My younger twin sister, Emma Lawson, is everyone's favorite because she is sickly.

A snowstorm traps us on the mountain and the rescue helicopter arrives with room for only one more.

I have terminal cancer and am ready to let Emma take my place. Then she suddenly clutches her head and cries that she feels dizzy. My whole family rushes to her side and together they push her into the cabin.

My husband, Leon Ziegler, touches my fractured arm and says, "Sarah, you'll have to wait for the next helicopter."

My daughter, Daria Ziegler, even throws a snowball at me. "Aunt Emma is sicker than you. Stop trying to take her spot."

Only when the helicopter takes off do I see Emma pressed against the window, smugly sticking her tongue out. She has been lying the whole time.

When I am finally rescued, the doctors tell me I have three days left to live. I decide to trade everything I own for a small piece of my family's affection.

My family and I were stranded on the mountain peak due to a snowstorm. After much delay, the rescue helicopter finally arrived. By the time my younger twin sister, Emma Lawson, and I were supposed to get on, we were told there was only room for one person.

Since I had terminal cancer, I intended to give her the spot. I was about to say something when she suddenly cried out that she felt dizzy and wouldn't let up. My whole family rushed to her, grabbing her hands and pulling her into the cabin.

With an apologetic look, my husband, Leon Ziegler, glanced at me.

"Sarah, your sister's health isn't as good as yours. We need to get her out first, so you'll have to wait for the next one," he said.

Then, my daughter, Daria Ziegler, flung a snowball at my fractured arm.

"Aunt Emma's the one who needs saving. Don't steal her spot," she said.

My parents looked down at me struggling through the snow on all fours. But all they did was hold Emma closer and tell me to wait.

All my life, they'd always made me give way to my sister. All because she had poor health and needed more love and protection. This time was no different. Even when I was covered in injuries, I still came second.

Just before takeoff, Emma pressed herself against the helicopter window, sticking out her tongue and making faces at me.

That was when it hit me—she had never been dizzy. The whole thing was just an act to get herself rescued first.

Through the heavy snowfall, I watched the helicopter vanish into the distance as tears streamed down my face.

What was the point of her charade? I would have gladly given up my place for her without the theatrics.

Even during those moments on the mountain, I'd been protecting them by keeping my cancer diagnosis hidden. I didn't want them burdened with worry over my final month.

Yet when it came down to it, they still picked Emma over me. In that case, I'd clear the path and let them focus all their love on her.

After a day of lying unconscious in the freezing mountains, a rescue helicopter finally airlifted me to the hospital. The prolonged exposure had accelerated my illness. What should have been a month to live had been cut down to just three days.

I resolved to spend those last days giving everything I owned to my family and making sure all their wishes were fulfilled. After taking painkillers, I forced myself to return home despite the pain.

When I opened the door, I found my parents gathered around the phone, speaking to Emma through a video call from her hospital room.

"Emi, tell me what you want to eat. I'll prepare it and bring it over," Mom said.

Dad chimed in, "Don't worry. I'll come keep you company later as well."

Through the video call, I saw Leon feeding Emma soup while Daria told her stories. Watching that heartwarming scene, my eyes burned red.

Even while gravely ill, I'd never received such treatment. Emma had merely staged a dizzy spell, and yet she was being cherished like this.

Mom looked up and saw me. Her smile vanished instantly, and her expression turned cold.

"You still have the nerve to come home? Emi's still in the hospital because of you. If you hadn't insisted on taking the whole family mountain climbing, would she have had to go through this?" she accused.

Dad added coldly, "You're a professional climber, but you couldn't even keep the family safe. Instead, you put us all in danger."

I listened quietly without defending myself.

They'd conveniently forgotten that Emma was the one who had thrown a fit about going to the mountain for photos. I had refused at first because of an old injury that hadn't healed.

But my parents and Leon couldn't bear to see her upset. For an entire week, they pressured me relentlessly until I gave in.

Years of experience taught me that defending myself was pointless. In this family, Emma's tears mattered more than any truth.

I was too tired to argue with them anymore, so I calmly pulled out documents I had prepared from my bag.

"Mom, Dad, I'm transferring my climbing gear business to Emma. Consider it compensation for what happened."

Both of them looked at me, puzzled by my sudden offer.

Several seconds passed before Dad's face gradually broke into a relieved smile.

Mom walked over and gently stroked my hair. It was something I'd never felt from her before.

"Sarah, you're finally thinking straight. Now you're acting like a real big sister."

Dad nodded approvingly.

"Emma's always had poor health. It's only right that you help her."

So this was what it took. I had to sacrifice ten years of my life's work to finally be considered a good sister. I looked at their relieved faces and felt absolutely nothing.

Leon came home that evening. He walked straight past me to my parents without even looking my way.

"Mom, Dad, Emma's kidneys are failing. She needs a transplant, but I'm not a match."

He looked so worried, like he was her husband instead of mine.

My parents jumped up from the couch in shock.

"How is that possible? We should get tested to see if we can donate."

Their favoritism had made them lose all sense. Facts didn't matter anymore. If Emma wanted something, they'd give it to her no matter what.

I'd already confirmed with the hospital director that she was perfectly fine.

Seeing them about to rush out, I quickly blocked their path.

"Let me donate my kidney. We're twins, so I'll be the best match. And I'll give one of my corneas to Daria, too."

Years ago, Emma had taken Daria out to play. A dog attacked, and Daria lost her left eye.

She had longed for beautiful eyes ever since, but a donor never appeared. Since I was dying anyway, I might as well help my daughter get what she wanted.

