Chapter 4

Sophia's POV

After they'd drawn 400cc of blood, my vision had gone ghostly white. Even the strength to stand had been drained from me.

A nurse couldn't bear to watch and carefully handed me a cup of warm sugar water, only for Evan to block it mercilessly.

"She won't die." Evan stood nearby, looking at my bloodless face with cold detachment, as if viewing a cheap disposable item. "This is the punishment she deserves for doing wrong."

Clara's crisis was resolved. She was transferred overnight to a private hospital owned by the Blake family for better care.

At two in the morning, New York was lashed by torrential rain. The bitter wind carried icy droplets that struck like knives.

I dragged my crumbling body out of the hospital entrance, my thin white coat billowing in the wind. The violent stomach pain combined with the weakness from blood loss made every step feel like walking on blades.

A black Maybach sat parked at the bottom of the steps.

That was Evan's car.

The door hung half-open. Evan was carefully carrying Clara, wrapped in thick blankets, into the back seat.

I bit my pale lips and used my last shred of strength to walk over. My hand had just touched the passenger door handle when a cold, sharp voice stopped me.

"Who said you could get in?"

Evan turned his head, disgust crossing his face as he glanced at my pallor and the blood spots on my sleeve. "Clara's body is weak. She can't stand the smell of blood on you. Get home on your own."

My hand froze in midair.

I looked into the car. Clara was nestled in Evan's arms, her lips curling in a provocative smile aimed at me.

"Evan, I drew 400cc of blood. I'm still running a fever. I can't get a cab here..." My voice was extremely low, carrying the faintest hint of pleading. I truly couldn't hold on much longer.

"That's your problem. It has nothing to do with me."

Evan brushed my hand away without mercy and slammed the car door.

The black Maybach disappeared into the rainy night, splashing mud that stained my white coat hem.

The freezing downpour hammered down, instantly stripping away what little warmth remained in my body.

I stood on the empty street. The stabbing pain in my stomach finally reached its limit. My throat turned sweet. I coughed up a mouthful of dark red blood that mixed with rainwater and spread at my feet.

Before my vision plunged completely into darkness, I only felt that this world was so cold it was suffocating.

When I woke again, it was noon the next day.

I found myself lying in the hospital's on-call room. A passing security guard had carried me inside.

I propped up my aching body and reached for my phone on the side table. The screen showed dozens of missed calls and messages.

One message came from the hospital HR department. Cold and impersonal.

"Dr. Sophia, due to your involvement in a medical incident and violation of medical ethics, the hospital administration and our largest investor, Mr. Blake, have decided to suspend you indefinitely pending investigation, effective immediately."

My knuckles whitened as I gripped the phone, my breathing quickening.

Then the department director sent an even more suffocating message.

"Sophia, I'm so sorry. That targeted drug clinical research project you've led for three years. Mr. Blake has ordered it forcibly transferred. Now the project's primary investigator... has been changed to Clara."

Boom.

Like a thunderbolt to my brain, all the blood in my body went ice cold.

I'd stayed up countless nights for that project, reviewed endless research papers, even used my own body for drug trials to achieve those results! It was my proudest achievement as a physician!

To gild Clara's resume, to pave Clara's way in the medical field, Evan had so casually stripped away everything I had.

Without a moment's hesitation. Without a shred of mercy.

I stumbled to the bathroom and looked at the woman in the mirror, ashen-faced, hollow-eyed, and suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.

I laughed until tears streamed down, laughed until my stomach convulsed, coughing up mouthful after mouthful of fresh blood.

Ten years. I'd devoted my youth, my life's work, even my very life to this man.

In return, I was drained of blood, stripped of my faith, trampled into the mud and humiliated.

Evan, how could you be so cruel?