The Price of a Second Heart Chapter 2

The other doctors in the prep room stared at us, dumbfounded.

“Talking sweet nothings at a time like this?” one of them muttered. “How disgusting.”

“His brother is on the verge of death, and he’s over here hitting on his sister-in-law.”

Only our families knew that Stella and I were married. Her colleagues had never met me. And since Stella had handled all of Casper’s hospital arrangements herself, everyone in the department assumed he was her husband.

Stella never corrected them.

“Exactly. Instead of saving his own brother, he’s trying to seduce the man's wife.”

“What a waste of a good heart.”

I heard their whispers and couldn’t stop myself from trying to tell them the truth. “Actually, I’m the one who’s—”

Stella emerged from Casper’s room and grabbed my hand. “You are donating your heart today. That’s final.”

“Your brother is already in the operating room. You’re next.” She produced a stack of papers. “I’ve already signed the consent forms. All you have to do is get on the table.”

In the operating room, I saw Casper. He looked frail and weak, a picture of suffering that elicited sympathy from everyone present.

“Don’t you worry,” a doctor told him reassuringly. “Your wife, Dr. Hayes, will make sure you live a long, healthy life.”

Casper didn’t correct the title. He just gave a weak, saintly smile. “It’s all my fault,” he murmured, his voice full of false regret. “Making my brother sacrifice so much for me.” He looked at me, and for a split second, I saw a flash of triumph in his eyes.

The other doctors melted. My brother was a saint; I was a monster.

Stella soothed Casper, then turned to me. She ignored my frantic struggles, forcing me onto the operating table and ordering the anesthesiologist to administer the sedative.

A moment later, my struggling ceased.

Stella’s fingers brushed my cheek. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I’ll make sure you live.”

Her mentor had performed a successful heart transplant once, so she was confident she could keep me alive.

“After your brother recovers, our whole family will finally accept you. And I’ll be right by your side, always.”