Chapter 2 2

Hatred flooded her veins. Katrina glared at the man in front of her, her eyes bloodshot and filled with murderous intent. If she could, she would tear him apart with her bare hands-make him suffer in the cruelest way possible.

Owen didn't seem fond of her either. His gaze was icy, his presence distant and cold.

"Since Rachel is awake," he said indifferently, "there's no need to inform Dad and Mom. Tell them everything is stable. No need for them to rush back."

His assistant nodded, then hesitated. "Mr. Blake... what about Miss-"

"Leave," Owen ordered abruptly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Wade glanced at Katrina, sighed softly, and lowered his head before walking out.

The moment the door closed, Owen's polite façade completely vanished. His lips moved, his words sharp as ice.

"Rachel, your life really is tough. Post–heart transplant infection, multiple complications. The doctors already issued a death notice, yet you still survived."

Because of the oxygen mask, Katrina couldn't speak.

But nothing could suppress the killing intent blazing in her eyes.

If looks could kill, Owen would have died ten thousand times over.

A weak, mocking curve lifted at the corner of her lips.

Of course he didn't want her to live.

If she died, who would save his sister?

Wait-

Suddenly, something clicked.

Her pupils shrank as she stared at him in disbelief.

Rachel?

The woman who stole her boyfriend... the woman who took her heart?

No.

No!!!

This couldn't be real.

Katrina struggled violently, tugging at the tubes. Her mind was a chaotic mess.

What was going on?

Why was he calling her Rachel?

Her beautiful eyes widened in shock. She thrashed too hard; the monitoring devices clattered to the floor. Her breathing grew erratic, her vision darkening-

And then everything went black.

From beginning to end, Owen merely watched coldly, as if observing a stranger. His face showed nothing but indifference. Deep within his eyes, however, a trace of suppressed ferocity flickered.

After a long moment, he finally withdrew that dark glint. Soon, a group of doctors and nurses rushed in, pushing the bed toward the emergency room.

...

When Katrina opened her eyes again, night had fallen.

Beside her bed stood Owen.

His tall shadow loomed over her, and he himself looked like a sculpted statue-cold, distant, untouchable.

Under the harsh hospital lights, his sharp, chiseled features appeared even more severe. Every angle of his face radiated frost.

His piercing gaze landed on her.

"Dad and Mom's flight arrives early tomorrow morning. Your body is weak-you can't handle any more stress. Behave yourself."

For a brief second, he truly felt like washing his hands of her completely.

But he could not betray the kindness his adoptive parents had shown him.

Before leaving, he dropped one final sentence, his voice colder than winter steel.

"Rachel. Your life was bought with hers. Aren't you afraid of death? Then remember this-your life belongs to her. I won't allow you to waste it."

Rachel.

Rachel.

This time, Katrina was certain she hadn't misheard.

He had called her Rachel more than once.

No matter how unwilling she was to accept it, she forced herself to calm down and sort through everything.

Her name was Katrina Donovan.

She grew up in an orphanage. Felix Clarke was her childhood sweetheart. They had grown up together.

Then the nightmare began.

Felix met the heiress of the Sterlings. Behind her back, he became entangled with Rachel. On Katrina's birthday, he tricked her into going to the closed-down medical wing.

And there, they carved her heart out of her chest.

She had died miserably at the hands of the man she loved most.

And now...

She had been reborn.

Reborn into Rachel's body.

Heh.

How utterly ironic.

A self-mocking laugh escaped her.

She laughed-

And then she cried.

Tears slid down her cheeks one by one.

While Rachel was alive, she had schemed to get close to her, even persuading Owen to approach her. That night, when Katrina watched her own heart being dug out, the pain ripping through her chest couldn't compare to the agony of betrayal.

She had died with her eyes wide open.

Now she finally understood.

Rachel had asked Owen to get close to her... for her heart.

Perhaps even Rachel herself never imagined that she would die instead-

And that Katrina would live on in her place.

Half laughing, half crying, Katrina lay back against the pillows, her frail body trembling with exhaustion. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until she finally drifted into sleep.

Her shallow breathing was proof-

She was truly alive.

But her sleep was anything but peaceful.

In her dreams, she relived the moment of her death over and over again-the cold blade, the tearing pain, the suffocating helplessness. The nightmare wrapped around her like thorny vines, tightening with every struggle, dragging her back to the brink of death again and again.

...

Two days later, Katrina had finally forced herself to accept reality.

She was now Rachel.

Her body was gradually recovering. At the very least, she no longer needed the machines to keep her alive.

The day Rachel's parents landed, they rushed straight to the hospital. Because of her weakened state, Katrina remained constantly on edge, terrified she might expose herself.

She knew nothing about Rachel.

Her habits. Her personality. Her past. The countless details that shaped her life.

Katrina was completely in the dark.

All she could do was tread carefully, responding cautiously to every word.

For the past two days, Wade had been running around the hospital nonstop. Since that confrontation, she hadn't seen Owen again.

Good.

Out of sight, out of mind.

"Help me find out... where Katrina is buried."

Even saying the word buried out loud felt strange.

Wade froze slightly. "That..."

"What?" she turned to look at him.

He shook his head. "Miss Donovan's funeral is today."

Katrina frowned. "Where?"

If she remembered correctly, it had already been nearly half a month since her birthday.

And they were only burying her now?

Thinking of Owen's warning, Wade lowered his head and fell silent.

He didn't know what this spoiled young lady had done to anger his boss again, but he could tell-this time, Owen was genuinely furious.

Wade didn't dare say too much.

Katrina struggled to sit up.

If he wouldn't tell her, she would find out herself.

"My god, what are you doing now?" Wade rubbed his forehead helplessly.

This young lady truly didn't care about her life.

She had just survived a major surgery, suffered severe complications, barely clawed her way back from death-and now she was stirring up trouble again?

"The address," she insisted.

Sweat beaded on Wade's forehead. Finally, he gave in.

"Okay, okay, Miss... I'll take you. I'll take you, alright? Please, just stay put. I'll get a wheelchair."

When her temper flared, only Owen could suppress her. Wade had no desire to provoke her.

In the end, he reluctantly pushed her to the cemetery.