The Organ Bride's Revenge - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

In my past life, Alaric and the others had dragged me kicking and screaming to Jasper's mansion.
At first, Jasper had seemed genuinely remorseful. Even though he'd planned to harvest my organs from the start, he'd clung to that sliver of hope they'd find another donor.
He'd kept me locked in the basement, whispering hollow apologies and empty promises. "I'm so grateful to you," he'd crooned. "But Eloise is dying. If we can't find a match, you're our only hope. Save her, and I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."
But his sister never got that transplant.
While Cathy - my mirror image - was at my apartment signing the marriage certificate, while she was saying her vows, I was strapped to an operating table.
I never woke up.
This time though, my disappearance wasn't the only reason Cathy was panicking. Her desperate attempts to play the life-saving benefactor must have worn Jasper's patience thinner than before.
I kept my voice light, playing dumb. "What's this really about, Cathy? Weren't you the one who told me to stay the hell away from you and your precious fiancé? Didn't you swear you'd kill me if I so much as breathed in Jasper's direction?"
Her sobs turned hysterical. "I don't want any of it anymore! I'll give everything back...everything!"
Before she could continue, the phone was wrestled from her grasp.
Alaric's voice came through first, all forced calm. "Catherine's just feeling guilty for taking your place. Cassandra, you need to come fix this."
Isabella jumped in, voice dripping with fake concern. "Otherwise she'll be haunted by guilt forever."
That's what worried them?
Alaric took over again, the strain obvious in his tone. "We were wrong, okay? This was always meant to be yours. How could it have been for Cathy? She's been a wreck lately."
I pressed my lips together to stop the bitter laugh fighting its way out.
So that was their game. They didn't care about me - just about cleaning up Cathy's mess.
I exhaled slowly, keeping my voice steady. "Mom, Dad, Cathy...I get it. You're just trying to do what's best for me."
I let the silence hang just a beat too long.
"But Cathy was right. I'm not cut out for marriage." Another calculated pause. "Don't beat yourselves up. I'm not angry. I'll support you from afar, but I'm not coming back. Not ever."
"If I come back now, I'll just ruin everything for you!" My finger hovered over the end call button.
Isabella's shriek pierced through. "Wait! Even if you're not getting married, you have to come back for Catherine's wedding! She's your sister, Cassandra! Your only sister! She's been sick with worry - how could you not be there for her big day?"
"Yeah, Mom's right!" Cathy chimed in, her eagerness practically oozing through the phone. "Cassandra, I'm so grateful you gave me such an amazing man. Please, be my bridesmaid."
The audacity nearly made me laugh out loud.
Before I could respond, Alaric jumped in with fake warmth. "It's settled then. Family sticks together. Where are you? I'll have your husband come get you."
I froze.
Husband?
They weren't even pretending anymore.
I exhaled sharply, grip tightening on the phone. "Do you really think I'm that stupid?"
Dead silence.
A humorless chuckle escaped me. "First you steal the token and throw me out because I might 'ruin your plans.' Where was all this family talk then? Now that everything's collapsing, suddenly we're blood?"
The dam broke. Years - no, lifetimes - of pent-up fury came pouring out.
"And just because I weighed a few ounces more than Cathy at birth, I've been the family outsider my whole life? Always the selfish one, always the problem. And now you want me to die in her place?" My voice turned to steel. "Does that not keep you up at night?"
I expected at least a flicker of guilt. Some hesitation.
Instead, Alaric's voice turned icy. "What the hell are you babbling about?"
I smiled bitterly. "You really didn't figure out Jasper was hunting for an organ donor?"
Crickets.
Of course they hadn't. Too busy counting imaginary dollars to see the writing on the wall.
"Obviously I knew," I continued, sarcasm dripping from every word. "You think I'm an idiot? No one holds a grudge for ten years without an ulterior motive. So I dug deeper."
I let that sink in before delivering the killing blow.
"Organ donations are only legal between family members. Jasper wasn't just wife-shopping. He needed to make me family - so he could legally carve me up for parts."
The silence was deafening.
Then Isabella's shrill voice shattered it. "You knew? And you still took the family's money? You pushed Catherine into this? How is that not selfish, Cassandra?"
I barked out a laugh. "Oh, I'm the selfish one?"
Alaric's roar nearly blew out the speaker. "If I'd known this would happen, I should've drowned you at birth!"
There it was. Their true colors.
A hollow laugh escaped me. "Too bad for you - I survived. And I'm not coming back. This is your mess. You made your bed - now lie in it."
Alaric was practically spitting. "If you hadn't saved that person, Cathy wouldn't be in this mess! You have to fix this!"
I didn't even feel anger anymore. Just bone-deep exhaustion.
Leaning back, I shrugged, my voice deliberately casual. "If you hadn't spoiled Cathy rotten, taking her on trips while I stayed with Grandma, I wouldn't have been there to save anyone. So really...this is on you."
Before the screaming could continue, I ended the call. Then blocked all three numbers without hesitation.
For the first time, I breathed free.
Or so I thought.
The night before my flight, holed up in a cheap hotel double-checking my escape plan, my door exploded inward.
Before I could react, Jasper stormed in, face like thunder, flanked by stone-faced bodyguards.
I blinked. "What the-"
Jasper cut me off, voice razor-sharp. "Why did you let your sister steal your recognition?"
I tilted my head, all wide-eyed innocence. "Mr. Sterling, I have no idea what you mean."
Inside, I was grinning.
Game on.