Chapter 9

The words froze Angelina in place. Leo's gaze darkened. He immediately ordered the bodyguards to take Angelina to the operating room. "I command you to release me! "If you touch me again, I'll bite off my tongue!" Angelina was nearly insane, screaming until her throat tore. She hated him, regretted everything. Angelina raged, "Leo! Are you really willing to kill me for this woman? "Then what were these ten years... what were our ten years worth?!" Bitter fury choked her. The accumulated grievances and anger were like an undigested tumor, tormenting her relentlessly. Leo suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He clutched it involuntarily. He sighed, the ferocity vanishing from his eyes. He pulled Angelina into his arms as he used to, stroking her, comforting her: "Alright, alright, stop making a fuss..." Angelina opened empty eyes, numb against Leo's chest. When they were loving, Leo would soothe her when she was upset. Before, this would have made her leap for joy. Now, it felt suffocating. "Just do it for my happiness, okay? "Give your kidney to Sammy, and I'll give you anything you want..." Leo's words dripped honey, but they were the deadliest poison. A buzzing filled Angelina's ears. "N-no... impossible..." Angelina's lips trembled. Instinctive fear made her shove Leo away. "Impossible!" Angelina's refusal was absolute. Leo's eyes turned murderous. His other hand slowly pulled his phone from his suit's inner pocket. A video call screen appeared. On the other end, Angelina's father lay in the ICU. A medical staff voice came through: "President, your instructions?" Leo ordered immediately: "Listen, cease all medical supplies and funding for this patient, effective immediately." "President!" The voice on the other end was horrified. "The patient's condition is highly unstable! Ceasing treatment and medication... it's tantamount to... to killing him!" Angelina, seeing her father's frail form on screen, was already broken in body and spirit. She lunged for Leo's hand. Leo shoved her away violently. Angelina sprawled on the floor, crawling without dignity to beg: "Leo, I beg you! Take my life if you must, just let my father live! "He saved your family! How... how can you be so heartless!" Leo bent down, looming over her, whispering in her ear: "Your kidney for your father's life. Deal?" Angelina closed her eyes tightly. Her throat felt blocked by a burning brand, too painful to make a sound. Leo pressed her relentlessly, word by word: "Samantha is my happiness. How can you bear to destroy my entire life?" Angelina closed her eyes tightly. She didn't even have the strength to sob. Leo, for Samantha's sake, was willing to drive her to ruin. She suddenly felt infinitely ridiculous. Her father had saved his entire family. She had saved Leo's life. Now, Leo was using everything she cherished to threaten her. Her love, her life, were worthless in his eyes. Before Angelina could agree, Samantha suddenly turned deathly pale and fainted. "Sammy!" Leo roared, instantly shifting all attention from Angelina. He lunged forward, scooping up the collapsing Samantha. Angelina had never seen such loss of control in him in ten years. "Doctor! Where are the doctors?!" Leo's bellow filled the room. His bloodshot eyes snapped back to Angelina, still crumpled on the floor. "Angelina! You had to cause trouble! Do you want Samantha dead?!"