Evelyn was reading a book, her body curled up quietly on the bed. Her slender fingers gently turned the pages, her gaze calm and serene.
“Here,” Charlotte said, her voice trembling as she held out the glass. “Drink some water.”
Evelyn glanced up at her, her eyes drifting to the glass. She noticed the slight tremor in Charlotte’s hand, the pale hue of her face, the nervous waver in her tone. It didn’t take much for Evelyn to realize there was something wrong with the water.
But instead of calling her out, Evelyn asked softly, “You’re having surgery tomorrow, right? Are you nervous?”
Charlotte gripped the glass tighter, her throat tightening. She opened her mouth to answer, but Evelyn spoke again, her voice calm yet carrying an unsettling weight.
“If I drink this water and something happens to me... you won’t live long either.” Evelyn’s eyes met hers, unwavering. “Are you sure you want me to drink it?”
Charlotte froze, her brows furrowing. “What do you mean?”
Evelyn’s lips curled into a faint smile. She gestured toward her chest, her tone light yet cutting.
“Someone needs a heart transplant. Yours, to be exact. And it just so happens I don’t want to live anymore. I signed the papers for the donation.” Her voice dropped, chillingly casual. “The heart you’ll be receiving tomorrow is mine.”
Charlotte’s grip on the glass faltered and with a loud clang, it shattered on the floor. She stared at Evelyn, her face draining of color. “What... what are you talking about? Your heart? Are you saying... you signed the contract?”
Evelyn calmly reached into her bedside drawer and pulled out a document. She handed it to Charlotte, her expression unchanging.
“To be honest, I didn’t know the recipient was you when I signed it. The doctor wanted to keep it confidential. If I had known, I never would have agreed.”
Charlotte’s hands trembled as she scanned the paper. Her voice cracked. “You’re lying. You’re lying to me! Why would you give me your heart?!”
Evelyn’s smile deepened, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Why would I lie? It’s the truth. You wanted to take my life away... and now, I’m giving it to you. How poetic.”
Charlotte stared at the paper in disbelief, her chest tightening with dread.
Evelyn turned another page in her book, her expression indifferent, as though the chaos unfolding before her was no more than a scene in a distant play.