After He Chose Her Sister, I Became His Boss

In desperation, I exclaimed, "It's true. I'll send you my medical report!"

Beckham was silent, and I heard Ruby sigh regretfully through the phone.

"Let it go, Beck," she said gently. "Since Kiana's so concerned, you should go back and be with her. I can manage on my own."

His tone softened. "Don't say that. We promised to accompany you on this trip. We can't just leave you behind."

When he spoke to me again, his voice was disapproving. "I sent you a gift. Just focus on your work." He added, "We're worn out here. Don't call unless absolutely necessary." The call ended abruptly.

Ruby's message popped up on WhatsApp: "If you're smart, stop bothering Beck. We have a history you can't even imagine!" Before I could respond, she deleted the message.

Later, I checked her Instagram and saw she had posted a picture, cuddling up to Beckham with a bashful smile and flushed cheeks. "Beck says he's going to buy me a giant Winnie the Pooh bear. I'm too old for this, isn't it ridiculous?" His sparkling smile pierced my heart. At that moment, I realized he was truly slipping away from me.

I quit my job and checked myself into the hospital alone. Even though I tried not to be afraid, the unsettling results from the pre-operative tests chilled me to the core.

I couldn't eat dinner. Clutching my report, I called Beckham. It took him a while to answer. With a trembling voice, I said, "Beck, I'm really scared. Could you talk to me for a bit?"

He responded half-heartedly with a "Hmm," and I heard Ruby's laughter getting closer.

"Beck, why are you sitting down again? You promised to push me on the swing," she teased, acting surprised upon seeing his call. "Is it Kiana on the phone? Am I interrupting?"

"No, Kiana said she's scared," he replied with a gentle smile.

Ruby hesitated. "Do you think my sister is using her illness to ask for money?"

"My friends back home said they've seen her shopping at high-end stores. She might have burned through the money by now." Beckham's tone suddenly became stern. "So that's what you meant. No wonder you keep saying you're sick."

"Kiana, I know you weren't spoiled by your adoptive parents, but their money isn't limitless. You can't just spend recklessly. That's it, I'm going to tell them to temporarily cut off your card. You need to reflect on this."

The call was abruptly ended. When I tried calling back, his phone was off. My parents were unreachable too.

My heart started pounding painfully. The patient next to me urgently called a doctor, barely stabilizing my condition.

The next day, unexpectedly, Beckham called.

I thought he might have realized his mistake and was calling to apologize.

But when the video connected, I saw Ruby beside him, holding her phone.

"Sis, it's been ages! Did you receive the gift we sent you?" Her enthusiasm was unusual, as I fought my heart pain to borrow Neriah's phone to check her account.

Sure enough, she was livestreaming!

In the comments, seeing the hospital background, someone asked if I was sick.

With a sigh, Ruby said, "Don't blame my sister. If I hadn't replaced her parents, she wouldn't pretend to be sick for attention."

Beckham frowned. "Why bring that up again? It was a mix-up at birth, not your fault."

Laughs echoed in the comments, and Ruby stuck out her tongue playfully.

I bit my lip and showed him my medical report. "Beck, I have a heart condition. I need a transplant surgery, or else I'll..."

"Here we go again."

Suddenly, my mom's impatient voice cut through. I froze.

I'd kept my illness a secret from both my real parents and adoptive parents, not wanting them to worry. Never imagined they knew all along and even thought I was pretending!

Beckham sighed. "You're wasting your energy on these stories instead of focusing on your work. I heard you quit your job. Does being an Alvarez's daughter mean you don't need to work?"

Tears streamed down my face as I stared at the increasingly unfamiliar face on my phone, my voice cracking.

"Beckham, do you truly not believe me?"