Chapter 3

02

I pushed him away with all my strength and suddenly started laughing.

Kieren didn't expect me to fight back. He froze, and in that moment of hesitation, I ripped the ring off and threw it into the pile of broken porcelain.

The shards scratched the band, and the small diamond rolled toward Gemma's feet, stained with my blood.

She screamed and jumped back, revealing a ruby anklet on her leg.

Last year on my birthday, Kieren said he was too busy to get me a gift. Then he turned around and had someone bid on that rare ruby at an auction.

So, they had been in contact since then.

And I was stupid enough to keep waiting for a gift that was never meant for me.

Three years later, while I was cleaning the range hood in the kitchen, my phone rang. It was the hospital.

"Ms. Noelle Halloway, you have an urgent physical exam report that needs to be collected in person."

I paused. Last week, Gemma had a family doctor draw two vials of my blood, claiming it was a "mandatory maid check-up."

I thought it was just routine. I didn't expect it to be sent to a major hospital.

Before I could ask more, I heard a loud thud behind me.

Gemma had fallen at my feet.

"Gemma!"

Kieren rushed over like a feral beast, glaring at me with pure hatred.

"Noelle! I told you we'd remarry once Gemma's wish was fulfilled. Are you really that desperate for her to die?"

"I never realized you were so malicious!"

He scooped Gemma up and left without looking back.

I felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion.

To repay Old Man Sterling's kindness, I had promised to look after Kieren for the rest of my life.

We had truly been in love once, but we still lost to his so-called first love.

Now, I felt powerless. That debt of gratitude was a mountain crushing the life out of me.

Kieren didn't even want to hear my explanation. He just decided I had pushed her.

The soup I was making for Gemma was still bubbling on the stove.

On a whim, I opened the hospital's app on my phone.

When I saw the words "HLA Crossmatch Report," the spoon fell from my hand and hit my foot.

Type B blood, HLA-DRB1*1501... a perfect match.

So, after the doctor drew my blood that day, Gemma had secretly ordered a transplant compatibility test.

The "maid check-up" was just a lie to trick me into giving blood.

Looking back at all those nights she spent coughing weakly in front of us, she probably knew all along she could get a new heart.

Maybe because I still had a sliver of hope for Kieren, I called him.

"Gemma Young doesn't love you. She only came back for my heart."

"That's enough, Noelle!"

"How many times are you going to slander her? I used to think you were just simple-minded, but at least you knew your place."

"Now I see you're just a delusional, toxic woman."

The moment he hung up, I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

What was I still hoping for?

I stared at Kieren's name on the screen, my nails digging deep into my palms.

The man who once swore to protect me wouldn't even give me five minutes to explain.