Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She had been sitting on the smooth boulder that jutted out over the pool, her bare feet dangling in the cool water and his arms were wrapped around her from behind, pulling her back against his solid body. 

"You've been avoiding me," he had murmured against her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. 

"Three days, little mouse. Three days without a word."*

*She had tried to turn in his arms, but he held her fast, his grip gentle but unyielding. "Klaus, I—"*

"Are you angry with me?" His voice had been softer then, uncertain in a way that didn't suit the confident bully she knew him to be.

 "About what happened in the library? About... your first time?"*

"I'm not angry," she had whispered, finally managing to turn in his arms so she could face him. "But Klaus, this has to stop. Whatever this is between us—it has to end."*

His expression had darkened, those green eyes filled with something dangerous as it hardened. "Why?"*

"You know why." She had pressed her palms against his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath her hands. "My family... they've arranged a marriage. Thomas Blackwood. The engagement will be announced next month."

"So?" His fingers had tangled in her hair, tilting her face up to meet his eyes.

 "What does that have to do with us? With this?"*

"Everything." The word came out of her mouth with a broken sob.

"Klaus, I can't... I won't be his wife while still belonging to you. It wouldn't be fair to anyone."*

"Belonging to me?" His smile had froze, on his face as he looked at her with a hint of fear and alarm in his eyes. "Is that what you think this is?"*

She had wanted to say yes. Had wanted to tell him that every fiber of her wanted to be with him, but she knew better. Klaus was her bully, she was a plaything to him and she had ended up giving him her prized possession. She could not drag him down with her. Her mind resolved she looked away and said.

"Our arrangement is over," she had said, the words tasting like ash in her mouth. "After tonight, we can't see each other anymore."*

"Ambelyn!"

Thomas's sharp voice cut through the memory like a blade, jerking her back to the present quickly as she blinked rapidly, realizing she was still in Klaus's hands.

"Stop throwing yourself at men," Thomas snarled, his face flushed with embarrassment and rage. "Have you no shame?"

The words hit her like a slap, but it was Niklaus's reaction that truly shattered her. Those stormy green eyes went blank, cold, and acting like he didn't recognize her. He let her go quickly as if touching her had contaminated him.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice sounding polite yet neutral which hi harder than any insult would have, and stepped aroun her like she was nothing  more than an obstacle in his path, his entourage of dark-suited security personnel falling into step behind him.

Ambelyn watched him walk away, her heart breaking with each step he took. Six years, and he looked at her like a stranger. Six years, and she still felt like that girl pressed against the library shelves, breathless and wanting and completely out of her depth.

Hot tears pricked at her eyes, and she wiped them away with shaking hands. She couldn't afford to break down now. Not here, not in front of Thomas and his satisfied smirk. Not when Iniko needed her to be strong.

The drive to the hospital passed in a blur of traffic lights and honking horns.

Ambelyn's hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles went white, but she forced herself to focus on the road ahead. Soon, this would all be over. Soon, Iniko would have his surgery, and they could start rebuilding their lives.

Dr. Martinez was waiting in his office, just as they had arranged. He looked up as she knocked, his kind face creasing with what she hoped was anticipation.

"Mrs. Blackwood," he said, rising from behind his desk. "Please, come in. Do you have the authorization forms?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly, practically thrusting the papers at him. "Thomas signed them. We can proceed with the surgery now, can't we? How soon can we schedule it?"

Dr. Martinez took the forms, but his expression didn't brighten as she had expected. Instead, something that looked suspiciously like pity that passed across his face.

"Mrs. Blackwood," he said gently, "I'm afraid there's been a development."

The words hit her like ice water. "What kind of development?"

"The organ we had reserved for Iniko... I'm afraid it's no longer available." He set the papers down carefully, as he ent on speaking.

"Your husband contacted us earlier today and authorized its transfer to another patient."

The room seemed to tilt around her. "What?"

"The heart was given to Lucas Blackwood approximately three hours ago," Dr. Martinez continued, his voice growing softer with each word. "The surgery was successful. The boy is expected to make a full recovery."

Ambelyn felt as if she had been shot. The breath left her lungs in a rush, and black spots danced at the edges of her vision. Lucas—Veronica's son, Thomas's precious heir—had received the heart that was meant for Iniko.

"But he wasn't even on the waiting list," she whispered. "Lucas was never that sick. He just had a minor heart murmur, the doctors said—"

"Mr. Blackwood provided additional medical documentation this afternoon," Dr. Martinez explained, though his tone suggested he found the story that Thomas had given him a fib as well.

"It appears the condition was more serious than initially diagnosed."

The lie was so transparent, so cruel, that for a moment Ambelyn couldn't process it. Thomas had never intended to help Iniko. Even as she had stood outside his office, listening to him and Veronica together, he had already made his choice. Her humiliation had been for nothing.

Her legs gave out then, and she collapsed to the floor of the doctor's office, not knowing what to do now.

She could hear Dr. Martinez calling for assistance, could feel hands lifting her, voices asking if she was all right.

"I'm fine," she managed, though the words came out as a croak, from her suddenly parched throat. 

"I'm fine. I just... I need to see my son."

"Mrs. Blackwood, perhaps you should rest for a moment—"

"No." She pulled herself upright with effort, declining the wheelchair a nurse had brought. "I need to see Iniko now."