Inside the upscale hospital suite, a phone buzzed repeatedly on the table, ignored as the couple nearby remained fully absorbed in their heated embrace.
"Gavin, Bethany keeps calling you again. Tell me, between the two of us, who matters more to you?"
The woman's expression was playful and seductive—she was Nicole Nelson, Bethany's half-sister.
Gavin silenced the phone and pulled her closer, his tone full of indulgence. "You, obviously. Bethany is unbearably boring—she can't compare to you at all. The only reason I've stayed with her is because she's supposed to inherit part of your family's shares. Without that, she wouldn't even be worth my time."
A calculating light flickered in Nicole's eyes. "Those shares are still in the hands of her unstable mother. Bethany won't receive anything until she marries, but honestly, that day will never come."
"Why not?" Gavin asked, intrigued.
"If Shirley dies before Bethany marries, the shares will revert to my father for redistribution." Nicole's lips curved into a cold smile. "Shirley has leukemia, right? And guess who just happens to be a perfect donor match?"
Just as Bethany reached for the door, her movement froze as a dreadful realization began to form in her mind.
"It's me!" Nicole laughed smugly. "Bethany would never guess that the donor is actually me. As long as I refuse, her mother has no choice but to wait for death. And once she's gone, I'll have my father transfer those shares straight into my name."
"You're brilliant, baby," Gavin said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "So, will you be my girl?"
Nicole tapped his chest lightly, smiling. "I've belonged to you for a long time now. Isn't the answer obvious?"
Their gazes met, filled with mutual understanding, before they drew each other close and kissed with intensity.
Outside the room, Bethany watched them, fury blazing in her eyes as a bitter metallic taste rose in her throat.
So it had all been nothing but deception.
Every word Gavin had spoken about loving her had been false. Even the donor who meant to save her mother was part of a lie. It had all been carefully planned.
The future they were so eagerly anticipating would be built upon her mother's death.
This was something she could never forgive.
A cold resolve formed within her—she would make them pay for this.
Casting one last venomous glance inside, Bethany turned and left in silence, heading toward the transplant unit upstairs.
Inside, Shirley lay asleep on the bed, an IV needle inserted into the back of her hand. After she underwent conditioning, her body had grown so frail that she could hardly sustain basic life functions without the IV.
Bethany remained outside the glass door, watching her as the doctor's message echoed repeatedly in her mind.
Without the transplant, Shirley wouldn't survive beyond a week.
Bethany didn't allow herself a moment of hesitation and began dialing every contact she had.
Nicole would never agree to donate, and Gavin, the man she once believed was her last hope, had proven himself to be nothing more than a cruel liar.
She was left with no option but to find another solution.
Yet among countless people, locating a compatible bone marrow donor on such short notice was nearly impossible.
Slowly, the first light of dawn began to appear.
Bethany had exhausted every contact in her list, but none of them could help.
A heavy knocking sound suddenly broke the silence, and Bethany lifted her head.
At some point, Shirley had climbed out of bed. Separated by the thick glass door, she was striking it repeatedly while grinning at Bethany, her expression erratic and unsettling.
Over the years, others had labeled Shirley as insane, but to Bethany, she had always remained the same gentle and caring mother.
But at this moment, Bethany found herself unable to face her.
It felt as though there was no solution left to find.
Bethany instinctively stepped back, unable to meet Shirley's eyes.
With nowhere left to retreat, Bethany found herself cornered. Meanwhile, Shirley continued to stretch her neck toward her, smiling innocently, completely unaware of the fate awaiting her.
Unable to hold back any longer, Bethany sank to the floor along the wall, burying her face in her hands as sobs overtook her.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Through tear-blurred vision, Bethany looked up to see several men dressed in black standing before her. "Miss, our boss would like to meet you. Please come with us."
Outside the hospital entrance, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan was waiting.
Inside the back seat, Connor sat dressed in a perfectly tailored suit. His composed features exuded authority, while his long fingers occasionally tapped against his knee, revealing a trace of impatience.
At that moment, a bodyguard knocked on the window and bent slightly as he spoke respectfully. "Sir, we've brought her."