Chapter 1

Martin Bress hauled me into the hospital and insisted I give Tricia Gambino a blood transfusion.

“Sam was butchered in that fight protecting me. Tricia’s carrying Sam’s baby. We can’t afford to risk both of them!”

I told him I was pregnant and couldn’t donate. When I reached for my pregnancy report, it wasn’t in my bag.

Martin scowled, impatient.

“Cut it out. You were out running every day last week. How could you be pregnant? Tricia’s in the ER waiting for blood. That’s two lives on the line!”

When I finally found the report and held it up to show him, his sister Clara stepped in, sneering. “Martin is in the ER with Tricia! Go donate blood and don’t pull any tricks.”

I handed Clara the six-week pregnancy report.

“Clara, I’m carrying your brother’s child. The doctor said my pregnancy is unstable, and I need bed rest. I can’t give blood. I have friends with the same blood type as Tricia. I can call them.”

Clara took the paper, eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What a coincidence that you’re suddenly pregnant when Tricia needs blood. I don’t buy it.”

She snatched the report, glanced at it, and a mocking smile curled her lips.

“What kind of dump clinic is this from? You skipped the Bresses’ private hospital to go to some unknown clinic? Rosie, you’re conniving, aren’t you, faking a report?!”

I tried to explain, voice shaking. “I’m not lying. I felt unwell at the mall, so I stopped at the nearest clinic. I thought it was just a stomach bug, but it turned out I was pregnant. If you don’t believe me, I can go to our hospital for another test—”

Before I could finish, she slapped me hard across the face.

“I knew you were competitive! You always have to compete with Tricia, even for childbirth! The Bresses’ firstborn must be Tricia’s. Our next heir must come from her!”

She tore the report in half in front of me. “Pregnant or not, you will give Tricia your blood. Her life matters more, and she’s already lost Sam. Our family inheritance will go to her!”

Her phone buzzed. It was Martin calling.

She answered theatrically in front of me. “Martin, the pregnancy report is fake. She bought off a shady clinic!”

She shot me a warning look and feigned outrage.

“She lied. She’s not pregnant. She just doesn’t want to donate to Tricia.”

Anger flared in Martin’s voice through the line.

“She went running last week. How could she be pregnant? Bring her to the blood-drawing room now. If anything happens to Tricia or the baby, I won’t let it go!”

“No, Martin, I’m not lying…”

Tears blurred my vision as I argued weakly.

The clinic doctor had warned me that too much exercise might threaten my early pregnancy. I had signs of miscarriage and needed rest.

However, everyone’s attention was on Tricia. No one cared about my baby.

I begged Clara through my tears, “Let me call my friends. They share Tricia’s blood type and can donate. Please, I really can’t give blood now!”

Clara kicked me hard. I staggered, knees hitting the marble floor with a dull thud.

“Don’t play games. You’re just stalling to make Tricia miss her window for rescue. How cruel can you be? Even if you are pregnant, our family fortune won’t go to you!”