Far Apart, Safe at Last

During a snow-mountain expedition, an avalanche buried me alive. By the time they dug me out, the cold had already drained every last trace of warmth and life from my body.

Julian Crowe dug through the snow with his bare hands for ten straight hours. His fingers were torn and bleeding by the time he finally pulled me out. Then he chartered a private jet and rushed me to the most elite private hospital for emergency treatment.

Inside the thermal recovery chamber, a faint thread of consciousness returned to me. Through the haze, I heard Julian arguing with the doctor.

"Weren't we supposed to amputate just to save her life? Why are you draining all of her hematopoietic stem cells too?"

"Mr. Crowe, you're personally destroying her last chance of survival!"

Julian's voice, usually so controlled, carried a chilling cruelty.

"Letting her live safely and comfortably until today is already the greatest mercy I've ever shown her. The only woman who will grow old with me is Serena Vale. And the only thing that can save Serena is her life. She owes Serena that much, and now it's time to repay it."

So the promise to live and die together had only been my own foolish fantasy.

Julian had married me, Stella Hart, for one reason only. To turn me into a walking blood bank for his precious mistress.

If that was the truth, then I would give them exactly what they wanted.

......

"You're awake? Then hurry up and sign this agreement."

Julian tossed a stack of documents straight onto my face.

With great effort, my eyes slowly shifted toward the papers.

The document was titled "Voluntary Lifetime Hematopoietic Stem Cell and Organ Donation Agreement."

Under the recipient section, two clear words were written—Serena Vale.

My lips trembled as I tried to speak.

"Why..."

A flash of disgust crossed Julian's eyes as he cut me off without mercy.

"There is no why. Serena's leukemia has gotten worse. In the entire donor registry, only your stem cells match hers. I dug your life out of that avalanche. Using it now to save Serena is only fair."

I stared at him, my heart suddenly clenching so hard it became difficult to breathe.

"But I'm your wife! We swore on that mountain peak that we would stay together through life and death!"

Julian let out a cold laugh, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.

"Wife? Stella, are you taking this fantasy a little too seriously? If your blood type hadn't been a perfect match for Serena's, do you really think I would have married someone as ordinary as you? Every bit of kindness I've shown you these past three years was just to maintain the stem cells in your body. And now it's time for you to repay the favor."

Every word sliced into my heart like a slow execution.

So the expensive tonics he forced me to drink every day were meant to enrich my blood.

The strict schedule he imposed on me, never allowing me to stay up late, was to keep my stem cells healthy and active.

Even the mountain expedition had been part of the plan. The doctors had said high altitude could stimulate bone marrow activity.

What I had believed was boundless devotion had actually been a carefully planned captivity.

My hand trembled as I lifted it, trying to tear the agreement apart.

Julian grabbed my wrist, squeezing so hard it felt like my bones might shatter.

"Don't push your luck. You're signing it whether you want to or not. The doctors have already taken half of your stem cells. Serena's rejection reaction is severe. We need the second extraction tomorrow."

Pain shot through me and I gasped, staring at him in despair.

"If you take more... I'll die."

Julian released my wrist without expression and calmly wiped his fingers with a wet tissue.

As if touching me had been something disgusting.

"The doctors already said you won't die. At worst you'll spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair. Compared to what Serena has suffered, this is nothing."

The hospital room door slowly opened.

Serena sat in a wheelchair as a nurse pushed her inside.

She wore an oversized hospital gown. Her face looked ashen, yet the smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide.

"Julian, please don't force Stella." Serena's voice sounded soft and fragile, deliberately weak. "I'm sure Stella doesn't mean to refuse saving me. After all, who would willingly become a cripple? We grew up together. You've always treated me like your own sister. It's only natural Stella would feel jealous. If it really comes to that... then maybe I should just die and give you back to Stella."

As she spoke, large tears rolled down her cheeks.

Julian's expression changed instantly. He strode over and pulled Serena into his arms.

"Serena, don't say that! As long as I'm here, I won't let you die."

He turned back and glared at me viciously.

"Stella, look at how considerate Serena is. Then look at that selfish, vicious expression on your face! Even if you have to bite your finger open, you're putting your fingerprint on that agreement today."

Watching them embrace, nausea churned violently in my stomach.

Resting in Julian's arms, Serena looked at me over his shoulder.

A provocative smile slowly spread across her lips.

Then she slowly raised her hand and pulled a heart-shaped ruby bracelet from beneath her collar.