Chapter 1

The day before my wedding, my twin sister and I were kidnapped. My fiancé and parents racked their brains, doing everything they could to come up with the ransom. But in the end, they could only afford to pay enough to save my twin.

Once she was rescued, she took my place and married my fiancé—acting as if the kidnapping had never happened.

As for me—left behind with no one willing to pay for my freedom—I was butchered. The kidnappers dumped me, blood-soaked and barely breathing, on the street.

Word of my fate spread quickly and soon, everyone in the city mocked me as a worthless, barren woman.

Just when I had been abandoned by the world, my childhood sweetheart, Hubert Noteboom, rebelled against his family’s wishes and married me. He treated me with love, cherished me and made me believe I was his treasure.

Three years into our marriage, however, I accidentally found a video at home. It was a footage of him performing a uterus transplant surgery.

In the video, Hubert held my sister’s hand tenderly, his eyes full of affection as he reassured her:

“Neel, don’t be scared. Sofie is your twin—her uterus is a perfect match for you. With me doing the surgery, once it’s done, you’ll finally be able to have your own child.”

Then the screen shifted. I saw Hubert standing over me, a scalpel in his hand. My eyes were blindfolded. There was no anesthesia. As I screamed and sobbed in terror, he made the cut.

——

Watching the video triggered a sharp, gut-wrenching pain, tearing through me from the inside out. It felt like I was reliving the nightmare all over again. My body trembled as I clamped a hand over my mouth, tears streaming down my face. The truth hit me so hard I nearly blacked out.

So the kidnapping… had been Hubert’s plan all along—for Neel.

But if he had already taken what he wanted from me, then why? Why did he pretend to love me? Why did he marry me, making me believe he was my salvation—when all along, he was the one who destroyed me?

A crushing pain spread through my chest.

Just then, a ChatUs notification popped up on Hubert’s still-open computer screen. It was a voice message from one of his colleagues.

[Hubert, the amount of blood you’ve taken from Sofie this month is already way over the safe limit! You took her uterus and now you’re draining her blood month after month? She’s only getting weaker!"

"I don’t get it. Didn’t you marry her to atone for what you did? Why are you still hurting her?]

A reply appeared on the screen—Hubert’s words were cold and detached.

[I only married Sofie to keep her close. She’s nothing more than a convenient blood source to help Neel’s body accept the uterus transplant."

"I couldn’t marry the woman I truly loved, but at least Sofie looks exactly like Neel. In a way, I guess I still got to marry her after all.]

A bitter chuckle escaped him, as if he were mocking himself.

[Anyway, enough of this. Neel is due in a few days—she needs more blood. I’ll send over a few more bags of Sofie’s tomorrow.]

More desperate messages flooded in. The sender sounded frantic.

[Hubert, have you lost your mind?! You just took her blood two days ago and now you’re doing it again? Do you even care that your actual wife is suffering?!]

But Hubert didn’t bother responding.

***

I cried so much that my tears had run dry.

So this was the real reason he married me?

He had stolen my chance to have children. And now, he was slowly draining me of everything—just to keep Neel alive.

Hubert… he really would do anything for my dear sister, wouldn’t he?

The sound of the front door opening jolted me back to reality.

Heart pounding, I hurried to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, trying to wash away my tears, trying to erase the pain.

The moment I stepped out, I forced myself to act as if I had seen nothing. As if I hadn’t just uncovered the truth.

Alas, Hubert’s gaze lingered on me, his eyes narrowing. He had noticed the redness in mine.

He crossed the room in a few quick strides, pulling me into his arms. His hand instinctively rested on my stomach, massaging it with practiced ease.

"Baby, have you been crying? Is your scar hurting again? If it hurts, tell me, okay? Don’t keep it to yourself… it kills me to see you in pain."

‘Kills’ him? How ironic. Wasn’t he the one who caused all of this?

