Zoey stood straighter, her gaze fixed on Ellie with a steely determination. She suspected her sister was behind Harriet's accident, and Ellie's reactions only fueled her certainty. Zoey shook her head in disbelief, a mixture of anger and hurt darkening her expression.
"Do you hate me that much, Ellie?" Zoey asked, her voice low and resolute. She had tried to stay civil, to forgive Ellie despite past betrayalsâeven when she'd almost broken beyond repair. But this was too much. "If you want to hurt me, fine. But Harriet? Anyone I care about? That's where I draw the line."
Ellie took an instinctive step back, her composure faltering. "What are you talking about?" she stammered, her voice rising.
Zoey clenched her jaw, her tone icy. "I have every reason to believe you had something to do with Harriet's accident. You visit the hospital and comment on how I look 'fine'âwhat, were you expecting me to be hurt? Unconscious?" Zoey shook her head, letting out a bitter laugh. "Only someone who hoped for that would react like you just did."
Ellie was speechless, her face pale, as Zoey took a step closer. "I could forgive you for stealing my ex-fiancé. I didn't care about that. But stooping to this level just to get at me? I'm starting to wonder if you're even human."
With that, Zoey turned, walking away, but then paused, glancing back over her shoulder. "I don't want anything more to do with you, Ellie. Let's just pretend we're strangers from now on."
Ellie, enraged, lunged forward, trying to grab Zoey by the hair. But Zoey swiftly turned, dodging her grip, and Ellie stumbled, slipping on the snowy ground.
"Enough, Ellie!" Zoey yelled, her voice sharp and unyielding. Harriet sighed, sharing a concerned glance with Vera, Nyx, Riley, and Sienna, who all stood frozen, watching in shock.
Ellie scrambled to her feet, shoving Zoey slightly. "How dare you yell at meâI'm your sister!" she shouted, trying to draw sympathy.
Zoey clicked her tongue, her eyes locking with Harriet's for a brief moment, drawing strength before turning back to Ellie. Biting her lower lip, she steadied herself, then looked her sister squarely in the eyes. "I'm done playing nice with you, Ellie. I have nothing left to give you," she said, her tone edged with finality.
Ellie's brows furrowed as she took a small, instinctive step back. "What are you talking about?"
Zoey stepped forward, her voice steady. "I inherited our father's estate, Ellie. I planned to give it all to youâI don't need anyone else's money. I've made my own way and will continue to. But after what you didâlaying a hand on Harriet, of all people? You'll never see a single cent. That inheritance is mine, under my name, and you won't get a dollar of it."
Ellie's face twisted with anger as she reached forward, gripping Zoey's collar. "You've gone too far this time, Zoey!"
Zoey grabbed Ellie's hands, shoving them away firmly. "Too far? No, Ellie, not nearly far enough," she said, her gaze narrowing. "You want to settle this here, right now, in front of everyone?"
She took a deep breath, grabbing Ellie's coat and pulling her close. "Fine. Let's go there. But you brought this on yourself."
"Zoey..." Ellie's voice cracked, a tremor in her tone. "You don't have to do thisâ"
"Oh, I do," Zoey replied, a dark smile on her face. "You gave me no choice."
Ellie swallowed nervously as Zoey straightened, her gaze resolute. Harriet leaned against the railing, watching intently. Riley whispered beside her, "Shouldn't you stop her?"
Harriet shrugged. "No, not yet. Zoey asked for my support, and that's what I'm giving her. She needs to do this on her terms."
Ellie tugged her coat free, desperation in her eyes. "Stop this nonsense, Zoey."
Zoey shook her head, jaw clenched. She turned to the others, her voice unwavering. "Everyone, meet Ellie, my sister. And Markus?" Her gaze shifted to the man by Ellie's side. "My ex-fiancé. Yes, that's rightâmy own sister slept with him behind my back."
Nyx muttered a curse under her breath, completely taken aback.
"And for the record," Zoey continued, her tone icy, "yes, I'm the recipient of Sophie Reed's heart."
Ellie's face twisted with anger, and she tried to slap Zoey, her hand swinging toward her. But Zoey caught it, her grip firm. "That's enough, Ellie. You've had your moment. Now, leave."
Zoey released her sister's wrist, stepping back with finality.
Harriet watched Zoey, who stood silently, staring at the retreating figures of Ellie and Markus. Zoey scoffed, exhaling a long sigh before running a hand through her hair. She placed a hand over her chest, feeling the faint ache there. Maybe I overdid it today, she thought, her breath hitching slightly.
"Zoey." Harriet's voice cut through her thoughts, and Zoey looked up, catching sight of Harriet standing right in front of her. A tired but warm smile spread across Zoey's face.
"Did I overdo it?" Zoey asked, still smiling, though her eyes hinted at the exhaustion beneath.
Harriet let out a soft scoff, nodding. "Yeah, but you did a great job handling your own battles, sweetheart." Without hesitation, Harriet pulled her into a tight hug.
Zoey laughed, nestling her face against Harriet's chest. "Maybe I did overdo it," she murmured, feeling her strength fade as her vision blurred.
Harriet felt Zoey's grip loosen and sighed, adjusting her hold as Zoey's knees buckled. "Don't worry, I've got you," Harriet whispered, scooping Zoey up carefully and starting toward the hospital entrance.
"What happened?" Vera asked, her face etched with concern as she approached.
"She fainted, but it's nothing seriousâjust need to get her heart checked," Harriet replied, ignoring the faint discomfort from her still-healing ankle.
Nyx quickly intervened, stepping in to take Zoey from Harriet. "Let me carry her. You know you're still healing too," she said, giving Harriet a firm look before hurrying toward the entrance with Zoey in her arms.
Harriet chuckled, watching them go. She followed at a slower pace, with Vera and Nyx already inside, ensuring Zoey was promptly taken care of.
Harriet leaned back in the chair beside Zoey's bed, a quiet chuckle escaping as she tilted her head back. She was supposed to be here just for a follow-up check on her ankle, but somehow things had taken a turn. Clicking her tongue, she shook her head with a small smile.
"Just my luck," she muttered to herself, glancing over at Zoey's sleeping face.
Zoey's heartbeat had been steady, though she remained connected to a cardiac monitor for ongoing observation. Nyx leaned against the wall across from Harriet, watching her closely.
"So, when did you find out that Zoey's the heart recipient, Harriet?" Nyx asked quietly.
Harriet tilted her head toward her sister. "Not too long ago," she replied, glancing briefly at Zoey before sitting up straighter. "I actually learned from Aunt Vivian, of all people," she added with a shrug.
Nyx nodded, chuckling. "That's... quite something. What are the odds of meeting someone who ended up with Sophie's heart?"
Harriet clicked her tongue thoughtfully. "It wasn't something I plannedâor even imagined," she admitted, her gaze softening as she looked at Zoey's resting form. "But I'm grateful it happened. I wouldn't have Zoey in my life otherwise."
Nyx smiled, walking over to Harriet and giving her a light smack on the head. "Just make sure she doesn't overdo it next time, alright? You know her caseâspiking her heart rate like that could be dangerous."
Harriet laughed softly. "Yeah, I know. I'm keeping a close eye on her. I just wanted her to finally get some of that emotional weight off her chest. Bottling things up could actually make things worse in the long run," she said, scratching the back of her neck. "But... maybe I shouldn't have let her go that far."
"You know better than anyone how recovery works, Harriet. You're a heart doctor, after all," Nyx reminded her, patting her shoulder.