I was born with two hearts. It was the only thing about me that ever pleased my parents. Because my brother was born with a congenital heart defect. They had me for one reason: to keep my brother alive. Then I met Stella. We fell in love, we got married. She pulled me from the abyss of my family’s conditional love and saved me. I thought she was different. But when my brother’s heart began to fail, she became obsessed with the idea of me donating one of my hearts to him. She didn’t know that I only had one heart left. My other one was already inside her. 1. “It’s just one heart. Why are you being so selfish?” “Weren’t you born for the sole purpose of keeping your brother alive?” Stella’s grip on my arm was like a vice. “But I want to live, too,” I pleaded. “Without a heart, I’ll die.” Her face hardened. “You have two hearts. You give one away, you still have one left. You’ll live.” “But your brother is different. Without your heart, he dies.” Ignoring my struggles, she pushed me toward the pre-op room. “I only have one heart now,” I explained, my voice desperate. “You saw the test results.” She wouldn’t listen. “Who knows what you did to fake those results? Bribing the lab technicians so you wouldn't have to save him.” She thought I had faked the report. “No, Stella, that’s not it. I had surgery when I was a child. I already donated one of my hearts.” “Enough, Adrian! This is about saving your brother. Why are you being so stubborn?” She cut me off before I could finish. “I’m not lying,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “My heart is inside you.” But she wasn't listening. She had already turned and walked toward my brother’s room. 2. The other doctors in the prep room stared at us, dumbfounded. “Talking sweet nothings at a time like this?” one of them muttered. “How disgusting.” “His brother is on the verge of death, and he’s over here hitting on his sister-in-law.” Only our families knew that Stella and I were married. Her colleagues had never met me. And since Stella had handled all of Casper’s hospital arrangements herself, everyone in the department assumed he was her husband. Stella never corrected them. “Exactly. Instead of saving his own brother, he’s trying to seduce the man's wife.” “What a waste of a good heart.” I heard their whispers and couldn’t stop myself from trying to tell them the truth. “Actually, I’m the one who’s—” Stella emerged from Casper’s room and grabbed my hand. “You are donating your heart today. That’s final.” “Your brother is already in the operating room. You’re next.” She produced a stack of papers. “I’ve already signed the consent forms. All you have to do is get on the table.” In the operating room, I saw Casper. He looked frail and weak, a picture of suffering that elicited sympathy from everyone present. “Don’t you worry,” a doctor told him reassuringly. “Your wife, Dr. Hayes, will make sure you live a long, healthy life.” Casper didn’t correct the title. He just gave a weak, saintly smile. “It’s all my fault,” he murmured, his voice full of false regret. “Making my brother sacrifice so much for me.” He looked at me, and for a split second, I saw a flash of triumph in his eyes. The other doctors melted. My brother was a saint; I was a monster. Stella soothed Casper, then turned to me. She ignored my frantic struggles, forcing me onto the operating table and ordering the anesthesiologist to administer the sedative. A moment later, my struggling ceased. Stella’s fingers brushed my cheek. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I’ll make sure you live.” Her mentor had performed a successful heart transplant once, so she was confident she could keep me alive. “After your brother recovers, our whole family will finally accept you. And I’ll be right by your side, always.” 3. The surgery began, a tense and orderly dance of steel and flesh. After a long while, Stella lifted a heart from my body. Without a second glance, she rushed with it into Casper’s operating room. My chest was an open cavity. My body lay alone on the cold table. The shrill, flatline alarm of the heart monitor startled the attending nurse. “He’s dead? I thought he had two hearts.” “You actually believed what Dr. Hayes said?” another nurse scoffed. “She was just trying to get him on the table.” “Good riddance, then. He deserved it. Not only did he refuse to save his own brother, Dr. Hayes’s husband, but he was trying to seduce her, too.” “So, what do we do now?” “He’s dead. Just wait for someone to claim the body. If no one does, the morgue can deal with it.” With that, they all left the room. Stella, meanwhile, was completely focused on Casper’s surgery. She was confident, but it was her first transplant. After several grueling hours, she finished, the procedure a success. She followed Casper to his recovery room, staying by his side until he was stable. Only then did she remember me. As she headed back