Chapter 1
“I’ll do it,” Aria said softly.
A glimmer of satisfaction flashed in Ethan’s eyes as he nodded approvingly. “It seems this past year has indeed taught you to be more sensible. Very well, it’s decided then.”
Beside him, Sophia smiled. “Thank you, Aria.”
Aria stared intently at the woman in front of her. It was because of Sophia’s instigation that she had struggled through a year of hell. And now she was expected to donate a kidney to her?
She gritted her teeth, barely able to speak after a long moment.
“However, I have two conditions.”
Ethan’s expression immediately darkened. He instinctively moved to shield Sophia behind him.
“If you have any grievances, take them out on me. Don’t hurt Sophia. And if you’re thinking I’ll marry you, forget it!”
Aria let out a bitter laugh, cutting him off.
“My first condition is that I want to change rooms, to the guest room on the second floor. As for the second condition…I’ll tell you in three days.”
In three days was the dance competition preliminary round. The winner would get a scholarship, and Ethan was one of the judges.
Ethan looked suspicious, but since Sophia’s condition was urgent, he ultimately agreed.
Aria signed the donation agreement. Ethan quickly made arrangements for the surgery.
But just as everything was ready, the doctor came running over with the test results.
“Mr. Foster, Miss Collins has too many wounds on her body. She’s weak and severely malnourished. None of her health indicators meet the standards for surgery.”
Ethan frowned, only now noticing how battered Aria’s body was. After looking her up and down, he said coldly:
“I understand. You may go.”
After the doctor left, he deigned to give Aria a glance.
“Aria Collins, put your silly tricks away. Get your body healthy. You must have the surgery in seven days!”
Aria watched Ethan walk away with his arm around Sophia. Her heart clenched painfully.
He actually thought her inability to have surgery was some kind of ploy.
But weren’t all these injuries inflicted because of him?
The year in reform school, they made her sleep next to the toilet, eat food mixed with excrement. When they were in a bad mood, they would beat and verbally abuse her at will.
Slamming her head against the wall was a common occurrence. There was hardly an uninjured spot left on her body.
As soon as she got out of reform school, she was roughly shoved into a car by a group of bodyguards and taken to the hospital.
Not only did she learn Ethan had a fiancée, but she was also told to donate a kidney to Sophia.
In the end, it was all her fault.
Aria thought that perhaps she really had been wrong.
She shouldn’t have fallen in love with Ethan Foster.
She took off the filthy, stinking reform uniform covered in blood stains, and changed into the clean clothes the nurse gave her.
Under the scorching sun, she walked for a full three hours before reaching home.
When she opened the door, she was greeted by endless coldness.
The Foster family’s servants and security guards had all been replaced with new ones. Seeing her arrive, they were all startled.
Then they immediately picked up weapons and aimed them at her.
“Where did this beggar come from? This is the Foster residence. Go beg somewhere else.”
Aria was being pushed out the door when Ethan happened to hear the commotion and poked his head out from upstairs.
The head of security respectfully explained:
“Young Master, it’s our fault for being careless and disturbing you and Miss Evans. We’ll get rid of this beggar right away.”
With that, he shoved Aria hard.
Caught off guard, Aria’s foot slipped and she tumbled down the stairs.
Ethan acted as if he hadn’t seen anything, his face showing irritation at being disturbed.
“Let her in. She’s a girl I adopted years ago. She’ll be living here from now on.”
Ethan arranged everything for her from his lofty position, but his gaze never once landed on her.
Aria silently got up from the ground and followed the servant to the guest room across the hall.
This room was the farthest from Ethan’s, which was why she had asked to be moved here.
After showering, Aria made a phone call.
“Teacher, I agree to go abroad as a dance exchange student.”