The Last Thing I Needed

It wasn't until I saw him wrap the scarf around Zoey's neck with his own hands that I realized how foolish I'd been.

Maybe it was because I was dying and still unwilling to let go, but seeing that scarf again stirred something fierce in me. For one irrational moment, I wanted it desperately.

The second Elias saw me point at it, his expression changed. "No. The scarf keeps her warm, and Zoey's fragile. Besides, I made that myself. She'd never be able to part with it. Pick something else."

Maybe some pathetic part of me still wanted proof that Elias cared about, so I held my ground. "That's the one I want."

Instead, he snapped. "Celia, Zoey could save your life someday. You donated a kidney to her. Isn't that enough? You never used to care about material things, so why are you so determined to steal something she loves?"

A bitter laugh escaped me.

He really wasn't even trying to hide his favoritism.

…

A year ago, during Zoey's pre-employment physical, Elias discovered that she shared my rare blood type.

That was when he started treating her differently.

He promoted her and raised her salary at the drop of a hat. He even handed her credit for projects I'd completed, turning her into the office darling.

In private, he washed her clothes, cooked for her, made sure she never missed a meal, and showed up the second she called.

If I voiced the slightest complaint, he accused me of being petty. He'd say Zoey was my future savior and that I owed her my life. Somehow, I ended up carrying that crushing moral debt.

Considering how shamelessly he was showering her with affection, the fact that I'd still been hoping he genuinely loved me was almost laughable.

Now that I was staring death in the face, I could finally see what was in Elias' heart.

All those nights I'd spent lying awake, hurt and unable to let things go, suddenly felt meaningless.

"Just kidding," I said with a short laugh. "Why would I steal something she loves?"

I chose to let it go. And with it, my love for Elias.

Zoey immediately put on her wounded act.

"Celia, I know you're rich and already have everything money can buy. My things probably seem cheap to you. You're right. I'm just your blood bag, after all. I shouldn't have dreamed of being friends with you."

Elias looked at her like she'd been stabbed. "It's okay, Zoey. There's an auction today. I'll take you and buy you something better."

Then, he turned to the bodyguards and ordered them to pack up everything on my bed, clearly terrified I might actually take something.

At the door, He suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. He shut the window, draped my coat over my shoulders, and softened his voice.

"Cece, I'm not taking you because I don't want you getting tired. You know I love you most. Tell me what you like, and I'll bid on it for you. Consider it a wedding gift, okay?"

Then, he left with Zoey at his side.

…

Through the window, I watched them downstairs.

Inside the car, Elias leaned over to fasten Zoey's seat belt. Zoey pointed at the framed photo of Elias and me sitting in the front passenger seat.

The next second, our picture was tossed out the window.

The rear tire crushed it as the car rolled forward.

So, this was how he loved me, or what he thought love was.

'Elias, I don't have much time left. And I don't want to marry you anymore.'

I drew the curtains shut and went to find the doctor. "I want to be discharged."

"Ms. Starling, according to regulations, I have no right to stop you. Still, if you refuse treatment, I'm afraid—"

I curved my lips into something that wasn't a smile. "Doctor, I only have one request. Prescribe me ten days' worth of pain medication."

If I only had ten days left, I wouldn't be spending them in a hospital. Ever since my parents died there, hospitals had filled me with a fear I could never shake.

I had just stepped outside when Elias called. "Why did you check out?"

"It's getting too stuffy there," I said. "I was getting tired of lying there."

Replaced While Still Alive

"No—" Elias started, about to argue.

Then, Zoey's voice drifted through the phone, so close she sounded like she was pressed right against him. "Elias, these matching rings are so pretty..."

"Done. I'd burn the whole auction house down if I had to. They're yours." Then, his tone changed when he spoke to me. "Celia, you're an adult. Take care of yourself."

The warmth vanished from his voice, replaced with casual indifference. He brushed me off with a couple of perfunctory words and hung up.

Before Zoey came along, things had been different.

There had been a time after I landed in the hospital with stomach bleeding from too many business dinners, the doctor warned Elias that my rare blood type made any complication dangerous.

He didn't sleep for days. He cried and begged me not to leave him. After that, he barely left my side. If I got so much as a paper cut, he'd panic.

Now I had lost a kidney, and all I got was an absent-minded dismissal.

Although I had chosen to let things go, that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips, and I blocked his number.

The first thing I did that day was hire a deep-cleaning crew to strip the house of everything that belonged to me.

The handmade couple figurines. Twenty thousand photos from seven years together. Even the villa keys. I burned it all to ash with my own hands.

…

The next day, I hired a mortuary service and made arrangements for after my death, specifically what they should do to my corpse.

On the third day, I dragged my friends from one party to the next.

When I lost a dare and ended up linking arms to drink with a ridiculously handsome guy, one of my friends went pale.

"If your man sees this, he'll kill me."

Under the flashing lights and pounding music, I smiled without a trace of hesitation. "I don't care."

That night, Elias finally snapped.

He sent me a grainy photo of me and the guy drinking together in the dim club lighting. 'Celia, get home and get on your knees to explain yourself.'

On the fourth day, I finally went home. I didn't do it because I was afraid of him. I returned because my delivery had arrived.

The housekeeper, Mary, opened the door and lowered her voice. "Ms. Starling, please, don't argue with Mr. Thatcher. Just admit you were wrong, and this will blow over."

