Chapter 1

1

The day I was mangled in that car wreck, my fiancé abandoned me.

He left me bleeding out to perform surgery on his first love.

"Jade Sullivan, can you stop making a scene? Lillian is in critical condition."

With those cold words, he forcefully pried my fingers off his sleeve.

I watched him walk away, my heart shattering into more pieces than my bones.

So, I was the one meant to be discarded?

Later, when I lay on the cold slab of the morgue with a tiny, unborn life still inside me, he sat outside the door all night.

Eventually, the most brilliant surgeon in the city would never be able to pick up a scalpel again.

...

Inside the hospital, I used every ounce of strength left to clutch Grant Sterling's coat.

"Grant, you have to believe me. I didn't hurt Lillian."

Grant looked down at me with nothing but pure annoyance and disgust.

"Jade! You're still lying even now? Lillian's hand is ruined. Are you satisfied?"

My face was a mask of blood as I looked up at him.

"No, that's not what happened. I didn't do it... please, I'm begging you. Save me."

Grant reached down and peeled my desperate hands off his expensive fabric.

"You're gripping me pretty tight for someone who claims to be dying. I think you're just fine."

He sneered, his voice dripping with venom.

"You're just doing this to sabotage Lillian so she can never play the piano again, aren't you? You're truly wicked."

I stared at the man I loved, and the last spark of hope in my eyes flickered out.

Two hours ago, on my way to the hospital, Lillian Quinn had veered her car straight into mine.

I had struggled to reach the hospital, only to find there was one operating room left.

The triage doctor looked at both of us with a grim expression.

"There is only one surgical suite available. The other patient will have to wait two hours for the next rotation."

My face went pale as I heard those words. I grabbed Grant's sleeve, silently pleading for my life and our baby's.

But Lillian looked at me with a triumphant glint in her eyes.

Her gaze seemed to scream: See? Your fiancé doesn't love you at all!

In the end, Grant chose Lillian.

The reason was simple. Lillian had a piano competition next month, and her hands were precious.

They were precious enough to trade for my life and the life of our unborn child.

Grant was now leaning over Lillian, whispering sweet reassurances.

"Don't worry, Lily. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

Then, he spared me one final, icy glance.

"Jade, you better pray that Lillian's hand is okay. If not, I'll make sure you regret it."

I looked at him, trying one last time to reach him. "Grant, don't leave me. I'm... I'm carry..."

I fought through the agonizing pain, wanting to tell him I was carrying our baby.

But Grant interrupted me, his patience completely gone.

"Jade, have you had enough? Lillian is in a crisis. Can't you put your petty jealousy aside for once?"

He didn't wait for an answer.

"You've already turned her life into a nightmare. Are you happy now?"

With that, he hurriedly pushed Lillian's gurney toward the operating room. He didn't even look back once.

And just like that, I was abandoned again.

Watching his retreating back, my heart felt like it was being pierced by needles.

Grant, please, just look back at me.

If you just turned around, you'd see the blood soaking through my sheets. I really can't wait two hours.

The pain finally pulled me into the darkness. In my haze, I heard frantic voices.

"Quick! The patient is hemorrhaging! We need to stop the bleeding!"

"It's no use! It's too late, we can't get it under control!"

"Her sternum is shattered. A fragment is less than an inch from her heart. We can't handle a surgery this complex!"

"Go get Dr. Sterling! He's the expert on these cases. If he steps in, her chances are much higher!"

After that, everything went silent. I knew then that I was gone.

The surgeons tried everything, but they couldn't pull me back from the brink.

As the heart monitor flatlined, my life reached its end.

Suddenly, I felt light. I was standing there, watching my own body, before being pulled toward Grant.

He was in the middle of Lillian's surgery when an assistant ran in, looking panicked.

"Dr. Sterling, there's a patient from OB-GYN... you need to come see her immediately..."

Before the assistant could finish, Grant snapped at him.

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of a procedure? Whatever it is, tell them to wait. Lillian's hand is the priority."