They Promised Every Birthday, They Kept None Chapter 02

They Promised Every Birthday, They Kept None Chapter 02

Something exploded inside my skull.

I looked up at Ethan. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Mia, Ashley’s been in a bad place lately. She can’t handle the stress of surgery right now. And she’s only nineteen. If she loses a kidney, her whole future changes.”

Before I could respond, Liam cut in sharply.

“Don’t give Ethan that look, Mia. Ashley’s a year younger than you. Are you really going to force her onto an operating table? She doesn’t owe you anything.”

I turned to Derek.

He held my gaze for a few seconds, then spoke in a gentler tone, but his words still cut.

“Medicine’s come a long way. You can wait for a donor match. Mia, you can’t be selfish about this.”

My throat tightened.

They were the ones who brought Ashley home.

They were the ones who gave me hope.

Now they were the ones taking it away.

What they didn’t know was that during my last chemo session alone, my doctor had told me straight up—I was running out of time.

But that same day, I’d already made my peace with it.

If they couldn’t let go of Ashley’s kidney, I wouldn’t take it.

I bit my tongue until I tasted blood, scrawled my name across the dotted line, and pushed the paper back.

All three of them exhaled in relief.

Then, almost in unison, they each pulled out a gift bag from behind their backs.

“Come on, don’t make that face. These are for you. Ashley got hers, and you get yours. So don’t say we play favorites.”

I looked at the three bags, and my eyes burned even hotter.

Today wasn’t actually Ashley’s birthday.

She’d been orphaned, and nobody knew her real birth date.

Ethan had declared that she’d share mine since she’d come here to save me.

At first, the birthday cake had my name on it.

Then it said “Mia & Ashley.”

Then just “Ashley.”

She moved into my house.

She took my necklace.

She took my brothers and my childhood friend.

And in the end, she even took my birthday.

I let out a bitter laugh.

“If I hadn’t signed that paper, would these gifts even exist? Is this your version of a consolation prize?”

Liam’s face darkened.

“Mia, don’t be ungrateful. Take it or leave it!”

He snatched the bags back too quickly.

One of them caught the edge of the table and spilled open.

A fountain pen, a paperback book, and a dress with the tags already cut off.

But I’d seen what Ashley got.

The latest iPhone, a designer handbag, and VIP concert tickets.

Liam shoved my shoulder when I didn’t move.

“Stop making that face at us!”

I stumbled back.

And my wig slipped off.

It hit the floor with a soft thud.

My bald head was bare for all of them to see.

Liam froze mid-motion.

Ethan’s face went white.

Derek stared, his voice cracking when he finally spoke.

“Mia… what happened to you…?”

I didn’t answer.

I just bent down to pick up the wig.

My hands were shaking so badly that I couldn’t get it back on properly.

Tears dripped onto the floor, but I didn’t dare look up at them.

They hadn’t come to a single chemo session in three years.

They had no idea I’d lost my hair—two years ago.

I finally managed to put the wig back on and turned toward the door.

Halfway to the entryway, Ethan’s voice called out, hesitant and rough.

“Do you… want to stay for dinner?”

I stopped.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

This had been my home once.

Now staying for a meal was being framed as a favor.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and the metallic taste rising with it, and shook my head.

“No. I’m good.”