I walked inside and immediately saw Elias sitting on the couch, comforting a sobbing Zoey.

Zoey was wearing pajamas. There, clutched in her hands, was a pale pink outfit I'd bought for my own funeral.

The matching women's ring on her finger caught the light.

I was still trying to make sense of it when she saw me and started crying harder.

"Celia, I know you look down on me and don't want me living here, but did you really have to curse me by sending me funeral clothes?"

So, she already moved into my house when I wasn't around. I didn't even know that.

Elias frowned. "Celia, I never expected this from you. You act generous to my face, but behind my back, you're this petty? You stormed out, went partying, acted like a lunatic, and I didn't even fight with you over it. I only let Zoey stay here so I could take care of her, and yet you—"

I took the funeral clothes straight out of Zoey's hands. "Who said they were for her?"

I unfolded them and slipped them on. "They're for me."

I even turned toward the floor-length mirror and checked the fit.

It was perfect.

I used to be terrified of dying. I was terrified that if I left Elias, he wouldn't survive it.

But when death was actually standing at my door, I realized how I'd dramatically overestimated my own importance.

Elias' expression darkened. He shot to his feet and reached for the buttons of the funeral outfit. "Celia, have you lost your mind? Take that off right now!"

I stepped aside, avoiding him.

His expression hardened. "If you do something wrong, you own it. Stop dodging the issue and apologize to Zoey."

Before I could say anything, he unclenched his fist, let out a sigh, and pulled out several documents.

"You checked yourself out of the hospital just to throw a tantrum and go have fun. Zoey, on the other hand, got discharged and came straight back to work. She's been pulling overtime for days because she actually cares about the company."

He held the papers out toward me.

"She says she's grateful you donated your kidney and wants to help lighten your burden. Hand over your vice president position to Zoey. It'll make things easier when she takes over your responsibilities."

Signed Away

So this had been Elias' plan all along. He wanted to make me hand my vice president position over to his new lover.

I let out a bitter laugh. "Fine. I have no objections."

I was dying, so arguing felt utterly pointless. What did any of these worldly possessions matter now? I sat down without another word and took the pen he handed me.

Every document had already been opened to the signature page.

I was meticulous by nature. Whenever I signed any documents, I always made sure the cover page matched the contents.

The first document was my vice president's termination agreement. I signed it without hesitation.

Elias and Zoey exchanged a surprised look.

The second document was a property transfer agreement.

That house had been bought with the first real money Elias and I ever made. It was also the only property in my name.

Maybe afraid I'd refuse, Elias hurried to explain, "Zoey's family needs a place to stay while they're in the city for treatment. You don't live there anyway."

If they just needed a place to stay, why bother with the transfer of ownership? I couldn't be bothered calling him out.

I initialled the page.

When I reached for the third document, Elias stopped me. "Cece, I'm not trying to hurt you. Just sign it."

I looked up to find both Elias and Zoey watching me closely.

I flipped it open anyway.

It was a stock transfer agreement.

This was the twenty percent stake Elias had given me when he publicly announced our relationship.

Back then, everyone at the company knew I was Elias' woman, and they all looked at me with envy.

Elias drew in a sharp breath. "Let me explain..."

I didn't even pause before filling in my signature.

After the final stroke of my signature, I looked at him. "Anything else?"

Elias stared at me like he couldn't believe it. But wasn't this exactly what he wanted? For me to hand everything over to Zoey? He should've been thrilled.

Zoey was practically ecstatic. However, she wore her usual fake sweetness like a glove. "Celia, don't worry. I'm just holding onto these things for you. Once you recover, I'll give everything back."

I stood, expression blank. I'd only come back to pick up the package containing my funeral clothes. I had what I came for, so there was no reason for me to linger.

As I turned to leave, Elias called after me.

His brow furrowed. "Cece... you've lost weight. A lot of weight."

I touched my hollow cheek and shrugged. "It's fine. I'm not dying today."

Something twisted painfully in Elias' chest. For once, his voice turned unexpectedly gentle. "Have you eaten? I can heat the leftovers from lunch. I made them myself."

Elias was a neat freak, so he hated the kitchens. He had never cooked a single meal for me, even at the peak of his love for me, but that changed after Zoey mentioned her stomach hurt.

After that, he taught himself to cook, even blistering his fingers with hot oil.

I'd once envied that. I wanted to try his food just once

He refused, saying it was exclusively for Zoey.

I was about to decline, but Elias had already headed into the kitchen without waiting for an answer.

Soon, only Zoey and I were left in the living room.

The look she gave me was full of malice. Then, she suddenly pulled out an emerald bracelet from behind her back and smiled. "Celia, I really like this bracelet. I want to give it to my mom. Can I have it?"

Elias had always kept that bracelet for me, locked in the safe.

"You can have anything else, but not that."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Zoey clicked her tongue. Then, she suddenly slammed the bracelet onto the floor.

"Then, you can have it back."

Time seemed to slow. I watched as the bracelet shattered on impact, breaking into four pieces.

She had always been two-faced. Polite and respectful in public. Cruel and arrogant in private.

Every time I tried telling Elias how she treated me, he accused me of targeting Zoey on purpose. Said I was being unreasonable.

I'd told myself not to waste energy fighting with her. Not when I was already so close to death.

Still, something inside me snapped as I stared at that shattered bracelet. A nameless fury burned away every last shred of reason.