mom, Dad... I didn't mean to fight with Emma for John. But I love him so much... seeing him with her... it hurts so much... I can't bear it anymore... Please... just let me go."

The Smiths cried together, lost in their grief, completely forgetting that today was supposed to be my wedding.

We stayed with Eva all day at the hospital, until finally, by evening, she was sedated. Philp stayed behind at the hospital with her, while the rest of us returned home.

The moment I stepped inside, Sara called my name. "Emma..."

She paused, her voice syrupy sweet. "Eva loves John so much. Why don't you just give him to her?"

The next moment, Sara was weeping, her voice full of pity for Eva. "She's suffered so much. She lost her parents, lived as an outsider, and now this depression..."

"You've got everything, Emma. Please... let Eva have John."

They were so focused on Eva's depression, but never once did they think about their own daughter, who had cancer, and was running out of time. "I can't let him go."

Before Sara could respond, the front door slammed open. John appeared, standing tall in the doorway.

"I disagree."

Hope flared in my chest. I knew it. Even if the world abandoned me, John would stand by me. But then.

"Eva's emotional state is unstable. I'm postponing the wedding. Once she's stable, we'll talk. And until then, I'll stay with her. I can't leave her until she's past the suicidal phase."

Postponing the wedding... did he even realize that with my cancer, I might not have much time left?

"Emma, please understand. Do you want Eva to die because of this?"

"I'll delay the wedding, but I need money, five million."

The Smiths' faces shifted, their expressions turning to stone. In the end, though, they caved, agreeing to the demand. They couldn't let Eva's life slip away.

In the days that followed, Eva became their world. John, the perfect protector, chauffeured her, checked on her daily, and even surrounded her with bodyguards. I became a shadow in my own home.

To please Eva, they threw her a lavish party. My parents had flown to South Africa to buy her a diamond necklace.

Philp drained his savings for a designer handbag. And when John presented his gift, Eva blushed and whispered, "John... could you kiss me?"

John's gaze met mine, torn, but then he leaned down and kissed Eva's cheek.

I stumbled to my phone, dialing the doctor, my hands shaking. "I've paid for the treatment... when can I check in?"

The voice on the other end was cold. "What payment? We haven't received anything."

I checked my balance. The screen mocked me with a cruel, empty 0.

Just as I was about to go downstairs and ask my parents, Eva appeared, holding a glass of red wine, slowly making her way up the stairs.

"Sister," she sneered. "Were you looking for your life-saving money? Sorry, I forgot to tell you-I've already transferred it."

"Dad and Mom gave me all their bank passwords, so I made the transfer in no time." She smirked. "As for your treatment... forget about it. I'm going to make sure you lose everything, everyone will turn their backs on you. You'll just sit here and wait to die."

Rage exploded inside me as I grabbed the wine from her hand and splashed it across her face.

The others, noticing Eva hadn't come downstairs, rushed in just in time to witness the scene: me throwing the wine at her, and Eva tumbling down the stairs, her body crashing onto the floor. Blood pooled around her, the wound on her head splitting open.

Her pale face grabbed the sleeves of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, her adoptive parents. "Mom, Dad, Emma pushed me down the stairs."

Mr. and Mrs. Smith were livid, their faces twisted with rage as they glared at me, their hatred so intense I could feel it piercing my soul. And then Philp, the one person I thought cared, slapped me hard across the face.

"How could you do something so vicious? If anything happens to Eva, we'll hold you responsible!"

I sank to the ground, tears blurring my vision, my body shaking with pain and despair. I looked up at John, but all I saw in his eyes was cold disappointment. Without a word, he scooped Eva up and rushed out, leaving me all alone.

Alone, with nothing. No one believed me. The money for my treatment was gone, and Eva had stolen my parents, my brother, even my most beloved John.

I coughed up blood, my body curling into itself on the cold floor. I could barely move, and my mind began to haze. I had a feeling-today, this was it. My last day.

