Chapter 2

I lay on the operating table as my vital signs finally began to stabilize. Just as the doctor came in with a unit of blood to start the transfusion, the operating room doors were shoved open.

Rosa walked in, snatched the blood bag from the doctor's hands, and demanded, "All of you, get out."

The doctor glanced at me before trying one last time to reason with her. "Signorina, Signora Muratori has lost too much blood. We can't delay the transfusion any longer. If we do, her life will be in danger."

A smile appeared on Rosa's face. She then drew a pistol and pressed the barrel against the doctor's head. "I won't repeat myself. Get out."

She strolled over to my side, smug. "Anna, do you have any idea how long I've been planning for today?"

A terrifying knot formed in my stomach. "Don't touch me."

"Don't touch you?"

Amused, she laughed even harder. The next second, she slammed her hand down onto my wound. The stitches that had just been closed tore open again. Pain exploded through me, and I nearly blacked out.

Rosa watched me writhe in agony with unconcealed satisfaction. "So? Guglielmo didn't believe a single word you said, did he?"

It hit me all at once. "It wasn't a rival family who tried to kill me… It was you."

She smiled. "Bingo. I hired someone to take you out. The only thing I didn't account for was that the hitman wasn't good enough. He missed your vital organs by an inch, which, by the way, is the only reason why you're able to bark at me right now."

I parted my lips weakly. "Touch me, and he won't let you off the hook."

Rosa laughed. "Who? Are you talking about Guglielmo? Keep dreaming. Do you honestly think he'd believe you over me? Besides, I'm not about to give you a chance to speak to him."

Enzo burst into the operating room. When he saw Rosa, panic flashed across his face. "Signorina, you can't hurt Signora Muratori."

She shot him a cold glare. "Disobeying my orders, huh? Drag him out."

With that, several bodyguards rushed in and forcibly took Enzo out of the operating room.

Another wave of blinding pain ripped through me. Rosa had pressed down on my wound again.

"Anna, do you know why I went to all this trouble? Guglielmo casually mentioned your blood type one day. That was when I realized that ours are the same. We're a perfect bone marrow match.

"So, Anna, just take pity on me, a leukemia patient. Without a bone marrow transplant, I'll die."

I stared at Rosa in disbelief. So, that was it. She had orchestrated everything because she wanted my bone marrow.

My breathing was weak. "How will you explain to Guglielmo… about my sudden death?"

She chuckled. "I won't have to explain a thing. In fact, he'll even find me the best surgeons to perform the transplant. As for you… You're just an orphan. Who's going to care?"

As soon as she finished speaking, several doctors were marched into the operating room at gunpoint, bodyguards flanking them on both sides.

The front man was one of the country's top surgeons. Just as Rosa had bragged, Guglielmo had spared no expense to secure the best medical team to carry out her plan.

To ensure the bone marrow was harvested in its best condition, she refused to let them give me any anesthesia. Instead, she ordered the bodyguards to pin me down.

I felt every needle pierce my skin, every second of pain agonizingly clear.

Meanwhile, my phone screen kept lighting up. Message after message from my parents filled the lockscreen.

"Don't be scared, Anna. Papa is coming. I've brought the men, and we're on the way to the hospital. Just hang in there for another ten minutes!"

I weakly closed my eyes. It was too late. I watched as the surgeon drew my bone marrow and sealed it inside a medical transport case.

Rosa glanced at it, a satisfied smile tugging at her lips.

Just as she turned to leave with her people, the operating room doors swung open once again. Guglielmo stood in the doorway, shock exploding in his eyes.