Chapter 4

The hospital corridor was icy cold, the sharp scent of disinfectant stinging the nostrils.

Susan Thompson clutched the lab report so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Andrew Lucas stood before her, his tall frame casting a long shadow that engulfed her completely.

"Andrew, Daniel is really your son!" Susan's voice trembled. "I swear, you're the only man I've ever—"

"Enough!" Andrew suddenly raised his hand, tearing the report to shreds.

Pieces of paper fluttered down like snowflakes.

He looked down at her with frost in his eyes. "Susan, you disgust me."

Her entire body shuddered.

"Three years ago I saw you in bed with Henry myself." His lips curled in a sneer. "Stop pretending to be some virtuous saint now."

"That was Nicole's scheme!" Susan grabbed his sleeve desperately. "Andrew, please believe me just this once—"

"Let go." Andrew shook her off as if discarding something filthy. "Don't touch me."

Susan staggered back, her spine hitting the cold wall.

The emergency room light still glowed.

Her Daniel.

Just three and a half years old, now lying on that operating table fighting for his life.

"Mr. Lucas." A doctor approached hurriedly. "The blood bank is critically low. We can only save one."

Andrew didn't even blink. "Give it to Nicole."

"No!" Susan lunged at the doctor like a madwoman. "That's Daniel's blood! You can't—"

Two bodyguards immediately restrained her.

"Andrew!" Susan screamed, struggling wildly. "Nicole was faking it! She was smiling after she hit us with her car! She's trying to kill Daniel!"

Andrew turned to leave.

"Andrew Lucas!" Susan's voice rose sharply. "You're Rh-negative too! You can save Daniel!"

The man paused.

Hope flared in Susan's eyes.

But he only turned his head slightly, lips twisting into a cruel smile. "That bastard? I think it's dirty."

The words stabbed into Susan's heart like a knife.

She collapsed to the floor, watching Andrew's retreating back disappear down the corridor.

Memories flooded back.

That night four years ago when he'd held her close, his voice dripping with tenderness: "Susan, let's have a baby."

"I want our child to be the second happiest person in the world."

"Why not the first?" she'd asked, blushing.

He'd kissed her earlobe and chuckled. "Because the happiest will always be my Susan."

Tears splattered on the linoleum.

Susan wiped her face and suddenly noticed blood on her sleeve.

Daniel's blood.

She scrambled to her feet and rushed toward the blood collection room.

"Take my blood!" She yanked up her sleeve. "I'm the same blood type as Daniel!"

A nurse stopped her in alarm. "Ma'am, you just survived a car accident. You can't—"

"My son is dying!" Susan shrieked hysterically. "Drain me dry if you have to!"

The emergency light suddenly went dark.

Susan's blood turned to ice.

The doctor emerged, removing his mask. "I'm sorry... we did everything we could..."