A Day Away From Success, She Walked Away

At the same time, my phone buzzed with a message:

Ethan, your sis-in-law’s condition can’t wait anymore. Unless the new drug is released within a week, her life won’t last.

Vanessa didn’t return all night.

It was noon the next day when she finally came back.

I had just sent an email to my research team, ordering them to cancel the factory’s production schedule.

In my heart, I set a deadline:

If Vanessa softened within the week, I’d restart production.

If not, I’d destroy every record.

Ten years of sacrifice, wasted.

Closing my laptop, I heard the front door unlock, followed by a man’s mocking voice:

“Damn, sis, you’ve got skills. To squeeze every last cent out of your husband, you actually managed to drive him to suicide.”

The words made me stiffen.

And the next thing Vanessa said nearly stopped my heart.

“His life doesn’t matter—money does.

I didn’t leave him before because I thought he still had potential. But now he’s thirty-six, and he refuses to live a normal life. I have no choice but to sacrifice him for something better.”

Vanessa spoke freely of my death, plotting to use it to drain my parents dry for her wealth.

Thinking back to the forged note she had written in my handwriting, a chill spread through me.

Tears streamed down my cheeks.

Forcing myself to stand, I shoved open the door.

“I’m not even dead yet, and you two can’t wait to feast on my corpse?”

Vanessa and Jason Reed froze, shocked I was home.

Recovering quickly, Vanessa frowned.

“You didn’t take the pills?”

I asked, “What pills?”

“You know what I mean.”

She scanned the room with her eyes, her expression easing slightly.

“So, you signed the divorce and the will and sent them to the notary already? Your eyes are so red—stomach acting up again, huh?

Ethan, stop being weak. Take the pills, sleep, and the pain will be gone forever.”

She reached out, wiping at my tears. Her touch should’ve been warm, but it only made me shiver.

“Enough!”

I slapped her hand away, voice shaking with fury:

“Quit the act! Stop pretending to care—it’s just emotional manipulation. You want me to willingly die for you. What am I to you? Your puppet on strings?”

Vanessa kept silent, but Jason jumped in eagerly:

“My sister’s put up with your crap for years. You owe her!

If you don’t die, how will your stingy parents cough up the money so she can live better?

Didn’t you always say you loved her? If you do, then prove it—sacrifice yourself for her!”

My chest nearly collapsed under the weight of rage.

Vanessa sighed.

“Ethan, can’t you stop being selfish?

Giving me happiness is better than both of us suffering, isn’t it?”

I gritted my teeth, locking eyes with her.

Moments later, Jason shoved his phone in front of her.

Vanessa’s face turned pale.

“What?

The notary director says you never filed anything!”

Her anger boiled over. She slapped me hard and stormed out with Jason.

I called her forty-five times. Every call went unanswered.