After Three Years of Torture, I Returned the Heart He Blamed Me For

On the way to the hospital for an abortion, someone pressed a survey into my hands.

If you could go back to any moment in time, when would it be?

I thought for a few seconds, then wrote my answer in careful letters.

I wish I could go back to the day of the massive Capital City chain car accident and stop the doctors from saving me.

The girl beside me read what I'd written and blurted out in shock.

I heard only nine people survived that accident. Why would you want to stop the doctors from saving you?

I pressed my hand to my chest, over the transplanted heart beating beneath my ribs, and looked up at the mall's largest screen.

It was playing footage of Gabriel Henson dropping millions on a sapphire ring for a Westgate Film Academy student.

Everyone envied her, the girl who'd brought Capital City's most powerful man to his knees.

But no one knew the child I was about to terminate was his.

I handed the survey back to the girl and forced a smile.

I was supposed to die that day.

Back then, the doctor had mistaken me for Gabriel Henson's sister and cut her heart out of her chest to give it to me.

I'd lived with that heart for three years.

Gabriel had hated me for every one of them.

It was time to give it back.

The girl stared at me, stunned into silence.

Her lips parted several times before she finally managed to speak.

It wasn't your fault, though.

Don't blame yourself so much. What's done is done!

You have to look forward!

After those few words of comfort, she couldn't help asking one more thing.

Did the girl's brother ever come after you?

I shook my head, a bitter smile ghosting across my lips.

Gabriel hadn't come after me. Not at first. He'd done the opposite, comforting me more times than I could count.

Every night I spent drowning in guilt, he caught the red-eye from Wall Street just to be by my side.

When the medication made me throw up until there was nothing left, he drove twenty miles in the middle of the night to buy my favorite shortbread cookies.

I thought Gabriel Henson loved me.

Then came our first anniversary, and he brought another woman home.

After they were done in our bed, he looked at me with those cold, flat eyes while I sobbed until I couldn't breathe.

Jessica Pruitt, if you and Bridget Henson hadn't swapped jackets that day, the doctor never would have mixed you up. He never would have cut her heart out and given it to you.

Bridget was sheltered her whole life. She'd cry over the smallest scratch. Do you have any idea how much pain she was in when she died?

Jessica Pruitt, you're going to spend the rest of your life atoning for what happened to Bridget.

Gabriel's vengeance, when it finally came, was savage.

After that night, he brought women home constantly and forced me to watch every second of it.

He let those women hurt me, again and again.

They locked me in a sauna for three days and three nights.

They tied weights to my legs and threw me into a frozen lake

Three years, and I was done.

If Gabriel Henson hated me so much for taking Bridget's heart, then fine.

I'd give it back.

Clutching the signed abortion consent form, I walked into the hospital where I'd already tried twice to schedule the heart removal surgery.

The doctor frowned the moment he saw me and refused on the spot.

Miss Pruitt, I've told you before. You're still pregnant. We can't perform a heart removal while you're carrying a child.

I didn't argue. I set the abortion consent form on his desk.

I'm having the abortion today.

It won't interfere with the heart removal.

Butonce we replace it with an artificial heart, you'll only have a year to live. Why put yourself through this?!

And the father has a right to know! Did he agree to the abortion?

Would Gabriel agree?

The doctor's words pulled me back to a few days earlier.

I'd been so excited, clutching my ultrasound results, rushing to find Gabriel.

Instead, I overheard one of his friends asking him something.

If I got pregnant, would he still keep punishing me?

Gabriel went still for a few seconds. Then he tipped his head back and laughed.

As if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.

Pregnant?

Pregnant is good!

Jessica Pruitt owes Bridget a life. She can pay it back with the child in her belly.

Once she gives birth, I'll cut the baby's heart out right in front of her

Gabriel's words drove into my chest like a steel blade.

Memories churning, I pressed my hand to my stomach, tears streaming down my face.

This baby has no father.

So it wouldn't affect the heart removal surgery.

The abortion took an hour. When it was done, I scheduled the heart removal just as I'd planned.

One week from now.

Walking out through the hospital doors, I pressed my palm against my lower abdomen and took slow, measured breaths.

I swallowed the painkillers in a hurry. Then Gabriel's call came.

Jessica. Ten minutes. Golden Horse Club.

You know what happens if you're late.

I shoved the surgery form into my bag and hailed a cab to the Golden Horse Club.

The second I walked in, a ball slammed into my face.

Gabriel, you called it. It really is Jessica.

Almost thought we hit the wrong person.

Someone laughed and carried the ball away.

A sharp sting tore through my nose, and the thick taste of iron flooded my mouth.

Blood dripped onto the white carpet, one drop at a time.

I wiped my nose clean the way I always did, then walked over to Gabriel.

