Chapter 1

I had been coming to this hospital to donate blood for Nicole Hayes for ten years already. I was so familiar with the place that I could find the transfusion room even with my eyes closed.

This was the eleventh year. While I was donating blood, our conversations had finally led to wedding preparations.

However, when I handed Nicole a selection of potential wedding venues, she did not even bother to lift her eyes to look at me. She responded with clear impatience, brushing it off casually.

Then, the male nurse assisting with the transfusion, Jayden, suddenly spoke, “Are you two getting married because of the blood donations?

“The hospital has a donor compensation policy. Each donation comes with a thousand-dollar stipend. Over the last ten years, this guy must have made at least $200,000 off you.

“Miss Hayes, you wouldn’t get tricked into marrying someone because of emotional pressure while unknowingly being treated like a cash cow, would you?”

His voice was not loud, but it was just enough for Nicole’s parents, who were accompanying her, to hear.

In an instant, I could feel their gazes on me change. Even Nicole’s expression turned colder.

I was about to explain that I had never taken a single cent of that so-called compensation, but before the words even left my mouth, Jayden had already removed the needle. “All done.

“Oh, right. Miss Hayes, Dr. Collins asked you to go to the consultation room after your transfusion.”

Nicole did not even glance at me when she heard that. She stood up and followed Jayden toward the consultation room.

Her parents shot me a glare before following them out as well.

I had just finished donating blood. My body was still weak, with barely any strength left in me. I could only sit there, watching them leave.

I lowered my head and looked at the wedding venue options still open on my phone. I could not help but let out a bitter smile.

Me, using Nicole as a cash cow and making $200,000 off her?

In all these ten years, I did not gain a single cent. In fact, I had poured nearly all my savings into treating her illness!

Nicole and I started dating in our second year of university.

Her family was local, and her parents strongly opposed her relationship with someone from out of town like me. They tried to break us up more than fifty times.

At their worst, during my campaign for student council president, they filed a complaint against me, accusing me of being vain and clinging to someone above my status.

Although the accusation was false, I was kicked out of the election because of it.

After that incident, Nicole argued fiercely with her parents and even threatened to cut ties with them if they continued interfering.