Chapter 5

Claire felt her body deflating in an instant. The heavy burden weighing on her heart like a rock was lifted.

With that, she staggered to her feet and walked toward the ward, only to stop when she remembered her head had just been shaved. In a fit of panic, she reached for a hat to cover her shaved head and held back tears before entering the ward.

Elizabeth was lying peacefully on the hospital bed. All the color had been drained out of her face, and she looked so frail it seemed as if a mere gust of wind would blow her away.

The doctor informed Claire, “The patient has only suffered a shock. However, her condition has worsened, and you have to prepare for a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible before time runs out for her.”

Claire wept silently.

She knew her bone marrow was incompatible with Elizabeth’s. All they could do was wait for a suitable donor to come along.

They had been waiting to no avail for three years already.

Seeing her reaction, the doctor sighed hesitantly before revealing the truth. “I know I should keep this to myself, but the truth is that we’ve managed to find a suitable bone marrow transplant for your sister a long time ago. However, it was Mr. Kent’s PA, Ms. Spencer, who stepped in and forbade us from following through with the transplant…”

Claire felt like she was going to faint.

“The hospital is owned by the Kents. Since Ms. Spencer is the foster daughter of the Kents, nobody dared to defy her orders. We had our hands tied.”

Meanwhile, Bonnie, who was outside the ward, flashed a smug grin at Claire.

Claire felt a shiver run through her body. It felt as if her strength had been sapped away.

She asked feebly, “What will it take for you to let Elizabeth get a bone marrow transplant?”

She knew Bonnie had always had something against her. She never imagined that this entire time, Bonnie was the one who was stopping the bone marrow transplant from going through. She was the reason Elizabeth had to suffer for so long.

If not for her, Elizabeth would have recovered by now. She would get to attend her classes, exams, and play sports just like any ordinary high schooler.

It was Bonnie who did this to Elizabeth.

Her knees buckled, causing her to fall to the floor. She pleaded, “I’m your enemy. Please, leave Elizabeth out of this. I’ll do whatever you want.

“I’ll leave the city. I’ll even go overseas if you want me to, and I will never show up in front of Adonis again as long as you let Elizabeth go.”

Claire had no other choice.

The Kents were the masters of the city. Since Bonnie was the adopted daughter of the Kents, she had the family’s strength and influence at her disposal.

Adonis was the only one Claire could hope to count on, but he was no help at all.

Bonnie sneered, “Knowing Ady’s personality, if I let you leave like that, he would not have it because he would not allow someone just walking away from him. I wouldn’t be stupid enough to let you become the ideal, unattainable perfection in his eyes.

“If you want me to let your sister have a transplantation, there’s only one thing I need you to do.”

With that, Bonnie handed Claire a picture.

“This man is Ady’s business rival. He’s a sixty-year-old man, and word is that he loves beautiful young women more than anything else. He loves the submissive kind especially.

“I’m sure you, of all people, would know how to please him. If you make him happy, I’ll let your sister have the transplant. How about that?”

When Claire stared at the picture of the obese, hideous man, a shiver ran through her.

Bonnie was trying to ruin her not just physically, but emotionally as well.

She had no alternatives.

She bit her lip so hard that she ended up drawing blood. Then, she caved. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

As long as Elizabeth could live, she was willing to do anything. A life for a life.

That night, she felt numb when she walked into the hotel.

She had changed into the outfit Bonnie had provided for her and curled up in the corner of the couch to compose herself.

“It won’t take long… it won’t take long…”

The door suddenly burst open.

She recoiled and instinctively closed her eyes from fear.

Within seconds, she felt herself yanked up violently from the couch.

When she opened her eyes, she was met with Adonis, who wore a dark scowl.

“Claire? It really is you!”

When he noticed the seductive nightgown Claire was wearing, he became furious.

“When I was told you were spotted at a hotel, I didn’t believe it at first.

“Are you so desperate for attention that you would go to another man the moment we break up? Is that the kind of cheap woman you are?”

Claire could no longer contain herself.

All the emotions she had bottled up for days erupted at once.

She shoved Adonis away, then shouted with her voice cracking, “Yes, I’m a cheap woman, and I’m desperate! But what does that make of you?

“You were the one who called for the breakup in the first place and insisted that we should stay out of each other's lives! Can you even count the number of women you’ve been with in the last three years we have been together? Why am I not allowed to be with another man?”

Adonis clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked.

With one vicious gesture, he flung Claire onto the bed.

“If I had known you were such a cheap woman, I never would have gotten involved with you in the first place! You’re desperate for touch, aren’t you? If it’s all about the money, you might as well service me instead of someone else!

“I’ve got plenty of money. How many times can I sleep with you, and for how much?”

With that, he smacked bundles of cash against Claire’s face. The sharp edges of freshly printed cash cut against her cheeks and drew blood.

Claire was shaking when she tried to push him away. “Adonis, you’re an animal!”

Adonis held her in a death grip, completely subduing her.

He handled her with such violence that it was akin to torture. When it was all over, Claire dropped numbly onto the bed.

Her tears had soaked into the sheets.

Then, her phone rang. It was a call from the hospital.

“Ms. Monroe, you’ve got to come to the hospital immediately! Elizabeth just jumped off the roof!”