But I couldn't die like this. I couldn't let them think I was lying. I had to make sure the truth came out. I had to expose Eva for who she really was. Then maybe, just maybe, they'd regret this. Regret all of it.

I opened my eyes, only to realize I'd passed out on the cold floor for hours. Now, before me stood my family-and John.

Seeing me wake up, their expressions shifted from worry to fury.

"Emma! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Emma, Eva's condition is critical! She needs a rare white blood cell antibody-only you have it in your body! We need you to come with us to the hospital and extract it to save her!"

Before I could even respond, I was roughly shoved into a car, and the wheels screeched as we sped toward the hospital.

A cold needle pierced my vein, and I trembled with anxiety. Meanwhile, my parents, my brother, and John were all gathered around Eva's bed, anxiously waiting for her to wake.

"Eva, are you feeling better?" they asked.

Eva, with a look of gratitude, collapsed into their arms, and they showered her with affection, their fingers running through her hair.

I stood in the corner, feeling like a stranger in my own family. I forced myself to stand, step by step, but as I made my way toward the door, my body gave in and I collapsed.

When I woke up again, I was lying in Doctor Brandon's office.

"Where have you been, Emma? Don't you realize your condition is worsening? If you don't get treatment soon, you'll only have a month left to live!"

"And how could you donate white blood cells in your state?"

After a long silence, I simply shook my head weakly.

"I. I have no money."

Doctor Brandon's face was full of disbelief. The Smith family was wealthy, how could they not even have the money to treat their own daughter?

Family? At the sound of that word, tears began to spill uncontrollably from my eyes. Without realizing it, I had walked to Eva's hospital room.

The door was slightly ajar, and when I peered inside, I saw my parents and brother had already left. Only John remained, sitting by Eva's bed. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, I accidentally brushed against the door.

The moment he saw me standing there, John quickly pushed Eva aside and rushed out after me.

John grabbed my arm. "Emma, it's not what you think."

"What exactly do you think I'm thinking, John? Have you forgotten? I'm your fiancée."

"I haven't forgotten. But Eva is too weak right now. She can't handle any more stress."

"So, all the promises you made to me... none of them matter anymore?"

. From the moment we were five, we had been inseparable, like two halves of the same soul.

We had shared so many firsts: planning surprise birthday parties, celebrating each other's successes, comforting each other in times of failure.

When my family began to favor Eva, only John had stood firmly by my side. That day, when I fell ill during a heavy downpour, he didn't hesitate to carry me through the rain, trudging through the mud to the hospital. And I, in turn, had stood up for him in front of the teacher, accepting the punishment meant for him. At that moment, I had been certain-he was my one true love.

But now, all those memories felt like they belonged to someone else.

But now, those sweet promises still echoed in my ears, while I watched him take Eva's hand before my very eyes.

I could see the disappointment in John's gaze, but he didn't offer any more explanations. Instead, his eyes hardened as he spoke coldly, "The Emma I promised to love was the pure, innocent, kind-hearted girl."

"Have you ever stopped to reflect on what you've become?"

I stared at him in disbelief, my heart breaking with every word. John simply closed the door behind him. "Eva needs rest," he said, leaving me no room for argument. All I could do was turn and walk away in despair.

Just as I reached the door, I was met with the slap of my brother, Philp's hand across my face.

"I know you're jealous of Eva," he spat, his voice full of venom. "Jealous that she has everything you don't, that Mom and Dad spoil her more than they ever did you. I'm telling you, stop dreaming!"

I never imagined that the brother who had once been my biggest protector could turn on me like this. I couldn't hold it in any longer, and I called out to him, my voice trembling.

"Philp, you used to love me the most, remember?"

"When I was little and got bullied, the guy was so much taller than me, but you didn't hesitate to rush in and fight him. You ended up breaking your leg and spent six months in the hospital."

"How did we end up like this, Philp?"

"Because you're not worth it!"

Not worth it...

The day Eva was discharged from the hospital, the entire family, including John, came to pick her up. As they walked through the door, Eva had John's arm linked through hers, and he was holding a bouquet of deep crimson roses, his face lit with a smile. Philp led her upstairs, while the rest of the family gathered around me.