I could barely stomach the sight of his fake concern. Just then, Hubert gave a small wave and a team of chefs entered the room, carrying baskets full of blood-nourishing ingredients.

Chapter 2

Ever since we got married, Hubert had been drawing my blood every month under the pretense of routine checkups. And every month, without fail, he would arrange a lavish feast filled with nourishing foods.

I used to think it was his act of love.

Now that I had known the truth that he could care less about me, everything changed. I knew he was just making sure my body could keep producing enough blood… for my twin sister, Neel.

I let out a bitter smile. “I don’t want to eat this anymore.” After a pause, I looked up at him. “Besides, after all these years of checkups, nothing’s ever been wrong with me. Hubby… can I stop the blood tests now?”

Hubert frowned slightly, but the look of displeasure quickly disappeared as he reached out and gently cupped my face. His fingers lingering as if savoring the touch.

“Baby, your body has been weak ever since your injury. These checkups are absolutely necessary. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together—you have no idea how important you are to me. I won’t let you take any risks.”

If the past me heard that, I’d probably would have been touched to the point of tears. But now that I knew the real meaning behind his words, my heart felt like it was sinking into a bottomless pit.

Just as Hubert was about to feed me, his phone rang. He answered, and in an instant, his eyes lit up. His voice carried a trace of excitement.

“Baby, something urgent just came up at the hospital—I have to go. Be good and eat all your supplements, okay? Hubby will check when he gets back."

I nodded obediently, but the moment he walked out the door, I swept everything on the table straight into the trash.

I then headed to the study, ready to copy the video onto a drive—until a notification popped up on my phone.

Neel had just posted on her social feed.

[What’s it like to have a childhood sweetheart who loves you more than life itself? Huge thanks to Huub for booking out an entire hospital just for me and bringing in the country’s top postpartum care team! <3 Every important moment in my life, you’re always there by my side—so lucky to have you!]

In the attached photo, Hubert was holding Neel’s newborn in his arms, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Around the baby’s tiny neck hung the Notebooms’ priceless famly heirloom—a symbol of status and inheritance.

For a moment, I just stared, my mind blank. My fingers slipped, accidentally clicking on a different hidden folder on the computer.

A document popped up across the screen, it was a lifetime trust agreement.

[I, Hubert, voluntarily bequeath 90% of my assets into an annual trust, solely for the benefit of Neel and her descendants.]

A quiet laugh escaped my lips—half mocking, half bitter—as I wiped away the last of my tears.

So this is what it looks like when Hubert truly loves someone. Despite Neel had given birth to another man’s child, he was still willing to give her everything—his wealth, his devotion, his entire life.

If that’s what he wanted, then I’d grant him his wish. I’d disappear completely and for the rest of this lifetime, he'd never see me again.

***

After printing the divorce papers and scheduling a fake-death service for the next day, I headed straight to the hospital where Neel had just given birth.

The hospital room was packed with friends and relatives, all gathered to congratulate her. Neel sat on the bed, cradling her newborn, her laughter soft and sweet as she took slow sips of the nourishing porridge Hubert was feeding her.

The moment I walked in, a flicker of panic flashed across Hubert’s face. He quickly pulled me aside, lowering his voice.

"Baby, don’t get the wrong idea… Neel’s husband is overseas and couldn’t make it back in time. She grew up with us—she’s practically like a sister to me. I know you still haven’t forgiven your parents and don’t want anything to do with them, but Neel and the baby… they’re innocent."

Innocent? Hubert knew better than anyone whether that was true.

I was about to cut him off and bring up the divorce when suddenly, Neel, still holding her baby, dropped to her knees in front of me, terror written all over her face.

She clutched the newborn tightly and bowed her head in desperation.

"Sister! I would admit, it was me, Mom and Dad who betrayed you back then! But please, I beg you—don’t hurt my child! If you want to curse on someone, let it be me! Just me! My baby is still so small—he wouldn’t be able to take it!"

