“I knew it was you. You’re finally back.”
The strong scent of alcohol mixed with the crisp night air hit me as Hector pulled me into a tight embrace. His arms were firm, his voice soft, almost pleading.
I froze. I didn’t dare hug him back. This moment, this tenderness, didn’t feel like it belonged to me—it felt stolen.
“Hector, you’re drunk. I don’t think—”
Before I could finish, his lips pressed against mine, silencing my words.
My eyes widened in shock as his warm, insistent touch sent waves rippling through me—waves I knew I shouldn’t feel. I parted my lips slightly, and he seized the moment, his kiss growing desperate and unyielding, as though he wanted to consume me completely.
He didn’t release me until I was breathless.
“Don’t leave, okay? I miss you so much.”
His kisses trailed from my forehead to the tip of my nose, then to my cheeks and neck. His touch was tender and achingly gentle—an intimacy I’d never experienced before.
I was greedy for it, for him.
I found myself wondering: What would she do in this situation? What would fake Edna do?
So, I mimicked her. With a playful shove, I pushed him away, feigning a pout. “Next time you drink this much, I’ll ignore you!”
I imitated her so perfectly.
Hector’s face lit up, his grin widening, his voice carrying a newfound excitement. “Eds, it’s really you. You’re finally back!”
After helping him to bed, I returned to the living room and sat alone, staring at the cake he had prepared—not for me, but for her.
On the cake, written in crooked, childlike handwriting, were the words: “Eds, happy birthday.” It was clear Hector had written it himself.
The candles had already burned out, leaving only a faint trace of wax.
The room was dark, the night oppressive. I stayed there, unmoving, as the hours passed.
When Hector woke up the next morning and saw me sitting pale and weary, he looked startled. For once, there was genuine concern in his voice. “Did you stay up all night?”
I nodded but said nothing.
He sat beside me, his expression hesitant, as though searching for the right words. When he finally spoke, his tone was uncharacteristically gentle.
“Did I… mistake you for her last night?”
I cut him off, lifting my eyes to meet his gaze. Each word I spoke felt like a knife slicing through me. “Hector, do all of you just want her to come back?”
Silence enveloped us, thick and suffocating. Neither of us spoke, and the stillness only magnified the weight of our emotions.
After what felt like an eternity, I broke the quiet. “I understand now.”
As a child, I had always given up what I loved to my sister.
When I met Hector, I learned to bend to his emotional needs, always putting him first.
Now, I’ve given myself to the fake Edna.
There’s no room for me in this world. Let me be the exchange. With me gone, there will be no regrets, no disappointments.
On the way to the hospital, my mind was eerily calm.
“This procedure is extremely rare. Are you sure you want to go through with it?” The doctor’s voice carried a note of disbelief as he studied me.
He hesitated before continuing, his tone softening with concern. “Maybe you should go home and think about it. Talk it over with your family…”
“Just book the appointment,” I interrupted, my voice firm. “The sooner, the better.”
He opened his mouth as if to protest again.
“Doctor,” I said quietly, “I have no family.”
That silenced him. He stared at me for a long moment before lowering his head to sign the consent form.
I hadn’t lied. I truly had no family.
The household registration book even said so.
My parents had divorced years ago. My mother had taken my sister and left, while my father remarried and built a new family. I hadn’t spoken to any of them in years.
For the longest time, I clung to Hector—not just as my lover, but as my only family.
But now, he didn’t want me, and I no longer wanted him.
As I walked out of the hospital, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number I had saved a week ago.
“Professor James? This is Edna.”
My voice didn’t waver as I spoke.
“I’ve made up my mind. I’ll join the secret research.”
