Chapter 6

Winona's expression softened, as if she had already moved past everything that had happened.

I knew there was no moving past it. Not for me.

"Winona. Let's end this. I don't want to get married," I said flatly.

She looked genuinely surprised, but her voice remained patient. "You're just upset. Danny and I are nothing like that. He even volunteered to be your best man. Isn't that enough?"

I let out a smile. It was the kind that meant nothing.

I didn't argue. I had three days. That was all.

…

The next morning, Winona's assistant arrived with a team of bodyguards and escorted me to the blood draw room by force.

He said Daniel had fallen from the bleachers during the wedding rehearsal with Winona and needed blood.

Inside, Winona paced, unable to stay still. Daniel sat in his wheelchair, soaking up her attention. He watched me with a look that knew exactly what it was doing.

The injury was a cut on his ankle, maybe two inches long. He had lost less than two teaspoons of blood.

Winona didn't wait for the nurse. She pushed her aside and drove the needle into my arm herself.

Her face looked apologetic, but her hands did not hesitate. "I'm sorry, Jordan. Danny fell because he was scouting the venue for you. You owe him this. You're healthy. Your body can handle losing a little blood. As soon as Danny is stable, we'll get married right away."

The blood that flowed through the tube was pink.

Winona froze. She did not understand what it meant, but she knew it was wrong.

Daniel's eyes flicked. He gripped the arms of his wheelchair and made a show of trying to stand. "Winnie, don't worry about it. I should've known Jordan wouldn't want to donate. He must have done something to make the blood come out that color. It's fine. I don't want it anyway. It's just a bit of blood loss. I can handle it."

I almost laughed. She had driven the needle in herself. What could I have done to the blood in my own veins?

Winona stood and said coldly, "Jordan, you almost had me fooled."

She turned to her assistant. "Colby, stay here and supervise. Keep drawing until the blood runs red. Don't stop."

Then she wheeled Daniel out to see the doctor.

Through the wall, I heard the doctor clearly. "The patient has mild anemia. A transfusion isn't necessary."

"It doesn't matter. I will not let anything happen to Danny," Winona replied at once.

The bodyguards around me locked down my arms and legs. I could not move.

Time passed. By 27 ounces, my veins had nearly collapsed. The flow slowed to almost nothing. The blood in the tube remained pink, even lighter than before.

The assistant's face had gone pale. He leaned toward the door. "Miss Elstein. We're at 27 ounces. But the color—"

Winona cut him off, "Not enough. Tell Jordan I will get him the best medicine and the best food to help him recover. Tell him to hold on a little longer."

I stared at nothing. I took out my phone and sent a single message to the funeral service. I asked them to come today.

Warmth left my body slowly, drawn out with every bag. At some point, my head dropped to the side, and everything went dark.

…

Half an hour later, Winona looked at the three large bags of pale pink blood the assistant carried in with shaking hands. Her expression shifted from confusion to fury.

"What is this? Are you helping him make a fool of me too?" She pushed past him to confront me herself.

The assistant's face crumpled. "Miss Elstein… didn't you know? Mr. Wilford's blood was fully drained. He's gone."