I frowned, confused by her sudden hysteria.

Then, with trembling hands, Neel turned her phone toward me, showing me the screen.

Chapter 3

Our entire chat history was filled with gruesome images of babies and cursed effigy drawings, all seemingly sent from my account. The timestamps spanned her entire pregnancy.

But ever since I cut ties with my family, I had never reached out to Neel—not even once.

“You vile disgrace! You can’t have children yourself, so now you’re trying to curse your own sister?!”

My father was the first to lash out, storming over and slapping me across the face. My mother’s eyes burned with nothing but hatred and disgust.

The room erupted with furious voices.

“I knew it! Women like her—damaged, broken—always end up twisted!”

“She’s so venomous, she couldn’t even spare her own pregnant sister!”

“Exactly! Poor her husband—what terrible karma he must have to be stuck with such a barren, heartless wife!”

Dazed, I instinctively turned to Hubert.

For the past three years, he had been my only shield, the one person who stood by me against the world’s cruelty.

But this time, he didn’t defend me.

Instead, his fingers tightened around my wrist, his voice sharp with anger.

“Sofie! How could you do something so disgusting?!”

“Do you really need to drag everyone down with you before you’re satisfied?”

“Apologize to Neel right now! Stop dragging innocent people into your misery!”

How could I forget? Between Neel and me, he would always stand by her side.

I lifted my head, forcing back my tears.

“Why should I apologize for something I didn’t do?!”

“You call her innocent, Hubert? Tell me—are you? Is she?”

His expression faltered for a split second, something like guilt flickering in his eyes. But then, as if shaking off a ridiculous thought, he quickly steeled himself.

“Sofie, stop this. You’re making me question everything. Maybe marrying you out of pity was my biggest mistake.”

I let out a quiet laugh, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall.

Hubert, you don’t have to wonder. And you don’t have to pretend anymore.

Because soon, we won’t even be husband and wife.

Without Hubert’s protection, the others wasted no time hurling insults, shoving me out of the hospital room like I was something rotten.

I staggered into the restroom, gripping the sink as I tried to steady myself.

Just as I started cleaning up, the door creaked open.

Neel stepped inside, arms crossed, her posture calm, composed—smug.

Gone was the trembling, frightened girl from earlier.

In her place stood someone who had already won.

"My dear sister, how does it feel to be hated by everyone all over again? Pretty familiar, isn’t it?"

"Look at that glare—you hate me, don’t you? Let me guess… You’ve finally realized that it was Huub who personally cut out your uterus and gave it to me."

"And don’t tell me you thought showing up here would make Mom and Dad feel guilty. Let me save you the trouble—they planned the entire kidnapping with Huub from the very start."

"They couldn’t bear to see me lose my ability to have children so young, so naturally, you had to be the one to make the sacrifice."

"Honestly, I should thank you, sis. Without your perfectly functional uterus, my baby wouldn’t have grown up this strong and healthy!"

I stood there, frozen, as the words sank in like a knife to my chest.

Tears blurred my vision. My whole world had already been shattered once, but this—this was worse.

Everyone I had ever trusted had been part of this.

“How could you do this to me? Aren’t you afraid of karma?!”

Neel let out a sharp laugh, then pulled a small bottle of dark red liquid from behind her. Before I could react, she dumped it all over her legs.

"Karma? Sofie, if Huub didn’t still need you as my personal blood supply, do you really think he’d keep you around?"

"Face it—you were born to be beneath me, to have everything taken from you. So do me a favor and watch closely, dear sister—see just how far Huub is willing to go for me."

Chapter 4

Before I could react, Neel suddenly collapsed into the pool of blood, her piercing screams echoing through the room.

"Huub! Help me!"

Hubert rushed in, his face draining of color as his bloodshot eyes locked onto the scene. "Neel! What happened?!"

Neel clutched her lower abdomen, her face twisted in agony as she sobbed.

