The Price of a Heart

A few days later.

I emptied a near - lethal dose of the doctor - prescribed sleeping aid - originally meant to ease my wracked insomnia into his cup. "Here you go, my dear," .

Just as I'd anticipated, William walked in, his body hunched with the weariness of a long day.

Without hesitation, he reached for the cup.

"You're always so thoughtful,"

With one big gulp, he downed the drink.

Minutes ticked by, and a visible lethargy began to take hold of him.

He stumbled on his feet, his hands furiously rubbing his temples.

"Strange, I'm suddenly so tired,"

He made his way to the bedroom.

I followed closely behind "Are you all right, honey?"

"Just need to lie down," he groaned, his body collapsing onto the bed like a felled tree. Soon, his heavy snores filled the room.

That's when his phone, resting on the pillow, lit up.

A text from Sophie.

I snatched it up"Dear cousin, when are you coming to be with me today? I'm so unbearably horny."

"Disgusting," I hissed through clenched teeth.

But I swallowed my revulsion and started scrolling.

"William, we need to find a donor quickly. I can't go on like this," Sophie's message read.

"I'm working on it. I've already spent a fortune, but I'll get you a heart," William had replied.

And then"The best match is Vivian. We can make it seem like a voluntary donation."

My hands shook so violently that I almost dropped the phone.

Just then, as if a bolt from the blue, another message caught my eye.

"Sophie, I love you more than anything in this world."

"That Vivian has a heart that's a perfect match for Sophie. If I can just marry her, we'll be set."

I stood there, in the dimly lit room, surrounded by the sound of William's snores. And my world shattered into a million pieces.

The next morning, William woke up and saw me sitting at the bedside.

Perhaps noticing that I had coughed up blood again last night and my condition was worsening, he reached out to touch my forehead.

Instantly, his face changed. "Vivian, you have a fever!"

He rushed out of bed, rummaging through the cabinets for fever - reducing medicine. Then he brought a glass of warm water and carefully helped me up. "Here, take the medicine,".

After taking the medicine, I lay back on the bed, closing my eyes, not wanting to see his hypocritical face.

He sat by the bed, gently holding my hand. "Vivian, do you feel better?" .

"It's all my fault. I didn't take good care of you," .

I let out a sneer in my heart.

William cleared his throat, "Vivian, Sophie just got back from abroad. There's a welcome party at the hotel. Let's go and have some fun together."

The moment I heard Sophie's name, my heart constricted painfully.

So this was his so - called "consideration".

"Do as you please,"

He grinned and said, "I knew my Vivian was the most understanding."