to my supposed recovery room, she ran into one of her colleagues in the hallway. “How is my husband?” she asked. The colleague thought for a moment. “He should be back in his room by now. Don’t worry, the nurses will keep a close eye on him for you. We’ll take good care of your husband.” Stella didn’t register the ambiguity in the words. She just felt relieved. Of course, she thought. They all know he’s my husband. They’ll look after him. Satisfied, she returned to her office to catch up on work. A day later, Casper woke up. Stella was right there. “Casper, you’re finally awake.” He saw her and burst into tears of overwhelming joy. 4. Stella wrapped her arms around him. “It’s okay. The surgery was a complete success.” “Your heart won’t give you any more trouble.” Casper touched his chest, a look of disbelief on his face. The disease that had plagued him for years was finally gone. He clung to Stella, weeping. “Don’t get too emotional,” she cautioned gently, rubbing his back. “You need to rest.” A nurse passing by smiled. “Dr. Hayes, you take such good care of your husband.” Stella froze. She remembered me, supposedly in another room down the hall. “Oh, you’ve misunderstood,” she began. “He’s not—” Casper chose that moment to clutch his chest, his face contorting in pain, cutting her off. “I told you not to cry,” she said, her attention immediately diverted. “You need to rest if you want to recover.” Seeing Casper like this, she suddenly thought of me again. She hadn’t seen me since the surgery. “Casper, you get some rest. I’m going to check on Adrian.” She started to get up, but Casper’s hand shot out and grabbed hers. “I had this surgery without telling Mom and Dad. This is the most critical part of my recovery. I’m scared to be alone. What if something goes wrong?” Seeing his pale, frightened face, her heart softened. The other doctors and nurses will look after Adrian, she reasoned. He’ll be fine. “Alright,” she sighed, sitting back down. “I’ll stay with you for a few more days.” Casper watched her settle in before slowly closing his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. In the hospital morgue, an orderly stared at my body with frustration. “It’s been two days and no one’s come to claim him. What are we supposed to do?” “What are you looking at?” another orderly grumbled, cleaning up. “Let’s just get this done so we can go home.” Together, they unceremoniously shoved my body into a bag. “Looked like he had a rough death. Probably wasn’t a good person.” “Good, bad, they all turn to ash the same.” “True. Still a shame, though. So young.” 5. Two more days passed. Casper’s recovery was going well, and Stella finally remembered me. She walked to my room, but it was empty. A nurse was stripping the bed. “The patient in this room—where is he?” The nurse looked up. “Oh, Dr. Hayes. He was discharged.” A flicker of annoyance went through Stella. He just had major surgery, and he’s already checked himself out? Where did he go? She pulled out her phone and dialed my number. It went straight to voicemail. “Fine!” she muttered, furious. “If you want to run off and die somewhere, don’t come crying to me!” She stormed back to Casper’s room. He sensed her anger immediately. “Is Adrian still angry? He won’t forgive me, will he?” he asked, his voice full of concern. “It’s all my fault. I’ll go talk to him right now. I don’t want you two to have a misunderstanding because of me.” He made a show of trying to get out of bed. Stella rushed to stop him. “Don’t worry about him. You just focus on getting better. Mom and Dad will be so happy when they hear the good news on the day you’re discharged.” “As for Adrian,” she added, her voice hard, “he’s not going to die. He’s already left the hospital.” She remembered how I had begged her before the surgery, and a knot of resentment tightened in her chest. We’re brothers, she thought. How could he be so heartless? Looking at Casper, so considerate and kind, she felt a fresh wave of disappointment in me. If Adrian wants to be stubborn and leave, fine. Let him cool off. It’s not too late for him to show up when Casper is discharged. In the doctors’ lounge, her colleagues were laughing and joking. The moment she walked in, they all went silent. Stella felt a prickle of unease. “What were you all talking about?” 