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"Even if you are engaged to another man, even if you have his child, I don't care because you are mine baby girl, you would always be mine" he said his eyes blazing with anger, the kind i had never seen before. **** Lyra would give everything up to be with Adrian Sterling, to be noticed by him, to be loved by him. Including giving her organs and blood away for the love of his life, Nina. And what did he do? He sold her for one million dollars making her go to jail for two years. But what happens when she met Adrian again after a few years but this time with a baby boy in his arms? Will Adrian have a change of heart towards Lyra or would he be too late as she may have found someone else?
Lyra's POV
I hated the hospital.
The sterile smell of disinfectant clung to everything, sharp and suffocating, mixing with the endless beeping of machines. It felt like the walls of the intensive care unit were closing in on me, suffocating my thoughts.
In my hand was the bill, six figures. Just for the consultancy.
My chest tightened, and I stared at the numbers again as if they'd magically change. How was I supposed to come up with that kind of money? Not in a year, not in two.
Not even if I worked myself to death.
I turned my gaze to the frail figure lying on the bed. My grandmother, the strongest woman I knew, looked so small beneath the layers of blankets.
I bit my lips as I felt reality press down on my shoulders as her faint smile greeted me.
"You're back from the accounts section," she said weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. "How did it go?"
I forced a smile, swallowing the panic threatening to spill out. "Nothing to worry about, Grandma," I lied, trying to sound cheerful. "I'll ask my boss for overtime. We'll figure it out."
She studied me, her knowing eyes seeing through the facade. I could feel my resolve cracking, but I couldn't let her see the despair lurking beneath the surface.
"Did the doctor tell you?" she asked suddenly.
I shook my head, nervous about the answer. "No, not yet."
Her frail hand reached for mine, her touch light but grounding. "Lupus," she said softly.
The word hung in the air, foreign and heavy. "Lupus?" I repeated, my brows furrowing. "What is that?"
Her lips twitched into a weak smile. "It's what I call a rich man's sickness."
"Grandma, this is not the time for jokes," I said, my voice wavering between sternness and concern.
She chuckled softly, a sound that somehow felt both comforting and heartbreaking. "What do you expect me to do, darling? Cry about it? We have to find humor somewhere, or I might just add stress to my list of ailments."
Her attempt at lightening the mood didn't soothe me. The reality of the situation was sinking in too fast. Before I could respond, a nurse entered the room, breaking the moment. She smiled politely before glancing at me.
"How's everything going in here?" the nurse asked gently.
I hesitated. "Could you... could you explain what lupus is?" My voice felt small, uncertain.
The nurse nodded, pulling up a chair beside me. "Lupus is an autoimmune disease," she began. "It means the body's immune system attacks its own tissues and organs."
I blinked, trying to keep up. "Wait, so... it's like her body is fighting itself?"
"Exactly," the nurse replied. "It can affect many parts of the body-joints, skin, kidneys, even the lungs. That's why her breathing has been a concern."
"And it's... serious?"
She hesitated, her eyes softening. "It's manageable with the right treatment. But without it..." She trailed off, letting the unspoken words hang between us.
I swallowed hard. "And how much will the treatment cost?"
The nurse handed me another paper. "This includes everything she'll need."
I glanced at the numbers and felt the air leave my lungs. "This can't be real," I muttered, shaking my head.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, "You'll need to settle this with the accounts section," she said. "Your grandmother's lungs are failing. We are afraid it may start moving to other parts as well."
She didn't finish, but she didn't have to. The urgency in her voice said enough. When she left, the silence felt heavier.
Grandma's frail voice broke it. "You're so young, Lyra. Let this old woman go, alright? Don't ruin your life for me."
"Don't say that," I whispered, tears blurring my vision. "I can't lose you."
Her fingers brushed away my tears, her smile unwavering despite everything. "You're stronger than you think, darling. You'll handle this."
Her words were meant to reassure, but they only deepened the ache in my chest. I left her room, the sterile hospital corridor stretching endlessly before me. Each step to the accounts section felt heavier than the last.
The staff offered me a payment plan, but even the first installment seemed impossible. Desperation clawed at me. As I walked away, an unsettling thought crossed my mind-selling my body. The idea churned my stomach, but the fear of losing Grandma was stronger.
"No," I muttered to myself. "I can't do that."
I pulled out my phone, scrolling through the darker corners of the web. Odd jobs sometimes appeared there. Maybe I'd get lucky. That's when I saw it: a request for blood donation. The pay was astonishing-enough to cover Grandma's medication and more. The only catch? The recipient needed a rare blood type, B-.
Lucky me, it was exactly my blood type.
I hesitated, rereading the post for the third time. "This has to be a scam," I muttered under my breath, my finger hovering over the apply button. But what choice did I have? Grandma needed me to act, and I was out of options.
With trembling fingers, I filled out the application form, my thoughts racing. "This is crazy," I whispered, hitting submit and half-expecting nothing to happen.
Minutes ticked by
I paced the room, my phone clutched in my hand, when a sudden buzz made me jump. A notification popped up with an address and a time.
"Already?" I stared at the screen, my stomach flipping. "This is happening too fast."
Still, I grabbed my coat and left. The cab ride to the outskirts of the city felt like an eternity. When we finally pulled up to the address, I froze.
The house was enormous, its sleek, glass facade glowing faintly under the streetlights. "This can't be it," I murmured, double-checking the address on my phone.
"You getting out or what?" the cab driver called, breaking my trance.
"Uh, yeah," I said, fumbling with the door handle. My heart pounded as I approached the entrance, the faint hum of a security system making the silence even heavier.
"Relax," I whispered to myself, forcing my legs to keep moving. "You're doing this for Grandma."
A man stood by the door, his emerald eyes studying me with quiet intensity. His features were sharp-a chiseled jawline, a neatly trimmed mustache, and a perfectly styled head of dark hair.
He radiated a calm authority that unnerved me.
"You must be Miss Quinn," he said smoothly, his voice like silk.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
As far as everyone was concerned, William had married Renee under duress. Now that his one true love was back—and with child—they couldn’t wait for him to abandon Renee. Surprisingly, Renee was candid about the situation. "To be honest, I’m the one asking for a divorce every single day. I want it even more than any of you!" But they brushed off her remark as a paltry attempt to save face. Until William made a declaration himself. "Divorce is out of the question. Anyone who spreads false rumors shall face legal consequences!" Renee was at a loss. What was this crazy man up to now?
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"