001_The Blood Debt

Avery’s POV

The fluorescent lights in the recovery room were humming in a way that made my head feel like it was splitting open. I could still feel the cold sting in my vein where the nurse had just finished drawing a pint of my blood.

I had been doing this every month for three years because Julian told me his sister was dying of a rare condition, and since I was the only one who matched her blood type, I never said no.

I leaned back against the thin pillow trying to reach for the water on the side table; but my hand was shaking so hard I almost knocked the glass over.

The door swung open with a bang and Julian walked in, but he didn't have flowers or even a look of concern on his face.

He was wearing a custom suit that cost more than most people made in a year, and he looked perfectly composed while I sat there feeling like a ghost. He didn't even say hello; he just pulled a thick envelope out of his jacket and tossed it onto my lap, right on top of the fresh bandage on my arm.

"Sign those now, Avery. I have a car waiting and I don't have time to argue about the details," he said, his voice so flat it felt like he was talking to a stranger at a bus stop.

I looked down and saw the word Divorce in bold black letters at the top of the page. For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

"Julian? It’s our anniversary today. I just spent an hour in that chair giving blood for your sister because you said she was in a crisis. Why are you giving me these?"

Julian walked over to the window and looked out at the parking lot. He didn't even bother to turn around when he spoke.

"My sister is fine, Avery. In fact, she’s been fine for years. That blood wasn't going to her. It was going to Sarah."

The name hit me like a physical punch to the stomach. Sarah was his ex-girlfriend, the woman everyone said he never truly got over.

"Sarah? You told me she moved to London years ago."

"She came back three years ago with a heart condition, and you were the only match we could find who wouldn't go running to the press about it," Julian said as he finally turned to face me, his eyes completely cold.

"I used you. I needed a steady supply of blood to keep her stable while she waited for a transplant, and marrying you was the easiest way to keep you under my roof and under my control. But she got her surgery last week and she’s recovering perfectly, so the charade is over. I don't need you anymore."

I felt a surge of heat on my face that wasn't just sadness—it was pure, unfiltered rage.

"You turned me into a human medical supply for your mistress? I gave up my life to be your wife. I handled your PR, I managed your household, and I even helped you secure the Thorne merger by using my connections!"

Julian laughed, a sharp sound that made my skin crawl. "The Thorne merger happened because of my talent, not your 'connections.' You were a placeholder, Avery. You were a quiet, convenient girl who filled a role while the woman I actually loved was getting better. Now, sign the papers. I’ve already moved Sarah into the villa, and your things are sitting in a storage unit on the edge of town."

What the... I couldn't think straight.

Was this really happening?

Well, it was. It was happening. It really was.

Slowly, I grabbed the pen from the table, my hands finally steady; but not because I was calm. I signed my name in big, jagged letters and shoved the folder back at him.

"There. You have your papers. But don't think for one second that you’re keeping the Sterling reputation intact after this."

Julian tucked the folder under his arm and looked at me with a smirk. "Check the news, Avery. I’ve already released a statement saying you’ve been struggling with 'mental instability' due to the stress of being a billionaire’s wife. I told the media you’re going away to a private facility to recover. Anything you say now will just sound like the ramblings of a sick woman."

With the smirk widening, he walked towards the door and paused with his hand on the knob. "Oh, and I froze the bank accounts this morning. I left fifty dollars in your purse so you can catch a cab to whatever cheap motel you can find. Don't bother coming to the office. Security has orders to remove you on sight."

With those words, he shut the door. I listened until I heard his footsteps fade down the hallway.

And then, that was when it came. I leaned forward, tears spilling from the corners of my eyes like a dam let loose.

I hadn't just given him years of my life, I had given him my heart. All of it. I loved him. I had loved that bastard, and yet he had done what—use me?

The thought broke me into a thousand pieces.

Memories of the years I spent longing for his heart as I gave him mine came flooding my mind.

I was sad, hurt, and... Furious.

I wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily.

I was going to make him pay...

...Big time.

After minutes of letting salt water stain my face, I wiped it away. Then I reached into the hidden pocket of my bag and pulled out a small, encrypted phone. It's been a while since I used it. I guess it was time. I dialed a number I hadn't called since the day I met Julian.

"This is Avery," I said as soon as someone picked up. "The marriage is over. Tell the board of directors at the Thorne Syndicate that I'm coming back to take my seat. And tell them to start shortening Sterling Global stock. I want Julian to watch his net worth vanish before he even gets home to his mistress."

With those words out of my lips, I ended the call.

I stood up and ripped the IV tape off my arm. I didn't care that a little bit of blood dripped onto the white hospital floor. I walked out of that room and I didn't look back.

Julian thought he had used me and thrown me away, but he forgot one very important thing: I was the one who built the foundation he was standing on, and I knew exactly which brick to pull to make the whole thing come crashing down on his head.