Chapter 2

Back when Mom's condition turned critical, the kidney match test had been done at the county hospital.

It never once crossed my mind that they'd band together and lie to me.

"You already got the results!"

"You just don't want to donate, so you're making up excuses!"

Rupert flew into a rage all at once, cursing at me.

The corner of my mouth curved into a mocking smile.

"I want to see your match results."

"If I don't see them, I'm not donating the kidney."

That said, I didn't argue any further. I turned and left.

All the way down to the hospital entrance, Ivan attentively hailed a car and held the door for me.

"Mrs. Walker, are we going back to the old Farley estate, or to the old apartment you rented?"

"The apartment first. I need to pick something up."

After Mom's condition became critical, I'd rushed back right away to do the match test.

When she learned I was the only match, her eyes filled with fear, and she brought up Clyde.

"Will Clyde really let you donate a kidney?"

"You're carrying the Farley family's only grandson."

"The Farleys won't come after our family over this, will they?"

At the time, all I cared about was her illness.

So I told a lie.

I said my marriage to Clyde had long been dead in name only.

I said Clyde had already cheated on me with an actress.

And that I'd been thrown out, left with nowhere to live but an old apartment.

The look of sheer relief that had washed over Mom's face surfaced in my mind again.

Back home, I looked at Dad's urn and the memorial photo in his police uniform.

My eyes stung with tears.

"Dad, in the end I broke my promise after all."

"I can't let go of the resentment and the knot in my heart."

"This time, I don't want to be dragged along and hurt by her favoritism again."

"You'll understand me, won't you?"

I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and carried Dad's ashes and photo downstairs.

Just as I reached the door, Ivan's frantic voice came from below.

"You can't go up there!"

"Mrs. Walker doesn't want to see you!"

"Doesn't want to see us?!"

"And she went out of her way to hire you to put on an act?!"

"Mrs. Walker? Aria was kicked out of the Farley family ages ago!"

Rupert finished, cocky as ever.

Then the "buddies" he'd brought along suddenly shoved Ivan down, slamming him into the shabby wall.

"Aria, you ungrateful little snake, get out here!"

"Your abortion appointment is almost here. If you don't go through with it, what happens to tomorrow's kidney transplant?!"

"Are you just going to stand there and watch Mom die?!"

After bellowing all of it through a loudhailer, Rupert smugly dialed his girlfriend.

"Don't worry, Shauna. There's no way the kidney's coming from me, I promise!"

The 85% match reading above Rupert's head swayed with every move he made.

I walked out and helped Ivan up.

"That's deliberate assault. Just report it to the police, Ivan."

"Deliberate assault, what?!"

"Aria, do you even hear yourself?!"

"You clearly hired an actor to block me on purpose!"

There was no fear in his eyes at all. Rupert frowned and gave the silent Leonora a shove.

"Aria, I'm begging you, as your older sister..."

"I'm about to marry into the Kim family in New York. I only want Mom to see me walk down the aisle in my wedding dress."

Every word broke into a sob. Leonora choked the whole thing out through her tears.

I looked at the bold red 80% match reading above her head.

A mocking smile tugged at my lips.

I turned to face Mom, pale-faced, a urine bag hanging at her waist.

And I asked it again, out loud.

"Mom, is my kidney really the only one that matches yours?"