All Chapters of A Soul Without Shore: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

After I heard the conversation Miles Blackwood had with his friend, Bjorn Nolan, I pretty much had to lean against the wall for support to keep myself upright. "Cassidy's lost so much because of you. She nearly died and was almost trafficked for… Anyway, you should treat her better," Bjorn said.Miles was quiet for a while. Then, he said, "Yeah. I've actually been searching for her these past few years."He fell silent briefly before continuing, "I admit I was reckless with the surgery back then. But since I've hurt her, it's only right that I take care of her now. It's my way of atoning.""Then why are you planning to implant her with that newly developed artificial kidney that hasn't even been released to the market yet? Is it really worth it to do so much for Claudia? You even give Claudia all the credit for the institute's research achievements.""She's the reason why I'm doing all this. I'm willing to give my all to see that she succeeds. No one else matters to me." Miles

Chapter 2

Enduring both physical and emotional pain, I ran away. I could feel tears wetting my pillow as I lay in bed.In my dazed state, I was utterly disconnected from the present. That was, until Miles softly pushed the door open and walked in with my medication for today."Why are you so quiet today? Is your head still hurting? I'll get someone to check on you shortly."He helped me up to lean against the headboard. As he did so, I stared at him, my cheeks still wet with tears.Tears kept falling, but I refused to tell him why I was crying. So, he gently pulled me into his embrace and gave me light pats on the back. "Are you hurting somewhere? Oh, don't cry, Cassie. It's breaking my heart!"Whenever he said such things in the past, I'd shake my head and tell him that I wasn't in pain and that he needn't worry about me. But now, I learned that he was the reason I was in so much pain. Seeing him now, I couldn't help but recall the sight of him kissing Claudia with their bodies tightly

Chapter 3

The expression on Miles' face froze for a moment. Then, he pulled me into a hug, laughing and crying at the same time."Cassie! Do you really remember now, Cassie? That's great! Do you know what's kept me going all these years? It was you and the research institute! The surgery is our last step to success. As long as you don't experience an immune rejection, we'd have succeeded. "Claudia is talented, and this is all for the advancement of humanity. Besides, you have nothing to worry about. If you experience an immune rejection, I'll perform another surgery to have it removed. I told you, I'll take care of you for the rest of your life!"His gaze on me was sincere as he repeated the words he'd said time and again, as though he was doing me a great favor for taking care of me after hurting me.I looked at him with a mirthless smile on my lips. "You know my health condition. What if I die on the operating table?""Impossible! That's utterly impossible! We've got so many doctors in t

Chapter 4

Miles took a step forward and gripped my jaw in a vise-like grip with one hand, locking me in place.I struggled to break away from his grip, but to no avail. Soon, I was left gasping for breath, my body weak and powerless.With his other hand, he took the medicine and forced it into my mouth. Then, he poured water in right after.I sputtered and coughed. "Swallow it!" he ordered.Claudia watched everything impatiently with her arms crossed. The moment the water was poured into my mouth, I stopped resisting, for the medicine had already slid into my stomach. I could feel the coldness of the water as it traveled down my throat, but at the same time, I felt a sharp, burning pain on my neck.As I lay on the bed, the world before my eyes grew dark and hazy, like a veil had been draped over it. My consciousness started to fade.I had no idea how much time had passed before a wave of searing pain swept through my entire body. I felt something restraining me, and there was something

Chapter 5

Carter brought me right back to the Swanson residence. I was in a daze as he carried me home, the wound on my lower back still aching dully.The moment my parents saw me, they broke down. Their tears were a mix of sorrow and rage. They clung to me, sobbing uncontrollably, repeating how much they had missed and worried about me.Even my father, Frank Swanson, who was usually stern and composed, couldn't hold back his tears when he saw the injuries on my body. He held my hand tightly, giving me a sliver of strength.My mother, Jodie Stewart, exclaimed, "Oh, my darling daughter! You're finally back! I've missed you!"Her tears felt warm as they splashed onto the back of my hand."I'll go get a doctor to give you a proper examination."That day, many top-tier medical experts arrived at the Swanson residence. The place bustled with people, and the most advanced equipment was brought in to run scans and diagnostics on me. Despite their efforts, the results were disheartening."Ms. S

Chapter 6

As soon as my father cut off the funding, Miles came knocking. He stood in the living room, feigning exhaustion. But his eyes brimmed with greed."Mr. and Mrs. Swanson, the research is at the most critical stage. If you stop funding us now, we'll lose hundreds of millions! Besides, this concerns the recovery of countless kidney patients. Please, I'm begging you, don't cut the funding now."The moment my mother laid eyes on him, she looked ready to tear him apart. She'd long seen through his lies and empty words."Mr. Blackwood, the Swanson family was the one that funded all the equipment for the research institute. Our intention was to support Cassie's research. But from what we know, all that money went to your stepsister instead."Something flickered in Miles' eyes. "That's not true, Mrs. Swanson! Claudia's research is at a crucial point. We just used the money to push for faster results!""Is that so?" My father clenched his fists, staring daggers at Miles. "Mr. Blackwood, I su

Chapter 7

After the men were done with her, they tossed her aside and forgot entirely about her. However, one of their wives eventually discovered the truth and confronted Claudia in her own home. Claudia was so scared she dared not step out of her house. In order to help her regain her confidence, Miles sold everything he had. Even the lab equipment was mortgaged. He also took odd jobs and was willing to do anything for money. But the moment he handed the money to Claudia, she went and splurged on a brand-new designer bag. Having grown used to luxury, there was no reining in her indulgence.As I sat in my wheelchair, Carter stayed beside me and updated me on their latest news. A faint smile tugged at my lips after I heard what he had to say. For the first time in days, I finally felt slightly better.Compared to my slow, grueling recovery, hearing of their downfall gave me far more strength. But this was only the beginning.My father had hired top medical experts from around the world to

Chapter 8

"Wait a minute!" I used one of the microphones backstage. The moment my voice rang out, the hall fell silent. Step by step, I made my way onto the stage. When Miles saw me, he staggered back in disbelief. His hands trembled slightly before he finally managed to speak. "Cassidy?"Meeting him again, I wondered what thoughts flashed through his mind in those brief seconds of hesitation. I smiled calmly, steadying myself against the podium.Miles approached me, reaching out to pull me into a hug. "I knew you'd be fine!"I fixed a cold, steely gaze on him. "Are you disappointed that I'm not dead yet?"Miles let out a mocking chuckle, and the fake smile on his face twisted into something darker. "What exactly are you up to, Cassidy? Back then, we just thought that you—""Yeah! You just thought that I was dead! Dare you tell everyone how I went through the surgery and nearly died?" I raised the microphone to my mouth and began recounting my encounters, from how I had my researc

Chapter 9

Once in the ambulance, I was promptly transported to the hospital for emergency treatment. I vaguely saw some familiar faces in the rush of things. "Cassie! Oh, my daughter!"In my dazed state, I heard my parents calling me, their voices hoarse. "Miles Blackwood deserves to die! I shouldn't have let you go to the press conference in the first place!"I felt someone gripping my hand tightly, unwilling to let go. Those voices dripped with despair. I had actually been really happy these past few months. Memories suddenly flashed through my mind—memories of how happy my parents had been when I was accepted into college, memories of when I made a significant breakthrough in my research, and memories of how Miles had said he would marry me in the future. In the end, I struggled to open my eyes, only to see Carter, whose eyes were reddened."You'll be fine soon, Cassie! Hang in there! Just hold on a little longer, okay? The doctor's already here!"My mind was a mess, but the onl

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