Chapter 3

My fists tightened.

Valerie spoke up suddenly. "Jordan, don't make things difficult for Naomi. If we're not meant to be, then so be it."

Jordan's face turned a darker shade.

It did not matter. As long as my brother lived, nothing else mattered.

I gritted my teeth and started to kneel.

Just then, a phone rang.

Jordan stepped aside to take the call.

"Naomi, don't think you can get away with this," Valerie muttered under her breath.

I glanced at her, saying nothing.

Being ignored clearly irritated her.

"Naomi, are you deaf?"

I still did not respond.

Her expression stiffened.

By then, Jordan had already hung up.

Just as he was about to turn back, Valerie suddenly let out a sharp cry.

"Ah!"

She dropped. She landed on the carpet hard.

Jordan ended the call and ran.

"Valerie, what happened?"

Valerie curled into his chest. She lifted her face. Tears were already there.

"I was just telling her… that donating bone marrow could harm your health. I told her to think carefully, but she… she hit me…"

Jordan stood up. His backhand landed across my face.

"Naomi, you make me sick.

"Tell that useless brother of yours to just wait for death."

With that, he picked Valerie up and left without another glance.

I stood there, frozen, for a long time.

Only after the burning pain on my face faded did the tears finally fall.

…

The next morning I went to the hospital with Adam's favorite noodles. He saw my face the moment I walked in.

"Naomi, what happened to you?"

"It's nothing. I wasn't paying attention and walked into something."

He reached up and rumpled my hair.

A nurse came in. "Adam, we're preparing for marrow ablation. Once that's complete, the transplant will begin immediately."

A surge of joy rose in me.

"Did you find a new match?"

She frowned. "What new match? Didn't Mr. Sutton tell you? He'll be coming this afternoon to donate."

I froze, disbelief flashing through my eyes.

After Adam was taken in for the procedure, I went to the company to thank Jordan in person.

His secretary said, "He flew out this morning with Ms. Cooper. They're seeing the fall foliage in Sunset Country."

My vision went blank for a moment.

Adam had already begun the ablation process. Once it started, there was no turning back–without a transplant, he wouldn't survive.

Panic surged through me.

I rushed back to the hospital.

Too late.

Without the marrow, Adam had nothing left in him. His body was being cleared out for nothing.

I called Jordan.

I called him until he picked up.

"I'm begging you. Please come back and save my brother–"

His voice was impatient.

"I promised Valerie we'd go see the leaves. We'll talk in a few days."

"Adam has already started the procedure!" I shouted.

Valerie's voice came through the phone.

"I was the one who called the hospital. Let him go through a few rounds first–so he won't be so nervous when the real transplant happens."

"You heard that," Jordan said flatly. "Valerie's doing this for Adam's sake."

Then he hung up.

When I called again, the phone was already switched off.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor, a wave of helplessness swallowing me whole.

At that moment, a doctor's voice rang out from down the hall–

"Where is the donor? The patient isn't going to make it!"