Chapter 3

After a rough, jarring ride, Sophie was rushed into the ER.

The doctors took her stretcher at once and turned to send Daniel off for treatment for his burns.

He shoved the nurse aside, panic breaking through his composure.

“Forget about me, I’ll live. Treat my wife first! She has no pre-existing conditions. She just gave birth a month ago, type A blood!”

Moments later, after examining Sophie, the doctor’s expression turned grim.

“Captain Hart, your wife has lost too much blood. She needs a transfusion immediately, but our blood bank is empty.

“It’ll take at least a week to get more in. She won’t last that long. You might have to… call in a favor and request blood from your unit’s emergency reserve. There’s still time.”

But Daniel fell into a long silence.

With what little strength she had left, Sophie forced her eyes open a fraction. She heard the aide lower his voice.

“Captain, what are you waiting for? Look at her, she’s bleeding out. Just give the order!”

Daniel closed his eyes, his voice low and strained.

“How am I supposed to give that order? Have you forgotten—after I gave Sophie’s child to Clara, I already used my record to keep everyone at the hospital quiet?”

“The paperwork for the baby isn’t even done yet. If I don’t keep control of this, what happens when the truth comes out?

“Clara will find out everything. She’s already lost so much. How is she supposed to survive losing another child? I won’t let her take that risk. I can’t.”

The words cut cold and deep, piercing straight through Sophie’s heart.

“Daniel… how could you be this cruel…”

She was hanging by a thread, and all he cared about was whether Clara might lose the child.

What about her?

Even before this, she had already lost two pregnancies.

Her body had been too weak and malnourished.

Each time, the moment she learned she was pregnant, it ended in blood.

She was afraid he would blame himself, that it would affect his work, so she said nothing, swallowing all the pain and grief alone.

And now, was she about to become just another pool of blood, dying before she could even leave?

Sophie felt her blood slipping away, drop by drop, taking her warmth with it.

Despair closed in, inch by inch.

Just then, Clara rushed in.

Without hesitation, she rolled up her sleeve. “Doctor, take my blood! I’m a match! I can save her!”

Daniel’s brows knit together as he quickly pulled her back.

“Clara, what are you doing?”

“You just gave birth. You haven’t even recovered yet. You can’t donate blood!”

Clara shook him off, her gaze unwavering.

“Daniel, let me do this. She got hurt because she was making soup for me. When she’s in danger, I should be the one to step forward.”

Daniel’s eyes reddened instantly, his expression full of pain.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Clara had already followed the nurses, pushing Sophie’s stretcher into the emergency room.

She glanced down at Sophie and gave her a gentle smile.

“All these years, I’ve never forgotten how well Daniel’s treated me. Let me repay some of that to you.”

The blood flowed through the tube, slowly entering Sophie’s body. She felt a faint return of strength, and a flicker of gratitude stirred in her chest.

What Daniel had done was his choice; it had nothing to do with Clara.

Sophie forced her eyes open, wanting to say thank you.

But suddenly, a chill ran through her body.

Her chest tightened as if a weight had been dropped onto it. Her face drained of color, and even breathing became difficult.

The nurse yanked out the transfusion line and shouted, “Miss, did you lie about your blood type?!

“Doctor! Doctor! The patient is having a hemolytic reaction. We need to resuscitate immediately!”

As the nurse rushed out to call for help, Clara’s gentle expression vanished.

A cold smile curled on her lips as she said, “Go. To. Hell.”

“Only if you’re gone will Daniel belong to me alone.”

Sophie’s eyes widened.

Clara had done this on purpose.

But she couldn’t speak.

Her body convulsed, her vision went black, and she lost consciousness completely.