Chapter 2

"Chloe Miller, get over here."

Liam Thorne's voice cut through the hospital room door, carrying command and undisguised disgust.

On the bed, Vanessa Scott leaned into soft pillows, her face pale, but her eyes gleamed with triumph.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, and walked in.

A fresh "Voluntary Blood Donation Agreement" was tossed at my feet. The papers scattered across the cold floor, just like my dignity had been trampled for three years.

"Sign it. Vanessa just returned from abroad, she's not used to it yet, and she had a minor accident. She's severely anemic. You have RH-negative blood, like her. From now on, you'll stay on standby and serve as her private blood bank."

The words "private blood bank" came out so casually, but they cut into my heart like a dull knife.

Vanessa coughed lightly, leaning into Liam's arms, her voice soft: "Liam, don't be like that. Chloe has been with you for three years. Drawing her blood makes me feel bad. What if she can't handle it…"

"What could she not handle?" Liam sneered, glancing at me as if I were worthless trash. "She's lived off me for three years, eating my food, wearing my clothes. A little blood is nothing. It's her good fortune to give blood for you."

He paused, his gaze turning dark and fixed on me: "Pick it up. Sign it."

I stood still, looking at the agreement on the floor.

"Liam, I'm a person, not a blood bag." My voice was quiet but steadier than I expected.

Liam clearly hadn't expected me to resist. For three years, I had mimicked Vanessa's style, tone, even her smile, trained by him to be the perfect substitute.

Anger flashed in his eyes. He strode over, grabbed my neck, and slammed me against the wall.

"Chloe Miller, you're getting bold. Daring to talk back to me?"

The air in my lungs was squeezed out. My face turned red, but I kept my eyes wide open, staring at him.

"Don't forget, your grandma is still in my private hospital! Every dose of her special medication—I paid for it. Without me, she would be dead long ago!"

Grandma.

Those two words hit my weak spot.

I closed my eyes, one tear sliding down my cheek, landing on Liam's hand.

He flinched as if burned, let go, and pulled out a handkerchief with disgust to wipe his hand.

"Don't act like a victim. You'll sicken Vanessa. Sign it now and go to the draw room."

I bent down and picked up the agreement.

The pen scratched across the paper, each stroke cutting into my heart.

After I signed, a nurse walked in and pushed the thick needle into my vein.

Crimson blood flowed through the tube, draining from my body. I watched that bright red and suddenly realized that three years of delusion had been a complete joke.