His shirt was open, lipstick marks visible across his bare chest, a girl curled in his arms.

He swirled the glass in his hand and let out a low scoff when he saw me.

You came.

I lost at cards again today. Drink this case of beer for me.

I looked at Gabriel and forced a smile.

Without hesitation, I grabbed a bottle, tilted it to my lips, and drank.

The bitter, biting liquid burned all the way down.

The pain blurred my vision.

Less than a minute and the bottle was empty, my stomach heaving.

But I didn't stop. I wiped the foam from the corner of my mouth and reached for the next one.

The moment my fingers touched the ice-cold glass, a sharp pain seized my chest.

I dug my nails into my palm and tried to sit down on the couch to steady myself.

Someone kicked me off.

Thud!

My head cracked against the floor. I nearly blacked out.

When I pushed myself up again, the room erupted in laughter.

Gabriel sat in the center of the private room, a faint smile resting on his lips.

Enough.

The room went quiet.

He walked over to me, step by step, and pulled me to my feet. Then he reached into his pocket and took out the sapphire ring from the auction.

Its brilliant blue caught the light and scattered it in dazzling fragments across the dim room.

Gabriel fixed his dark eyes on me and lowered himself to one knee.

Jessica. Will you marry me?

I hadn't even processed what was happening.

A mocking smile split across his face.

You've imagined this a million times, haven't you?

Probably rehearsed exactly how you'd cry when you said yes.

Too bad, Jessica. This ring was never for you. It's for her.

Gabriel pointed casually at the girl beside him.

She wore a white dress, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes bright and clear.

I knew who she was. The college girl from Westgate Film Academy he'd been keeping recently.

Ida James.

Ida, give me your hand.

Gabriel slid the ring onto Ida's finger and laced his fingers through hers.

His gaze drifted to me, heavy with contempt.

His other hand curved gently around Ida's neck, and he leaned in to kiss her.

The room broke into whistles and cheers as they kissed.

I clutched my aching chest, and my tears fell freely, lost in the noise of the crowd.

An hour later, Gabriel's party ended.

He carried Ida to the car, then rolled down the window and spoke to me with that easy, practiced tone, as if what he was about to say was nothing.

Jessica, it's one in the morning. You're walking home.

And make sure you take the route past the old accident site.

I don't want to see you living too comfortably.

The car pulled away, slow and unhurried.

I stood where I was. A gust of cold wind cut through me.

Forcing myself through the pain between my legs, I started walking toward the villa, one step at a time.

One a.m. was the exact hour the massive chain collision had happened in Capital City.

The exact hour Bridget's heart had been cut from her chest and placed inside mine.

Gabriel never let me forget it.

He made sure it was carved into my bones.

Eight miles. It took me four hours.

By the time I reached the villa halfway up the hill, my legs nearly gave out beneath me.

I lifted a hand, barely able to press the doorbell. My vision went black, and I was a breath away from collapsing when the door swung open.

Jessica, go clean Ida up. She's exhausted.

Gabriel's upper body was bare, covered in lipstick marks and scratches left by a woman's nails.

My heart seized so sharply I couldn't breathe. I clenched my jaw.

I raised my eyes to meet his.

The only thought in my mind:

Gabriel Henson, one more week, and I won't owe you a thing.

I looked away.

Head down, I walked slowly to the master bedroom.

The wide black bed reeked of what had happened there. Their scent clung to everything.

I walked in, numb, and gently shook Ida awake.

She opened her eyes, glancing at me with a shy little look.

Sorry to trouble you, Jessica.

Mr. Henson, he

She didn't finish. I cut her off, took her arm, and walked her into the bathroom.

The tub was already full of warm water. I picked up a towel and wiped the marks from her skin, inch by inch.

Half an hour later, I helped her back to the bed.

Through all of it, Gabriel watched with amusement in his eyes.

I finished. I turned to leave the room.

That was when Gabriel spoke.

Jessica, is there something you forgot to tell me today?

His gaze drifted, barely perceptibly, toward my stomach.

A bitter smile twisted my lips. I shook my head, went downstairs, and shut myself inside the maid's room.

The moment the door closed behind me, my whole body began to shake. I slid down against it until I hit the floor.

I pulled the pills from my bag and swallowed them all at once.

The medication dragged me under, and I drifted into a thin, restless sleep.

I hadn't been out long before the door was kicked open.

Gabriel stood over me, face white with fury.

What did you do to Ida while you were bathing her?!

Why is she bleeding?!

I braced my hands against the wall and pulled myself upright. Gabriel's hands were covered in blood.

I opened my mouth to speak.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the car.

You're coming to the hospital with us!

If anything happens to Ida, I will make you pay!

