Chapter 4Everyone Expected Revenge, I Gave Them My Blessing

I should never have followed them to the hospital.

Damn it. Emily had tricked me again.

The moment I walked in, they pulled me aside for a blood test. Julian said Emily had lost too much blood and might die, so everyone had to be tested as a possible donor.

And what a coincidence—I was the only person in the entire hospital whose blood matched hers.

Every alarm bell in my head went off. I flat-out refused to give that bitch a single drop of my blood. There was no way I believed Emily would risk her life just for money.

Julian believed it. He dropped to his knees in front of me. "Caroline, I'm begging you. Please don't stand there and let her die."

He wept like an innocent man, making me look like a heartless monster.

Not this time. I wasn't going to let his tears control me again. I pulled free and headed for the exit. Mateo already had the car waiting.

"You're leaving me when I'm sick just to run off with that driver?"

Julian choked out the words through his tears, then suddenly collapsed. Everyone in the hallway started whispering.

"So this is what you get for loving someone with all your heart? Caroline is so damn ungrateful!"

"Julian hurt his head protecting her, and all she does is act annoyed with him. She doesn't deserve someone who treats her that well!"

Unbelievable. I was the one who had paid for this hospital. Every holiday, I came here with bonuses and gifts for the staff. And this was what they thought of me.

I turned around and saw that Layla had already brought Julian around. At least now I could leave without worrying about him.

But before I could go, Layla started pleading again. "Caroline, Julian's mental state is hanging by a thread. If you push him like this again, his mind could break completely. He could end up in a vegetative state. Please. Just give in this once. It's only a few tubes of blood. It won't hurt you!"

Layla wouldn't let up. Finally, I sighed.

Fine. I'd do one last stupid thing for Layla and Julian.

I turned toward the operating room, but Mateo rushed after me and grabbed my arm. "Don't go in there! You can't keep falling into that woman's traps!"

I laughed and patted his shoulder. "Relax. This is my hospital. They can't try anything here. Go back to the office and get the paperwork ready. When I get back, I'm cleaning house."

Mateo left without another word. I entered the room, where a nurse in scrubs, her face hidden by a mask, led me to a bed. I lay down.

Then she took out a syringe and injected something into me.

Wait. I'm here to give blood. Why is she injecting me?

I shot upright. "What is that?"

"It's poison." The nurse smiled and pulled off her mask and cap, revealing Emily, her beautiful face twisted into a vicious grin.

"Better get your will in order, Caroline. In seven days, you'll be dead!"

I screamed and ran out. I had to find Julian. I had to get him away from that monster!

But as I passed Layla's office, I overheard a conversation that shattered everything I thought I knew.

"Julian, why would you choose that bitch Emily over me? I've stood by you for years. I've gone along with everything you wanted. What does she have that I don't?"

"Because she's younger, hotter, and smarter. She came up with this whole alternate-personality act for me. I get to have her worship me without losing Caroline. Why wouldn't I want that?"

My blood ran cold. All this time, I'd been trying to bring the real Julian back, but he'd never gone anywhere. The alternate personality was an act, and he'd been part of it from the start. Worse, he'd been sleeping with Layla right under my nose for 10 years.

I pressed a hand to my chest and forced myself to keep moving. I had to get out of there. I was going back to the office to liquidate everything I owned and leave that lying hypocrite without a cent.

Then Mateo called. I answered immediately.

"Caroline, Julian has already used the access keys to transfer all your assets into his name."

"What?" My legs gave out, and I sank onto the curb.

One piece of trash had stolen my money. Another bitch had taken my life. I'd die before I let either of them get away with it.

I forced myself back to my feet and searched for Rafael's number, my hands trembling.

10 years ago, Rafael had wiped out my entire family because he wanted to marry me. Now he was the head of the Sorel family. Before I died, I was going to make a deal with the devil himself.

The phone rang once. He picked up. "Hello, Caroline. I've been waiting for you."

My blood turned to ice. He'd been waiting for me? What the hell did he want?