Chapter 2

“No matter what you say, you’re giving that blood!” Clara snapped, grabbing my wrist and hauling me toward the blood-drawing room.

She dragged me two meters before I stumbled to my feet. I clung to the doorframe and begged, “My friends live close by; they can be here soon. Please, just let me call them. I really can’t give blood. I’ll miscarry!”

Clara slapped me hard.

“Enough! You meet the criteria, so stop stalling. I don’t buy your stories. And if you do miscarry, fine. That means fewer kids fighting with Tricia over the family fortune.”

Though I was dizzy from the blow, I fought back because of the child in my belly.

“I won’t take a single cent from the Bresses' estate, Clara, nor will I fight Tricia for inheritance. Please spare my baby!”

Her expression hardened with annoyance when she saw me resisting.

“You’re so scheming. Who knows if you’ll pretend to cooperate now, then secretly take labor-inducing pills and deliver early? No, that child can’t stay. Even if Martin found out, he’d back me.”

She cut me off, called two bodyguards over, and had me escorted straight into the blood-drawing room.

When the cold needle pierced my vein, I closed my eyes and trembled.

The doctor drew 400cc of my blood. As he prepared to remove the needle, Clara frowned and demanded, “This isn’t enough. Draw more!”

The doctor protested, uneasy. “But drawing more would be dangerous.”

Clara waved him off. “It’s okay. She’s healthy, so take more. I only worry that Tricia won’t have enough.”

I grew weaker with every drop. Even if the guards loosened their grip, I wouldn’t have the strength to struggle. Through tears, I begged ‌Clara, “No more. My stomach hurts. Please tell the doctor to stop!”

However, Clara only ordered the guards to clamp a handkerchief over my mouth and coldly told the doctor, “Keep drawing! If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility. Do it!”

The doctor withdrew the syringe in fear, shaking his head. “No, she’s reached the limit where it’s safe. If we take more, she could go into shock. I can’t do that.”

Clara snatched the syringe from his hand and plunged it into my arm herself, forcing the full 1000cc out.

“What are you afraid of? I told you I’ll take responsibility! My brother is the don.”

Blood loss hit me hard. The world dimmed, I went limp, and two guards caught me before I collapsed.

Clara glared at me. “Stop faking it. A little blood won’t kill you. I’m not Martin. I won’t be fooled by your act.”

She had the guards lock me in the walk-in freezer.

“The cold will reduce dizziness from the blood loss. Once Tricia doesn’t need more blood, you can come out. It’s for your own good.”

“No, don’t! I’ll die if you leave me here.”

Nausea and dizziness pushed me toward the freezer door. I tried to wedge the iron door open, but the mechanism pinched and crushed two of my fingers.

The pain was white-hot, nearly making me faint.

A growing, heavy pain settled low in my abdomen, and warm liquid began to flow between my legs.

Terror washed over me. I wanted to pull out my phone to call for help, but my pockets were empty.

Clara had taken it from me when I wasn’t looking!