At my words, Leon immediately perked up and called Emma. I'd almost forgotten he could look that caring.

After ending the call, he walked over hesitantly, his expression uneasy.

"Sarah, there's something I need to talk to you about," he said.

I looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue.

"Emi's really traumatized from this incident. She's having memory problems and thinks I'm her husband and Daria's her daughter."

He went on, "The doctors say we should go along with it to help her recover. I want to help her, so let's get divorced first. When she regains her memory, we can remarry."

I stared at the man I'd once loved so deeply. On our wedding day, he'd promised to always have my back. Now he wanted a divorce because of another woman's lies.

"Fine. I agree."

Surprise flashed across Leon's face. Afraid I might change my mind, he quickly pulled out the divorce agreement and pushed it toward me.

"You're so understanding, Sarah," he said, trying to charm me. "Don't worry. This is just temporary. Once Emi gets better…"

I was too tired to listen to his empty promises. Just as I reached for the pen, a wave of severe dizziness struck me. Everything went black, and I collapsed.

The cold woke me after a series of nightmares. I was still sprawled on the same icy floor.

My whole family surrounded me—my parents, Leon, and my five-year-old daughter, Daria. My eyes filled with tears as I looked at them.

"If I'd died in that snowstorm, would you have missed me?" I asked.

Their faces showed no concern or pity, only disappointment and impatience.

"Daddy, I told you she was faking it," Daria said, pointing at me.

She tattled loudly to Leon, who was holding her.

"I bet she doesn't want to give Aunt Emma her kidney or give me her eye. She probably doesn't want the divorce either."

He sighed, looking at me wearily.

"Sarah, can you please grow up? We know you're upset, but faking a collapse for attention isn't necessary."

Mom frowned too, her tone sharp with accusation.

"Exactly. Emi's stuck in the hospital while you're out here making a scene. She's already sick enough. Do you want to stress her out even more?"

I listened quietly to their accusations, then decisively signed the divorce agreement.

"Tomorrow, I'll go to the hospital to donate my organs. I'll visit Emma while I'm there. There are some asset transfer documents she needs to sign."

My parents froze for a moment, clearly not expecting me to make the offer myself. Their annoyed expressions immediately brightened.

"Then, hurry up. Don't keep Emi waiting."

Just then, my best friend, Michelle Sullivan, texted me.

"I got the footage from the rescue helicopter. It clearly shows your sister was faking her dizziness. Plus, her hospital records show she's perfectly fine."

The video and files came through a few minutes later. Seeing Emma sticking out her tongue in the video and reading her clean bill of health, I smiled.

I replied to Michelle, "Send this to my family after I'm dead."

Two days before I died, I donated a kidney to Emma and a cornea to Daria.

When I woke up after surgery, I saw my sister in a hospital gown, half-reclining on the bed. My parents and Leon were gathered around her while she cooed about wanting food from that fancy downtown restaurant.

The scene looked warm and perfect, like a family portrait. And there I was, someone who didn't belong.

The moment Emma noticed I was awake, a flash of triumph and defiance lit her eyes. She said sweetly, "Sarah, thank you for the assets. I'll make good use of them."

Leon took out the remaining documents along with the bank cards and placed them on her bedside table. "She also gave you the house and savings."

As soon as he said that, the room went completely silent.

Dad was the first to react. He hurried over and patted my shoulder, excitement and relief written all over his face. "Now you're finally acting like a big sister and looking out for Emi."

Mom tearfully took Emma's hand. "This is wonderful. Now you and Leon can live a good life together."

Leon pulled Emma closer, gazing at her lovingly. "See? Your sister really does care about you."

At that moment, the whole family busied themselves planning Emma and Leon's future. Everyone wore bright smiles that gleamed with happiness.

No one noticed me quietly covering my mouth, or the bright red streak I coughed into my palm when I turned away.

One day.

That was all I had left. I'd given them everything on my second-to-last day alive, and still nobody loved me.

A violent cough made me unsteady. When a metallic taste filled my mouth, I hurriedly covered it with tissues, praying they wouldn't notice.

"Stop coughing so loud. You're bothering Emi while she's trying to rest," Mom said with a frown, clearly annoyed.

I crumpled the tissue into a ball and clutched it tightly in my palm. Then I looked up and asked them softly, "If I died because of this mountain trip, would any of you regret it?"

This was the last sliver of hope I had left—for them and for myself.

Silence hung for a heartbeat, then the room exploded with laughter. They all laughed like I'd just said something hilarious.

Dad laughed the loudest, pointing at me and shaking his head. "You? Die? You're the healthiest person I know. You've never caught a cold in your whole life. Stop talking nonsense."

Leon laughed too, pulling Emma closer and speaking gently. "Quit being so dramatic, Sarah. Emma's health is what we should be worried about."

"That's right, Sarah," Emma said softly, leaning into him. "Please don't say things like that. It frightens me."

I nodded. The last flicker of hope inside me died completely. I stopped looking at them and turned to Daria, who was curled up against Leon's side.

"Daria, could you call me Mom, just once?" I asked.

All these years, I'd put my climbing career first and barely spent time with her. She'd resented me for it ever since and had never called me Mom, not even after I donated my cornea to her.

She ignored me and threw herself into Emma's arms like an excited puppy, then wrapped her arms around Emma's neck.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" she squealed. "You're my mommy, not her."

Then, Daria looked back at me with an innocent yet merciless smile. "Bye-bye, Aunt Sarah. Stop bothering Mommy while she's trying to rest."

Leon and my parents beamed as they watched the whole scene unfold.