THE HEART THEY STOLE: Rebirth of the Scapegoat Bride

as paying back the air you've

tiles of the operating theater. She didn't look

s twitch. She wasn't worried about the needles that were about to pierce my skin; she wa

oor. He smelled of expensive cedarwood and the metallic tang of the hospital. "Leo is the only heir this family has. You? You're ju

kin. My fingers traced the small, raised ridge behind my ear. The rose birthmark. To me, it had always been a petal-shaped kiss of fate.

. The surgery from three weeks ago still throbbed, a dull, biting ache in my side every time

triol in her eyes. "Elena is back now. We have our daughter. We don't need the one who let he

he color of cream, looking every bit the fragile survivor they believed her to be. She held a thermal flask in her hands,

d tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Mom, don't be upset. Elara is just scared. She's always bee

ause Mom didn't get you that doll. I tried to grab your hand and you pushed me into the di

he floorboards didn't creak-this was a five-star medica

crushing fatigue of trying to be enough for people who saw me as an inventory of spare parts.

ing overhead like cold, white ribs. Thump-swish, thump-swish. The wheels o

cold.

, discussing the logistics of the transplant as i

e low," on

. "The family gave the order. The r

at the edges of my vision, I saw a flash of movement near the viewing gallery. A man

My h

d photograph. The most powerful man in the city, and he hadn't even bothered to show up

s the anesthesia took hold. I ho

s the steady, rhythmic be

a

hey were tearing. I lunged upward, my spine s

p

s no bandage. My fingers met soft, unmarred skin and

e cold, sterile OR. I was sitting on a velvet sofa. The air didn't smell like

were full. No IV bruises. N

dark? Get up and help me with the crystal

ysical blow. I turned my h

h hadn't quite deepened into permanent trenches yet. She was wearing her favorite navy b

voice worked. It did

I know you've enjoyed being the only child these last few years, but Elena is coming home. You will be on your best be

the calendar

e 1

s twenty-three, but the surgeries hadn't happened. My he