6. No one spoke. After a long moment, a fellow surgeon put an arm around her shoulders. “What else? We were just saying what a devoted couple you two are.” Stella thought of me, of how I had been forced to give up a heart. He does love me deeply, she thought, a flicker of warmth cutting through her anger. He was forced, yes, but he did it for me. He saved a life. In that moment, she forgave my sudden disappearance. But the fact that I wasn't answering her calls still stung. Her colleague noticed her troubled expression. “Is your husband in a bad mood?” Stella didn’t answer. “He just had major surgery,” the colleague continued. “It’s normal for him to be a little down. Just be patient with him. Do something to cheer him up.” The words made sense. Stella’s expression softened. She remembered how much I loved the pastries from the bakery near our apartment. She decided to go home after her shift. She walked into our apartment, holding the box of pastries. “Honey? I bought your favorite.” Silence. She set the box down and saw it: the divorce agreement I had left on the table a week ago. I had drawn it up the moment she told me I had to donate my heart. Stella stared at the papers in disbelief. Is he serious? Over one heart? He’s willing to divorce me over this? She angrily threw the box of pastries into the trash. “If you don’t want this home, then don’t ever come back!” Just then, her phone rang. “Stella, dear? Do you know where Adrian has been?” It was my father. It was rare for him to call, rarer still for him to ask about me. His world usually revolved around Casper. An idea sparked in Stella’s mind. My parents were the only ones who could force me out of hiding. And Casper was almost fully recovered. So she told my father about the surgery. 7. My parents rushed to the hospital that night. The moment Casper saw them, his tears began to flow. The three of them clung to each other, a portrait of a loving family reunited after a crisis. “Where’s your brother?” my mother finally asked. “He’s in the same department, why isn’t he here to see you?” Casper hesitated. “He’s already been discharged.” My mother scoffed, her arms still wrapped around him. “Discharged? He must be in great shape to leave so soon after surgery. Let’s hope he doesn’t drop dead out there.” My father shot her a warning look. “Don’t say that. Casper’s had the surgery, but there’s no guarantee there won’t be complications later. What will we do if Adrian dies?” My mother slapped her own mouth. “Tsk, tsk, you’re right. If anyone’s going to die, it should be after Casper is safe.” She turned back to her favored son. “Don’t worry, Casper. Mom and Dad will always protect you.” A wave of warmth washed over him. The next day, Stella walked into the room to find this cozy family scene. It felt… wrong. She had never seen my parents look at me with such affection. “Stella, you’re here! We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for Casper’s heart.” They were full of gratitude for her, but they didn’t mention my name once. Stella asked if they had heard from me. The question soured their mood instantly. “Why bother with him? He’s been discharged, which means he’s fine. We should be focusing on Casper.” “Casper has always been so frail. Adrian, on the other hand, is strong as an ox.” My parents had always wanted to set Casper up with Stella, but his health had been an obstacle. Now, with me out of the picture, their path was clear. Before Stella could respond, a colleague poked her head in. “Dr. Hayes, you’re so good to your husband. You’re here with him every day.” My parents beamed, assuming the charade had become reality. A faint blush colored Casper’s cheeks. But Stella’s face flushed with anger. “Who told you he’s my husband?” 8. The colleague, oblivious to Stella’s fury, just laughed. “Oh, come on, everyone in the department knows. You don’t have to pretend.” She bustled out of the room, off to her next task. My parents grabbed Stella’s arm. “Stella, dear, Adrian’s not here right now. If the staff thinks Casper is your husband, they’ll take better care of him.” Stella saw the pained look on Casper’s face and swallowed her anger. Back in her office, she was about to confront her colleague when she was told her old mentor had arrived. She rushed to the chief of medicine’s office. The moment she saw Dr. Peterson, she threw her arms around him. “Professor! It’s been so long. How have you been?” He smiled, looking her over. “I hear you’ve performed a heart transplant. The student has surpassed the master.” He then reminisced about the surgery he had performed on her when she was just a little girl, and how proud he was that she had followed in his footsteps. Stella froze. “What surgery, professor?” He looked surprised. “The heart transplant, of course. The one you had as a child.” Just then, someone burst into the office. “Dr. Hayes, quick! The family in room 32 is fighting!” Room 32. Casper’s room. She bolted out the door. She arrived to the sound of shouting. “Don’t you dare deny it! My nephew donated his heart to your daughter!” Stella pushed her way through the crowd. Her mother was there, her eyes red and tearful. The woman who had been shouting saw Stella and pointed a finger at her. “It was you! My nephew Adrian’s heart—it’s inside you!” Stella stared at the woman, her mind reeling. And then, a memory surfaced, a whisper from the past. My own voice, saying, “My heart is inside you.”
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