Chapter 3

When Nolan saw me lying in a pool of blood, he waved his men out and pulled me into his arms in a panic.

"Aria, Aria!"

When Nolan came in, Christine panicked for a split second. Then she forced out a few tears, looking fragile and guilty.

"I'm so sorry, Nolan. I just wanted to come see Aria and thank her. I never thought she'd react so violently."

Nolan pulled himself together and asked her, "How did this happen?"

Christine's voice was still thick with tears. "Aria insisted on going to find you. I never thought she'd fall getting out of bed and hit the table. Nolan, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."

Nolan sighed and comforted Christine in a soft voice. "I'm just glad you're okay, Christine. It's not your fault."

Listening to Nolan worry about Christine, I realized the pain in my back was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.

I was rushed back to the ER. Because I'd only recently given birth, many medications weren't an option for me. As the doctor treated my wounds, the pain kept jolting me awake, only for me to black out again.

In a daze, I heard the doctor speak. "Mr. Harris, your wife has lost too much blood. She needs an emergency transfusion, but the blood bank is running low on her type. We need to find a donor right away."

Nolan's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "Find someone with her blood type. I'll pay whatever it takes!"

Christine suddenly grabbed Nolan's arm.

"Nolan, Aria and I have the same blood type. Let me give her my blood."

The room went still.

I heard Nolan refuse almost immediately. "No, Christine. You just lost your child, and you're still weak. I can't let you take any more risks."

My heart ached so badly I thought it would shatter.

In the seven years I'd been married to Nolan, I'd been pregnant before.

The first time, I was too inexperienced to realize I was pregnant. Working such long hours every day caused me to miscarry.

The second time I got pregnant, Nolan got hurt at the docks. I took care of him day and night, and my already weak body couldn't give the baby the nutrients it needed. The baby's heart stopped beating inside me.

I could feel warm blood flowing into my body and draining right back out. I started to slip away.

Just when I thought I was going to die, I heard Christine's voice again.

She pleaded with Nolan in that fake voice of hers. "Nolan, Aria only got hurt because I showed up. Please, let me save her."

But Nolan firmly refused. "Christine, I won't let anything else happen to you."

Christine was strangely insistent on saving me. "Nolan, if you don't let me in there, God will never forgive me."

In the end, they gave me Christine's blood after all.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Christine smiling down at me, smug and cruel.

Her sharp nails dug into my skin, and I didn't even have the strength to move my arm.

She leaned close to my ear, her voice soft and cruel. "Aria, how does it feel to have my blood running through your veins? Don't worry. I won't let you die that easily. I want you alive so you can see how happy Nolan and I are. So you can hear your baby call me Mommy.

"And you'll be the crazy woman he hates more than anyone."

I stared at Christine, wide-eyed, tears streaming down my face.

My wound tore open again, and the pain knocked me out. When I woke up, I heard Christine's sickeningly sweet voice beside me.

"Thank God, Aria, you're finally awake."

Christine had her arm linked through Nolan's and was crying tears of joy. The concern in her eyes seemed genuine.

"Nolan, Aria's okay. Thank goodness."