Margarita finally settled all the expenses for the sea burial.
She glanced at the remaining balance in her account. Without a second thought, she donated every last cent to the Women's Foundation, leaving nothing for herself.
Money had lost its meaning. Her life was coming to an end, but her body—at least—could still serve one final purpose.
At the hospital, she signed the organ donation agreement.
The doctor hesitated. "Are you sure? This means your body will be completely dissected. It may not even be fully cremated."
Margarita smiled faintly. "It doesn’t matter. I’m dying anyway. If I can help someone… consider it my last atonement."
---
The wedding of Wade and Casey proceeded as planned, an extravagant spectacle that dominated the headlines.
The entire Everton buzzed with celebration. Fireworks exploded across the sky, their brilliance illuminating every corner of the metropolis.
People gazed up at the dazzling display, sighing at the perfect happiness of the newlyweds.
Meanwhile, in the shadows, Margarita sat in a wheelchair, hidden from sight—like a stray cat, forgotten by the world.
She watched as Wade held Casey’s hand and walked slowly down the red carpet.
She watched as he slipped an exquisite diamond ring onto Casey’s finger.
She listened as he spoke, his voice filled with devotion.
"Casey, for the rest of my life, I will love you with all my heart."
Margarita felt nothing. The pain had long since numbed her, even tears seemed like a luxury she could no longer afford.
Then, beneath the burning sky, as fireworks reached their peak, Wade leaned down and kissed Casey.
The crowd erupted in applause and cheers.
At that moment, Margarita quietly turned her wheelchair around and left, pushing against the tide of revelry.
The noise, the joy—it all had nothing to do with her anymore.
She forced her frail body forward, searching for a final resting place.
Breathing alone was exhausting.
Then, suddenly, a rush of people surged around her.
Her wheelchair was shoved left, then right—until, at last, it toppled over.
Margarita crashed onto the pavement, her elbows and knees slamming against the cold ground. A sharp, searing pain nearly stole her consciousness.
But she didn’t care.
Gritting her teeth, she crawled forward, inch by inch, reaching for the wheelchair that had been pushed away.
She finally pulled herself back into it—just as blinding headlights flooded her vision.
A large truck barreled toward her.
Margarita’s pupils shrank.
Too late.
Bang—
Margarita’s body was flung through the air, tracing a tragic arc before crashing onto the pavement.
At that same moment, the grand wedding of Wade and Casey had just concluded.
Casey lifted her glass, preparing to thank the guests. But before the words could leave her lips, a sharp tremor ran through her body. The champagne flute slipped from her grasp and shattered against the floor with a crisp, ringing sound.
"Casey!"
Wade caught her just in time, his heart clenching as he saw her face—pale as paper, her delicate fingers clutching his sleeve in desperation. Her voice was so weak, it was barely a whisper.
"Wade… I feel… so uncomfortable…"
Panic surged through Wade like a tidal wave. Without hesitation, he swept her into his arms and rushed out of the banquet hall. His voice trembled with urgency.
"Hold on, Casey! We’ll be at the hospital soon!"
His strides were fast, but his mind was blank.
He had lost too many people. His sister.
And Margarita—the woman he once loved.
He could not lose Casey, too. Never.
---
At the hospital, Casey was rushed into the emergency room.
Dr. Malcolm O'Connor frowned at the examination results. "Her condition is critical. She needs a heart transplant immediately… but there’s no suitable donor available."
Just then, an assistant burst in, a medical report in hand.
"Dr. O'Connor! We found a match! A patient from today’s car accident—she signed an organ donation agreement before her death. Her heart is a perfect fit!"
Malcolm grabbed the report but froze when she saw the name.
Before she could speak, the doors to the emergency room swung open, and Wade strode in, his expression dark and unreadable.
"I heard there’s a heart available," he said coldly.
Malcolm hesitated. "Yes, but the donor… she’s not confirmed dead yet." She swallowed hard. "Wade, the accident victim is—"
"Confirmed dead?" Wade cut her off. His voice was devoid of emotion. "That crash was fatal. What are the odds of survival? Instead of leaving her to suffer, it’s better for her heart to serve its final purpose."
His gaze sharpened. "I’ll compensate her family—enough to secure them a lifetime of comfort. You just need to proceed with the transplant. Don’t concern yourself with anything else."
Malcolm’s grip tightened around the report. "But… she still has a faint heartbeat—"
"Enough!" Wade’s voice was laced with fury. "Casey doesn’t have time to wait! Are you going to let her die?"
He took a step closer, his presence suffocating.
"Malcolm, I helped you climb to this position, step by step. Without me, would you have become an attending physician so young? Now, are you really willing to let Casey die for the sake of some irrelevant person?"
Malcolm’s lips parted, but no words came out.
---
The surgery began.
Under the cold, sterile lights, Malcolm stood over Margarita’s unconscious body, scalpel in hand.
He hesitated—just for a moment—before whispering under his breath, as if convincing himself.
"You killed Wade’s sister. This is justice. Don’t blame me. You were a doctor, too. You’d understand."
Just then—
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The heart monitor beside Margarita shrieked in warning.
The assistant paled. "Dr. O'Connor! The patient… she’s still alive! But she’s fading fast—she’s… dying!"