He threw me into the back seat. I pressed both hands over my chest, my heart slamming so violently I couldn't draw a full breath.

In the hospital lobby, I watched Gabriel carry Ida inside, his face tight with panic, cradling her like she was made of glass.

I sat alone on the cold plastic chair, jaw clenched against the pain, holding on.

A few minutes later, Gabriel walked out.

Come with me. Ida has an ectopic pregnancy. Massive hemorrhaging. You're Rh-negative. They need your blood now.

He said it like it was nothing, then turned and walked away, fully expecting me to follow. The way he always did.

For three years, I had said yes to every demand he ever made.

But this time, I thought about the surgery scheduled one week from now. The surgery to remove my heart.

For the first time, I refused.

Gabriel, I won't do it.

What did you just say?

He turned around, disbelief written across his face.

Once it registered, his lips curled into a scornful smile and he leaned against the wall.

Jessica, do you still not understand your situation?

With me, you will never have the right to say no.

The words fell like ice. Gabriel reached into his bag and pulled out a folding knife.

I'll give you two choices.

Come with me and give blood, or I use this knife right now to cut out the heart that doesn't belong to you.

Three years. Countless nights of agony.

Every single one, I'd thought about cutting the heart out myself and handing it back to Gabriel Henson.

But every time I picked up a knife, I thought of my mother, dying of cancer.

Every time, I told myself: just hold on a few more days. For Mom.

A few more days, then a few more.

Three years slipped by like that.

This time, I swallowed the thought that had screamed inside me a million times, and gave in.

Gabriel. I'll give Ida the blood.

Three full bags of blood drained through the IV line and out of my body.

Cold crept in from everywhere at once.

I couldn't stop shaking. A low hum filled my ears, drowning out everything else.

Just when I thought I was about to die, I heard Ida's voice, surprised and sheepish.

Mr. Henson, Jessica's health isn't great. Can she really afford to give that much blood?

The doctor said it was just my period starting unexpectedly. You really didn't have to go to all that trouble.

The moment Ida's words registered, they detonated inside my skull.

I turned to Gabriel in disbelief. Tears slid down one by one, and the world went black.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

Nurses were squealing somewhere nearby.

So romantic!

The CEO of Henson Group rented an entire luxury yacht to propose

I forced myself upright and pushed open the door.

On the big screen in the hallway, a video was playing: Gabriel, proposing to Ida.

He was on one knee, eyes full of love. The sight dragged up words Bridget had once whispered to me in secret.

Jess, my brother likes you.

He even asked me behind your back what kind of proposal you'd want.

Back then, I'd told her.

I wanted a proposal on a yacht.

Gabriel had done exactly that. Just not for me.

A sharp pain tore through my chest. My phone buzzed with a surgery reminder from the hospital.

Miss Pruitt, your scheduled surgery time is approaching. Would you still like to proceed?

I walked out of the crowd and typed my reply.

Yes.

That afternoon, the heart removal surgery went smoothly.

When I woke in the hospital bed again, a steady mechanical pulse beat inside my chest.

The artificial heart. It didn't spike with grief. It didn't race with anguish.

I finally didn't have to hurt for Gabriel Henson anymore.

Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes. The phone on my bedside table rang.

Jessica. Bridget's death anniversary is in three days. You remember what you're supposed to do, same as every year?

Gabriel's voice on the line was cold, matter-of-fact.

I turned my head and looked at the heart sitting in the ice bag beside my bed. Then I answered, quiet and even.

I remember.

Bridget had loved extreme sports.

Every year on her death anniversary, Gabriel and his circle of friends forced me to attempt one.

Three years of it. I was terrified of every single one, but I clenched my teeth and did them anyway.

This year, I didn't have to force myself anymore.

Because I was about to give the heart back to him.

I hung up and stayed in the hospital until the day of Bridget's anniversary.

After checking out temporarily, I made my way to the most exclusive private cemetery in Capital City.

I'd barely reached Bridget's grave when I heard Gabriel's friends laughing among themselves.

Gabriel, we picked out an extreme sport this year that's absolutely insane!

Guaranteed to make Jessica wet herself!

You better not go soft on her when the time comes!

Me, go soft?

Why would I go soft on the woman who killed Bridget?

I wish she'd just die so we could cut Bridget's heart right out of her.

Gabriel's scornful laugh carried through the air beside me.

The artificial heart inside my chest no longer sent stabs of pain.

I carried the ice bag with the heart in it and walked forward, one step at a time.

Until Gabriel saw me.

His lips parted, cold and indifferent.

Jessica, this year they picked a real thrill ride for your extreme sport

I held out the ice bag in my hand, cutting him off.

Gabriel, I won't be doing any extreme sport this year.

Because I already had Bridget's heart cut out.

I'm giving it back to you.