Chapter 1 Can We Be in Love in the Next Life?

"Zoey, enjoy the last few minutes of being able to breathe freely! Soon, your heart will be inside my body!"

Hospital operating room.

Zoey Harmon was completely immobilized on the operating table and couldn't move.

Just after the car accident, she is now in so much pain that she is almost suffocating.

The overhead light cast a shadow on her face as she incredulously looked at her sister dressed in a patient gown.

"Why!"

"Why?" Ariana Harmon reached out and poked her chest, her lips curling into a sinister smile.

“You should blame yourself for today's suffering, why do you always have to be  better than me on everything!"

“Did you really think I cared about you?” Ariana scoffed, "If I hadn’t pretended to be kind, would you have handed over your designs, worked as my voice double, or trusted me enough to drink that juice mixed with sedatives before the accident?"

“Do you remember the fire at the bar ten years ago? That was my doing! Those thugs I hired were useless—they couldn’t even finish you off, so I had to step in!"

"Oh, by the way, the rumor about you being involved in abortion was also spread by me. But you should thank me, those eight years you were sent abroad by grandpa, you learned quite a few skills. However, they were all used by me, aren't you particularly unwilling?"

"Don't worry, after you die, I will give you a grand burial, and everyone in the world will know that after you had a car accident, you donated your heart to your beloved sister, allowing me to live on in your place. It's deeply moving!"

Ariana pressed down on Zoey's fractured leg bone, which was bloody and mangled, causing Zoey to feel intense pain and break out in a cold sweat, her face turning pale.

Zoey had endless hatred in her heart.

Eight years, she was exiled abroad for eight years.

Apart from her grandfather, only Ariana showed concern for her.

Updating her on the news back home, even helping her connect with her fiancé, Nelson Maddox and occasionally visiting her in Corbourne.

She believed in herself so much.

Ariana wanted to be a singer, so she did voice dub for her; Ariana wanted to bulid a brand, so she provided her with design drafts...

She thought Ariana was the best person to her in this cold house, apart from her grandfather.

Who could have known it had all been a lie.

The affection she had always longed for, it turned out, was all built upon interests.

"Ah!" The hand on her leg exerted more force, and Zoey screamed in pain.

"Does it hurt? Every day that you steal the limelight from me, I hurt like this! Zoey, don't be afraid, Grandpa has been waiting for you down below, waiting for your heart to be dug out so you can keep him company," Ariana's face was filled with madness.

A gush of salty sweetness surged up, and Zoey’s  lips were stained with bright red blood.

"Ariana! You’ll never die peacefully!"

"Anyway, you wouldn't have seen that day." Ariana laughed arrogantly.

The operating room door opened, and Nelson and the medical team walked in.

"Nelson, Nelson, call the police!" Zoey shouted with all her strength, looking at her fiancé.

But unexpectedly, the man just sneered lightly, looking down at Zoey from a high position, his eyes filled with contempt and disdain.

"You stole Ariana's design draft, poisoned her vocal cords, and even messed around with abortion. I wish you were dead."

"You..." Zoey's words were cut off by Nelson, who used a piece of medical gauze to cover her mouth.

"Save your energy, perhaps later you would have seen the scene of your heart being ripped out of your body."

"I didn't originally want to kill you, after all, you helped me steal so many trade secrets. No pain, no gain. But who made you unlucky enough to be involved with Ariana."

“Since you’re about to die, I might as well tell you. I’ve been with Ariana for years. That night in the fire, it wasn’t me who saved you—it was Russell!”

“These past two months, we tried many ways to finish you off, but Russell kept interfering. I don’t know what he saw in you! But tonight, your time’s up. He fell into my trap trying to save you, so he’ll meet the reaper first.”

Zoey's eyes were filled with shock, anger, and then pain, as tears slid down her cheeks.

No wonder. No wonder Nelson looked surprised when she once thanked him for saving her life.

No wonder she heard that Russell Maddox had injured his waist and was sent abroad for treatment overnight after that night.

Has she really loved the wrong person all these years?

It was really ridiculous! It was so sad!

She was so angry, angry at herself for being so blind to entrust her whole life to Nelson, this scumbag.

She hated herself so much for trusting her snake of a sister, and even brought her grandfather down with her .

She hated herself even more for mistaking her savior and involving the innocent Russell.

Unfortunately, everything was too late.

"The surgery began! The donor did not need to be injected with anesthesia!"

The surgeon used a scalpel to cut open the skin on Zoey's chest. She watched as her heart was taken out and placed in a tray, lifeless, like a dead dog.

She became lighter and transparent, floating in mid-air. She watched as her chest was opened, her organs exposed. She saw Nelson's cold and merciless expression, and witnessed the doctor cutting open Ariana's chest, preparing for a heart transplant.

Bang!

The operating room door was forcefully kicked open by someone.

A crowd of people rushed in, led by a man wearing a black overcoat. He stood tall and exuded an air of nobility and arrogance from head to toe.

Seeing Zoey's lifeless and blood-soaked state, his usually calm eyes instantly filled with panic.

Was he too late?

"Zoey..."

Russell's heart ached almost to the point of suffocation, and he stumbled with unsteady steps, his voice trembling, "I'm sorry, I came late."

He slowly took off the string of purple sandalwood beads from his wrist and put it on Zoey's wrist.

He held her icy hand, his eyes filled with lifelessness.

"Russell, you didn't die? You're not in a wheelchair anymore? Your legs have healed?" Nelson swallowed hard.

Zoey was also surprised, when did Russell's leg get better?

She didn't even realize how deeply he had hidden.

Russell suddenly lifted his eyelids, his gaze fixed firmly on Nelson, who was being forced to kneel on the ground by someone. His eyes were filled with terrifying murderous intent, causing Nelson to tremble in fear immediately.

"Russell, spare my life! I beg you, I am your own nephew!"

Russell walked up to him, his eyes filled with a chilling frost, and a cold, pitch-black barrel pressed against his forehead.

"You killed her, so go and accompany her in her burial!"

Zoey floated in the air, unable to watch Russell commit the crime, as it would cost him his life.

She wanted to snatch the gun from the man's hand, but she missed.

The sound of bangs echoed above the operating room.

Everyone involved in the surgery was lying on the ground in disarray.

She witnessed Russell killing everyone with her own eyes, and then brought her body to the seaside, and he sat on the beach for a whole night.

The moment the sun jumped out of the sea level, Russell finally lifted his eyelids and said, "Didn't you say that you haven't seen a sunrise yet, and haven't fallen in love, so you don't want to die? How come you left?"

This sentence is what Zoey said in the fire scene, and he still remembers it now.

Russell choked up and said, "Zoey, I watched the sunrise with you. How about we make a pact to be in love in the next life?"

After saying that, he immediately raised the gun and pressed it against his temple without hesitation.

Zoey was taken aback and then went crazy, lunging forward as if to grab the man's hand, but her hand passed through his arm. "No, please!"

The sound of gunshots was engulfed by the surging tide, and Zoey watched as the man fell on the beach, crying out in anguish.

She covered her face with both hands and broke down completely.

Suddenly, her body was violently torn and twisted by a mysterious force.

"Don't!"

Zoey suddenly opened her eyes wide!