Chapter 7

The harsh scent of disinfectant filled the hospital corridor. Clarisse had no idea how long she'd been kneeling there. The cold of the floor seeped through her knees, creeping up until her whole body trembled. People came and went, their eyes filled with curiosity, pity, and disdain. Their whispers cut into her, relentless and ringing in her ears. The world in front of her blurred at the edges. Finally, her strength failed. Her body gave out, and she slipped into darkness. When she regained consciousness, it was a rough tug on her arm that woke her. She forced her heavy eyelids open, and the first thing she saw was Theodore's anxious face. He was gripping her arm so hard that it felt like he might crush her bones. "Caleb needs a transfusion, and the blood bank is running out. You're type O blood. Go in and donate now," he said sharply, leaving no room for refusal. Clarisse felt as if her heart had been pounded with a hammer. She instinctively tried to pull away. "No… I won't… Let go of me…" "You don't have a choice!" Theodore's eyes flashed with anger as he barked at her, "Clarisse, if you hadn't pushed Caleb, he wouldn't be in the hospital. This is your fault! You owe him! You have to make it right!" "I never pushed him! Why can't you believe me?" Her desperate cry rang hollow in the sterile hallway. Theodore was unmoved. He pinned her down, barking at the nurse, "Hurry up and draw her blood!" When the thick needle pierced her vein, Clarisse's body shook uncontrollably. She remembered her previous medical checkups. Theodore would always be at her side. Even if she looked perfectly calm, his hands would gently cover her eyes, and his low voice would coax, "Don't look. It'll be over soon. If it hurts, just hold on to me." Now, she was forced to donate her blood, but Theodore didn't even glance at her pain. He just paced the room anxiously, urging the nurse, "Can't you hurry? The child needs saving!" The combined pain, blood loss, and heartbreak made her vision fade to black. Her body grew colder and lighter, consciousness slipping away again… "Ms. Hart? Ms. Hart!" A worried voice cut through the fog. She forced her eyes open, finding a nurse watching her closely. "You're finally awake! How do you feel?" The nurse sighed with relief and said firmly, "You nearly went into shock just now. We took too much blood at once, and your body is already weak. You need to rest now." Clarisse nodded weakly, too drained even to speak. Suddenly, the door swung open. Theodore walked in and approached her bedside. He looked down at her pale, lifeless face. His eyes softened briefly before hardening once more. "The transfusion's done. Caleb is stable now. Clarisse, let's stop this, alright? Don't hurt the child anymore." He sounded exhausted and impatient, as if he'd made up his mind that she was the one who'd hurt Caleb. Clarisse just stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes empty and hollow, as if her soul had gone numb. After a pause, Theodore spoke again in a flat tone, "To make up for what Caleb went through and cheer him up, I'm taking him and Bianca to Solara for a few days. You… just take care of yourself." With that, he turned to leave. At the door, he paused for a moment but didn't look back. "Clarisse, stop causing trouble, okay? Just do this for me. Behave." The door closed behind him. The only sound left in the room was the steady drip of the IV. "For me?" Clarisse's chapped lips moved silently, repeating those words. They were like a blade, stabbing deep into her bleeding heart. She had let go of her dreams for Theodore. She had forgiven his betrayals time and again. She had endured and compromised, all for him. And what had it brought her? Nothing but more pain, more suspicion, and more humiliation. Clarisse closed her eyes and made a silent promise to herself, "From now on, I'll live only for myself."