Chapter 2

2

"Jake, I'm hurting so badly these past years, can't I stop using this mechanical heart?" I wanted to ask, You've got so many spare ones for Tiffany, can't you just give mine back?

Jake just paused for a second and then, smiling, ruffled my hair. "Don't be silly, Chloe. You don't have a matching donor. Do you want to die? You'd have to kill me first."

I don't have a match? But Tiffany's chest is pumping MY heart! I felt my blood run cold, forcing a smile. "You're right. I'm being dumb."

Under the guise of running his bath, I poured a whole bottle of sleep oil in the tub. He was out like a light the second he hit the pillow. Maybe he was dreaming of her, because he started muttering in his sleep. "Tiffany, I'll always protect you, even if it kills me."

Looking at the man I had loved for seven years, tears finally came, burning down my face. I called my friend, Sarah, a doctor who's been doing volunteer work in Africa. She had just gotten back to the States.

"I need you to do a surgery for me."

"Yes, I'm sure. See you in three days."

What was there to be scared of death? A living hell was far worse. I hung up and went to the study to steal his phone. Like I figured, it was locked with Tiffany's birthday. I never knew Jake had a burner phone. He must've forgotten to switch back. The profile pic was the words "Love Tiffany" in artsy font. So blatant, so simple.

I went into his feed. It was nothing but photos of Tiffany, each caption a declaration of love, hidden in plain sight. "The first day I came to the Walker's house, I met Tiffany, and I finally understood what infatuation is." "Tiffany got married, and I was going crazy with jealousy. I want to hide her in my body so I can keep her for myself." "I made love to Chloe three times today. I know her body cannot handle it, but I cannot help it. I wanted to shout out Tiffany's name over and over, so I could pretend that she was under me."

There were photos of lavish jewelry and bags he bought for her. He even bought her an island with the shape of a heart in her name. The only thing Jake had ever given me is this heart that's brought me endless torture and pain.

While I was grieving over the death of my mom, he was chilling with her on the soft sand of a beach. My hands trembled as I gagged. I accidentally knocked a book off the shelf. It turned out to be a box in disguise. Inside were a few donor cards and stacks of payment receipts. Each month Jake sent a massive amount to the families of those heart donors, keeping them on call. There was a requirement, that the heart couldn't go to anyone but Tiffany. And the last one was mine, but the recipient had changed from my mother to Tiffany. I had signed a bunch of papers back then, thinking it was needed for the procedure. I was so focused on my mother, I never checked.

This card must've been mixed in back then, and Mom's had long been destroyed. How meticulous and thoughtful he was for Tiffany.

After printing the divorce papers, I sat alone, completely heartbroken, and didn't sleep a wink.

The next morning, Jake thought I was up early. He hadn't suspected a thing. Maybe because I'd thrown up more blood the night before, he made me a nutritional breakfast.

He looked hurt that I wasn't eating, "Chloe, what's wrong? You're not eating. Are you just sad?"

"Nothing, just missing my mom."

He sighed, "Chloe, don't say that. I miss her too. She was a kind person. I'm the one who failed to save her. She told us to live happily."

If Mom still had the strength to lift her hands, she'd probably strangle him. How can he be this phony? Just as I was about to hand him the divorce papers, he said with an indifferent tone, "Chloe, you've been sad lately. Tiffany will come back today, and it's her birthday. The family will be having a banquet, why not join in? Maybe it can cheer you up."

"I know that you don't want to see her because of mom, but it has been years. It wasn't her fault. She is family. She is sensitive, and she will be hurt if we don't show up."

So this was his motive, all those words, just to see her. I cut him off, "Whatever."

Jake smiled, "I knew my Chloe is the most understanding."

We walked into the house and there she was, dressed like a princess, playing with Jake's mom. Jake's mom was feeding her fruits. What a pampered lady.

Tiffany looked over and snarkily called out, "Grandma~ You are making me fat! Aunt Chloe is here, you can give the leftovers to her, she is motherless, after all."

Jake's mother looked me up and down. She sneered. "Why would you come here looking like a sick beggar? Do you want to pass your bad luck to our family? The Walker family is a well-known family in the medical field. But you look like trash, and you embarrass my son. You have been married for years, but you can't even have kids, and your mother didn't even teach you manners!"

Jake wasn't really his dad's brother, he was his stepmother's son. She had always wanted him to marry someone of equal status to gain more power. After Jake's dad died in a car accident, Jake finally got his dad's approval because of his talent. Jake's stepmom agreed to let Jake marry me with a heavy heart, because she wasn't expecting me to be barren. I could see how her dislike of me grew every time I saw her.

Jake used to stand up for me, but now he was lost in his own thoughts of Tiffany.

Tiffany skipped over to Jake, hugged his arm, and asked sweetly, "Uncle, did you get me a birthday present?"

Jake pinched her cheek. "Of course."

Twenty-eight designer dresses were pushed in with a matching set of jewelry. Twenty-eight, that's how old Tiffany was.

She kissed him on the cheek, "Wow, you are the best, Uncle! These jewels are all limited editions! You went above and beyond, are you worried someone is not happy?"

That's when Jake remembered that I was standing there. My clothes were nothing compared to the dress and jewels.

He looked at me, embarrassed, and reached out. "Chloe, don't think too much. She is my niece, I'm just..."

Tiffany suddenly grabbed her chest, frowning. "Uncle, my heart is acting up. I think my heart disease is back..."

Jake pulled away immediately and cradled her. "Why now? Is it hurting? I need to do a check right away."

He princess-carried her upstairs, in front of everyone, without looking back.