Chapter 1

For the third time, Genevieve Kershaw woke up in a ward to the sharp smell of disinfectant.

“Ms. Kershaw, your health is collapsing.” Her doctor nudged his glasses and said solemnly, “The dialysis treatment is failing. You need to get a new kidney as soon as possible.”

Genevieve nodded absentmindedly and dialed Nathaniel Weston’s number.

It rang for a long while before the line cut off.

She tried three more times. Nathaniel never picked up.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with an Instagram notification.

Elaine Harvey just posted a photo of her hands wrapped together with someone else’s.

Genevieve recognized the watch on the man’s wrist right away.

The caption read: “The person I’ve secretly loved is finally mine. Even if it’s a dream, I hope it never ends.”

Genevieve’s chest tightened. She hit the like button by accident.

The next second, her phone started buzzing nonstop.

“Genny, I can explain.” Nathaniel sounded desperate on the phone. “I only agreed to date Lainey because of you. She told me she loved me, and that she’d give you her kidney if I agreed to be her boyfriend for a month.

“I’m doing this for you. Just give me some time. OK?”

Staring at the white ceiling, Genevieve murmured, “Is it… truly just for me?”

“Perhaps you wanted to do it,” she thought to herself.

Their friends were all familiar with their shared history. Genevieve and Nathaniel grew up together and had been inseparable, from kindergarten all the way through college. To others, he was cold and aloof, but to her, he was nothing but kind and caring.

When Genevieve had cramps, Nathaniel would drive across the city in the dead of night just to buy her favorite dessert. When she mentioned she liked a limited–edition purse, it’d be delivered to her the next day. On her 20th birthday, as fireworks burst over the sky, he dropped to one knee and proposed “Genny, let’s get married once you graduate.”

Everyone believed Nathaniel loved Genevieve more than anything in the world.

The fairytale fell apart six months ago, when Genevieve was diagnosed with kidney failure.

Nathaniel searched everywhere for a match for her, frantic and desperate, even drafting a will. With tear–filled eyes, he’d said, “Genny, I can’t live without you. If you go, I’m coming with you.”

Finally, he found Elaine Harvey, a young woman with a compatible kidney. He wrote her a check for 850,000 dollars on the spot in exchange for her kidney.

Elaine accepted the offer but delayed the procedure, claiming she was too weak and needed time to improve her health.

Over the past six months, she had turned down the operation three times.

The first time, she fainted from low blood sugar, and Nathaniel stayed by her side in the hospital for three days.

The second time, she said her anxiety was giving her nightmares, and Nathaniel sat with her throughout the therapy all night.

The third time, she suddenly came down with a fever, and Nathaniel left Genevieve, who was on dialysis, to take care of her.

This time, Elaine asked Nathaniel to be her boyfriend for a month in exchange for her kidney.

“Give her another 850,000 dollars,” Genevieve spoke up. “I don’t want you to date her. Just tell her to do the transplant right now. Can you do it?”

Nathaniel fell silent.

After a long pause, he said quietly, “Genny, we owe her a lot. I don’t want to push her.”

“Owe her?” Genevieve clenched the sheet beneath her. “850,000 dollars isn’t enough? Or…”

“Nate! I scalded my hand!” Elaine whined in a sickly sweet tone.

“Genny, I have to go,” Nathaniel said worriedly. “Lainey needs me.”

He hung up without waiting for an answer. Genevieve stared at her screen, her stomach dropping.

She turned to the doctor and asked, “How long do I have if I don’t get a transplant?”

Her doctor sighed. “A month at most. You’re getting weaker. If you get a transplant before-”

“I get it,” Genevieve cut him off softly. “I’m not having the transplant.”

She knew Elaine too well.

Elaine wasn’t going to donate her kidney. She’d only keep delaying it.

So Genevieve decided to face her death with peace.

She wouldn’t believe Elaine’s lies anymore, and she would… stop loving Nathaniel.

The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and gold as Genevieve returned home from the hospital.

She opened the front door and saw Nathaniel and Elaine sitting on the couch together.

Snuggled against Nathaniel, Elaine was feeding him fruit with a wide smile.

“Genny!” Nathaniel sprang to his feet and hurried up to Genevieve. “I got you a present.”

He handed over a delicate gift box, anticipation dancing in his eyes. “Accept it… and I’ll take that as your agreement to my deal with Lainey.”

Without a glance at the box, Genevieve said, “I’m fine with it even if you don’t give me a gift.”

Nathaniel was shocked. “Really?”

“Yes.”

Elaine hurriedly came over and looped her arm around Genevieve’s. “Then let’s be nice this month. Don’t get jealous when Nathaniel and I act all cozy. He’s just fulfilling my dream.”

“I won’t be jealous,” Genevieve replied calmly, pulling her arm away.

Relieved, Nathaniel went to the kitchen and returned with some soup. “I made this for you. It’s good for your health.”

It smelled delicious. Genevieve took a sip, and her throat burned.

“No…” She clutched her throat, her face turning pale. “You put shrimps in it? I’m allergic to seafood. Don’t you remember?”

Nathaniel panicked. “I thought you were allergic to peanuts.”

“Nate, you got it mixed up,” Elaine retorted sweetly. “I’m the one who’s allergic to peanuts.”

Genevieve was seeing dark spots. Her heart hurt as if there was a knife twisting inside.

Nathaniel couldn’t even remember what she was allergic to anymore…

Before she passed out completely, she heard Nathaniel’s panicked voice.

When Genevieve woke up, Nathaniel was sitting by her bed with bloodshot eyes. “Genny, I’m so sorry. It was a mistake. I’ve cleared my schedule. For the next few days, my only priority is you. And I promise you, this will never happen again. Please, forgive me.”

Genevieve turned away from him. “You don’t have to. You’re Elaine’s boyfriend now. You only need to remember things about her.

“Nathaniel, from now on, stay out of my life… for good.”

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