Seeing my pale face, John immediately came forward and took my hand.

"How is it that in just a few days, you've lost so much weight?" he asked, his tone soft, almost affectionate. He reached into a bag at his side and pulled out a bracelet. "I got this for you. Do you like it?"

I was utterly confused. I had no idea what game they were playing, but I stood there, helpless, as he carefully placed the bracelet around my wrist.

At dinner, Eva didn't come downstairs. But surprisingly, this time, my parents and Philp didn't insist on waiting for her before eating. Sara herself had cooked an entire spread of food, and the family eagerly urged me to eat.

At that moment, I was overwhelmed by a strange mix of emotions. After all these years, it felt like I was finally feeling the warmth of family again. I glanced down at the table-most of it was dessert. The next second, Sara cut me a piece and placed it on my plate.

"Emma, eat more," she encouraged, her voice full of concern.

"Emma," she continued, her tone suddenly more serious, "Eva may have been discharged, but the doctor says her depression is still severe."

"All these years, Eva's been living under our roof, hiding her feelings. We've been unfair to her," Sara said softly.

"She's so in love with John, she can't live without him. If we forced you two to marry, it might break her heart."

"So you want me to delay my wedding with John?"

"No, the wedding will go on as planned, just. with Eva as the bride."

d I turned to John, my voice shaking, "So, you agree with this?"

John was speechless.

Philp, growing impatient, cut in. "This is everyone's decision. We're not asking for your opinion, we're telling you."

In a fit of rage, I smashed the cake onto the floor, watching it shatter into pieces.

"Do you even know? I'm lactose intolerant!" I shouted.

"All my life, I've had to give in to her. She takes my limited edition pens, tears up my prize-winning artwork, and when I'm sick in bed, you're too busy planning her birthday party! At school events, you're always with her, leaving me alone. She hates my succulents and you throw them away without a word!"

"Do you even realize that you're my parents, my brother, my fiancé?"

"Emma, you have everything. Let Eva have this one thing."

"We've made up our minds. You will let her have it, whether you like it or not."

At that moment, I felt my heart break completely.

Soon, they were busy planning John and Eva's wedding, ignoring my pain. Alone in my room, I coughed up blood again and again. The painkillers had long run out, and no matter how hard I slammed my head against the wall, it didn't ease.

Before the ceremony began, no one even noticed I was missing. To them, as long as the wedding went smoothly, everything would be fine.

The ceremony started, and Eva walked towards John, the crowd's eyes on her.

John walked toward her too, but his mind was on me. He must've been imagining what it would be like if I were the one in that wedding dress.

John didn't notice the time passing until the priest reminded him, and only then did he take Eva's hand.

As the priest began reading the vows, the door suddenly burst open. John's assistant rushed in, panic on his face.

"John, something's wrong! Eva is at the beach-she-"

Meanwhile, I stood on the shore, feeling the sea breeze, the first true relief in ages. I had let go of everything. No more pain, no more sadness.

"I have cancer. A cancer that could have been cured, but you gave up on me."

"Dad, Mom, this is the last time I'll ever call you that. I forgave you over and over, but you always hurt me the most. I don't know if you'll regret never giving me love after today. But it doesn't matter anymore, I don't need your love anymore."

I wiped my tears and smiled bitterly.

"Brother, you used to love me the most, but since Eva came into our lives, you've changed. All your love, all the best for her. It's fine. From now on, you only have Eva as your sister. Are you happy now?"

Shakily, I stood up, took off the bracelet John had given me, and threw it into the air.

"John, we grew up together. You said we'd never betray each other. I really loved you, more than anything, hoping we'd spend our lives together. But my love for you ends today."

I walked toward the deep sea, knowing this life would end in pain. With open arms and closed eyes, I whispered,

"As you wished, I'm dying."

"If there's another life, I don't want to be the Smith family's daughter, or Philp's sister, and I don't ever want to love John again."

And with that, I leaped into the ocean.