Chapter 3
Evelyn was already used to this kind of scene. Faced with my silence, she brought out her usual coquettishness, which only I found affected. “Lily, don’t blame Mom and Dad, and don’t blame Mark. If you want to blame someone, blame me. It’s all my fault.” I looked at her and said slowly, “Mm, it’s your fault. So are you going to kneel down and apologize to me?” Evelyn was momentarily speechless. At this moment, my mom’s eyes darted towards me: “How dare you speak to your sister like that? Apologize.” When Evelyn snatched my pencil, I cried and made a fuss. In the end, I apologized to Evelyn to end the matter. When Evelyn took my college acceptance letter, I still cried and made a fuss. Again, I apologized to Evelyn to conclude the affair. Now, my husband had been snatched by Evelyn. I didn’t cry or make a fuss, showing self-awareness, yet my birth mother still said that one word: “Apologize.” I smiled slightly and looked at my mother: “Alright, I’ll apologize.” I stood up and bowed 90 degrees to Evelyn. Then, devoutly and seriously, I said: “I’m sorry, sister. If I had known earlier that you liked Mark, I shouldn’t have married him. I should have sent Mark to your bed.” Hearing me say this, my parents and sister’s faces darkened slightly. Mark hadn’t expected me to be like this. He hurriedly stood up and supported me, his face full of guilt: “Don’t be like this, Lily. We’ve wronged you.” The guilty expression on his face should be genuine. Mark wasn’t someone who could pretend. I tried to find a hint of reluctance to part with me on his face. But his next words made me feel that the world’s malice towards me was truly great. Mark said: “Your sister’s uremia is in the late stage. If you don’t help her, she really has no way out. Lily, people have two kidneys, you won’t die with one less. Your salary is so high, with good care you can recover to a normal person’s level.” The guilt on his face was gone without a trace. Instead, it was replaced by full calculation. Pitiful calculation. At the mention of kidneys, Evelyn’s whole body weakened. Seeing Evelyn’s discomfort, my parents, along with Mark, pressured me. My dad said: “This is your sister, donating a kidney is your responsibility.” My mom said: “I gave birth to you because of your sister, you should be grateful.” Mark said: “Evelyn is the person I love most, I can’t live without her. For the sake of our past love, help us.” I didn’t have the ability to argue against the group. I also didn’t have the attitude to act weak and pitiful. I certainly didn’t have a compassionate heart that embraced all of humanity. So, I chose to escape. I fled that place empty-handed, not even taking the bankbook hidden in the cabinet. I refused their request. I refused to save Evelyn. I refused to be forced to give up everything like when I was a child. I’m grown up now, I have the ability to resist, I choose my own life, I protect my own body.