Chapter 1
Unbeknownst to Caleb Grey, I received a heart transplant from his first love.
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While everyone thought I was dead, I was relaxing on a beach of some tropical island, basking in the sunshine.
Until one day, Caleb discovered that my urn actually contained milk powder instead of ashes.
Oh no, everything has completely fallen apart.
At the age of seven, I discovered I was immortal.
My father was an alcoholic who, after drinking too much, would repeatedly smash empty bottles against my head until they shattered, leaving glass fragments scattered across the floor.
I could clearly feel the blood draining from my body drop by drop, making me shiver from the cold.
Just when I thought I was about to die, a warm current suddenly filled my entire body. At that critical moment between life and death, my body regained its vitality.
So when Scarlett Reed proposed that I give her my heart, I nodded without hesitation.
IMPOTAMIA
UMAAN
Chapter 1
It was just a heart, after all. I wouldn’t die, and I could save someone’s life–what was there to refuse?
I lay on the cold operating table, feeling the anesthesia slowly being pushed into my body as my consciousness gradually faded.
But in that moment, the first person who appeared in was still Caleb.
I met him when I was eighteen, working at a bar.
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my
mind
After my father passed away, I could only work part–time during school breaks to earn money. To make ends meet, I became a server at a bar.
The place had all sorts of people, but the pay was good–it was the only job that would allow me to save enough for living expenses before summer break ended.
That night, Caleb was completely drunk. His first words to me were: “I want to keep you.”
I nodded in agreement without any hesitation.
My decisiveness surprised everyone present, including Caleb.
Nobody turns down money, especially when the patron offering to keep me was young, handsome, and wealthy.
From any perspective, it seemed like I was getting the better end
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of the deal.
That night, he took me to his large apartment in the city center. The place was enormous–I had only seen such homes on television before.
I couldn’t help looking around curiously. But even this subtle gesture made Caleb frown.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Natalie Stone.”
Natalie… quite a unique name.”
I smiled shyly, trying my best to act the part of someone being kept.
“Give me your account number. I’ll deposit money regularly. I’ll notify you before I come over. There’s a housekeeper here during the day–if you need anything, just tell her.”
He continued methodically: “I like piano music. You’ll take two piano lessons every week, and I’ll evaluate your progress in a month. If you don’t pass, our arrangement ends.” Living in a big house with no worries about tuition or living expenses, plus free piano lessons–I felt incredibly lucky.
I immediately promised Caleb that I wouldn’t disappoint him.
Before leaving, he looked at me several times. However, his gaze
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seemed to be looking through me, as if seeing someone else.
I didn’t mind any of this.
And so I stayed with Caleb, year after year, from eighteen until twenty–four. When I looked at the balance in my bank account, thoughts of faking my death gradually formed in my mind. After all, my dream had always been to live without worries and become successful.
I’d already achieved success, but I hadn’t yet reached the point of being worry–free.
Just as I was contemplating whether a car accident, drowning, or jumping from a building would be the best way to fake my death, Caleb’s true love returned.