"Huub… I just wanted to talk things through with my sister, to make peace, but she—she said that since I was lucky enough to give birth, she’d make sure I’d never have another child again… She tried to destroy me!"

Hubert’s gaze snapped to me, his eyes as cold as steel, his voice razor-sharp. "Sofie, how could you?!"

Without another word, he scooped Neel into his arms and rushed her toward the operating room before whirling back and grabbing my wrist in a vice grip.

"Get her to the blood bank now!" The moment we arrived, he barked orders at the medical staff. "She needs an emergency transfusion. Take twice the usual amount from Sofie—right now!"

The nurse hesitated, stealing a worried glance at my chart. "Dr. Noteboom, her oxygen levels are already dangerously low… If we take more, it could be life-threatening."

Hubert’s voice was chillingly firm. "I know her condition better than anyone. Just do it."

I let out a bitter laugh. So he wasn’t even pretending anymore.

As Hubert signed the family consent form, I quietly slipped my divorce papers in between the stack. Without a second glance, Hubert signed his name without hesitation.

After draining as much blood as they needed, Hubert didn’t even spare me a glance before rushing back toward the operating room.

I forced my weak, trembling legs to follow at a distance. By the time I reached the door, the scene before me nearly knocked the breath from my lungs.

Neel was clinging to Hubert, her delicate fingers tracing circles on his chest as she pouted up at him. "Huub… how did you know I wasn’t really hurt?"

Hubert chuckled, tapping the tip of her nose with a smirk. "Neel, I’m a doctor. I can tell the difference between cherry juice and real blood."

His voice was low, indulgent.

"Besides, this was Sofie’s fault to begin with. We were going to take more blood from her in a few days anyway. Since she was already here today, it made sense to collect it fresh—it’ll help you recover faster after childbirth."

I stood there, frozen, my blood running ice cold.

When I was about to leave, I saw Neel’s gaze locked onto mine. She smirked. Then, without breaking eye contact, she tilted her head up and kissed Hubert.

"Huub… you always take such good care of me," she whispered, her lips brushing his. "Since my dear sister can’t give you any children, why don’t I make it up to you? Let me give you a baby instead, hmm?"

Hubert stiffened, his breath hitching. "Neel… you just had a baby… and you’re her sister… we shouldn’t—"

But even as he spoke, his body betrayed him, drawn instinctively toward her touch.

"Huub… take me," Neel murmured, her breath warm against his skin. "I know the truth—you’ve always wanted me, haven’t you?"

Hubert flinched, as if fighting some last shred of restraint. But it lasted only a second.

"Neel… the day I almost drowned, you were the one who saved me."

"From that moment on, my life has been yours. Whatever you want, whatever you need—I will give it to you. I will protect you, always."

I stood there,

Silent tears slid down my cheeks.

Neel was terrified of water. She had never once dared to go near a pool, a river—not even a bathtub filled too high. And that so-called protection charm around her neck? She hadn’t earned it. She had whined and pouted until our parents took it from me and handed it to her.

Wiping my tears away, I finally took my leave. I gathered everything—The signed divorce papers. The voice recording capturing every damning word. The fresh photos of their betrayal.

Then, I handed it all over to the head nurse in Hubert’s department.

Pulling out my phone, I made a call. “Change of plans. Come to this hospital now.”

With everything set in motion, I found an empty hospital bed, lay down and closed my eyes.

Thirty minutes later.

Hubert stepped out of the operating room, rolling his shoulders. Remembering the blood transfusion, he headed toward the donor ward to check on me—only to find the bed empty.

Frowning, he pulled out his phone to call me. Before he could dial, the head nurse came rushing toward him, clutching a small box, her face pale with urgency.

"Dr. Noteboom! Your wife—she went into shock from excessive blood loss! She stopped breathing!" She shoved the box into his hands. "Before she lost consciousness, she made me promise to give this to you personally."