Chapter 3

Lorraine didn't let Ambrose and Roxanne spoil her mood, and her coming-of-age celebration ended with her being showered by the blessings of the guests. She was a little exhausted and was ready to go to her room to take a rest when someone yanked her violently right at the door. Ambrose's eyes were bloodshot as he gripped her wrist tightly, snapping, "Lorraine, why can't you just spare Roxanne? She's injured and hospitalized now. Are you happy?" Lorraine's eyebrows furrowed tightly, struggling to break herself free as she shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about? What's it got to do with me that she's injured?" Ambrose's face darkened, and he barked, "Do you think I don't know that you were the one who hired people to hurt her because you resented her? How could you be so cruel!" Lorraine was so angry that she laughed instead. "Ambrose! Are you blinded by Roxanne's tears? Did you actually see me hiring somebody to hurt her?" "Those men called out your name when they were attacking her! Roxanne heard it loud and clear!" Ambrose shouted at the top of his lungs. Not giving her a chance to explain herself at all, he threw her over his shoulder and left. "Roxanne is in the hospital now, urgently needing a blood transfusion! You have to come with me to save her!" he shouted. "Put me down!" she cried out. She pounded on his back with all her might and wanted to cry out to the maid downstairs, but Ambrose covered her mouth and brought her out the back door. … The lights in the hallway of the hospital were pale and harsh. Ambrose pinned Lorraine to the chair in the blood transfusion room, saying icily to the doctor next to him, "Both she and Roxanne have Rh-negative blood. Draw her blood!" As the doctor flipped through Lorraine's medical records, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. "Mr. Gale, this patient has a special condition. If we draw her blood forcibly, her life might be in danger…" "Ambrose, let go of me! I told you it wasn't me!" Lorraine shouted, looking as white as a sheet as she struggled with her might. "Draw it!" Ambrose ordered icily. "I'll bear the consequences." The doctor had been bribed by Ambrose, so he whipped out the needle right away. The moment the needle pierced through Lorraine's skin, her body started shaking uncontrollably, and she felt a chill run down her entire body. Blood started flowing out of her slowly, and her vision started to blur. Her chest felt as if there was a massive weight pressing on it. "Y-you'll r-regret th-this," she uttered with great difficulty before her vision faded into darkness right after. The last thing she remembered was Ambrose's icy voice saying, "I'm willing to pay any price as long as I can save Roxanne." When she woke up again, the sharp scent of sanitizer hit her nose. Her best friend, Summer Lowe, was right next to her bed with tears in her eyes. "Have you lost your mind, silly! You're even willing to risk your life for that jerk?" Summer called out. Lorraine didn't want to make Frederick worry, so she only asked the doctor to call Summer. She explained with a stutter, "I've stopped liking him… a long time ago." Her voice was so hoarse that she could barely recognize it. Right at that moment, the door slammed open, and there stood Ambrose. "How dare you come here!" Summer growled. She was so furious that she grabbed the vase and threw it at him. Ambrose turned to the side, dodging it. Then, he said indifferently, "She owed it to Roxanne. Besides…" He glanced at Lorraine, who was lying in bed with a face as white as a sheet, before he continued, "She's doing fine, isn't she? The Neale family has all the money in the world to hire the best doctors. Roxanne almost died because of her." Lorraine's heart ached, but she suddenly chuckled. "Roxanne's life is important to you, but my life isn't worth anything? Are you so sure that I was the one who harmed her? Do you just take her word for it just because she said she heard my name?" she asked. "Roxanne would never lie to me," Ambrose replied firmly. "Then, what about me?" Lorraine asked. She propped herself up to sit on the bed, tugging at the infusion needle in the process, leaving a blood trail behind on her wrist. "I told you it wasn't me. Did you ever believe me?" she added. Ambrose fell silent, and that said it all. "Get lost." Lorraine closed her eyes and continued, "I'll settle the score with you in due time." Ambrose frowned a little and said, "Come at me all you want if you wish to seek revenge, but don't take your anger out on Roxanne. And don't lay a finger on her again!" Lorraine didn't wish to speak to him anymore, so she asked the nurse to escort him out. After spending three days recuperating at the hospital, her condition was stable for the time being. One afternoon, as she was reading while leaning against the window, someone slammed the door open. Roxanne stood at the doorway in her plain hospital gown, her eyes swollen. Before Lorraine said anything, Roxanne dropped to her knees in front of her, begging with a lump in her throat, "Lorraine, I'm begging you, please spare Ambrose. Mr. Ford has been driving him into a corner lately. His company can't hold on any longer…" Lorraine raised an eyebrow upon hearing that. Was Justin picking on Ambrose? Why? Could it be because of her? Before she could think deeply about it, her thoughts were interrupted by Roxanne's cries. "Don't you like Ambrose as well? I'm sure you know how hard he has worked to get to where he is today. You wouldn't want to see all of his efforts go down the drain and be left with nothing, would you?" Roxanne asked. Lorraine chuckled at the fact that Roxanne thought Ambrose still meant something to her. But since Roxanne was here to beg her, of course, she wouldn't let her off easy. She said, "You want me to spare him? Sure, as long as you leave him." Colors drained from Roxanne's face in an instant, and she wailed in tears, "I… I can't… My parents are dead. Ambrose is all I have now. "You can have any man you want, Lorraine. But he's all I got. Without him, I'll die…" "Die, then," Lorraine replied icily. She wasn't Ambrose. She wouldn't be moved by Roxanne's tears. "If you really had the guts to die, I'll admire the feelings you have for him. I might even give the two of you my blessings," she added. Roxanne stopped crying all of a sudden. She got up slowly, and her gaze suddenly became strange before she said, "Alright." Before Lorraine could react, Roxanne had already run toward the window at lightning speed. Lorraine was so frightened that she instinctively wanted to grab her, but she was pushed by Roxanne instead. "Ah!" Lorraine screamed. As the world spun around her, she saw the wicked grin in Roxanne's eyes. "Once you're dead, the agreement between Ambrose and Professor Neale would be voided. Ambrose and I can start anew abroad then!" said Roxanne.