Chapter 5

“Once Serena’s surgery is done, we’ll have a child of our own. That way, you’ll feel more secure, won’t you?”

Aubrey thought she had misheard him. She looked up at the man she had loved for over a decade.

He now seemed utterly foreign to her.

She suppressed her nausea and replied, “Understood.”

“Then rest well. I’m leaving.”

After Julian left, Aubrey rushed to the bathroom and vomited violently into the toilet.

A child? If a child were born into this environment, it would be irresponsible of her.

She couldn’t continue like this.

Aubrey went to Julian’s office door.

Julian barely looked up when he saw her. “What do you need?”

“This is the contract for an apartment I bought. Liam needs to be hospitalized, so I’ll live near the hospital to take care of him.”

Julian took the contract from her hand and read it carefully. When he flipped to the divorce agreement page,

Aubrey’s heart tightened. She quickly reached out to cover the content, pointing to the signature line. “Just sign here.”

Julian looked up at her, then, without much thought, signed the document.

“Take good care of Serena. She’s in a critical period right now.”

Aubrey nodded and left the office.

Looking at Julian’s signature on the divorce agreement, the reality finally sank in: she was truly divorced from Julian.

Next, she would go to the law firm to divide their assets. Mrs. Davies had given her a substantial amount of shares after they married.

Once she converted those into cash, it would be enough for her and Liam to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

As she was at home brewing herbal medicine, her phone suddenly rang.

It was Julian. The moment she answered, his anxious voice came through.

“Where are you right now?”

Aubrey frowned. “I’m home.”

Julian said, “I’m coming back to pick you up now.”

About ten minutes after the call ended, he appeared at her house.

Without a word, he pulled her into the car. On the way, Aubrey couldn’t help but ask, “Where are you taking me?”

Julian frowned. “Serena fainted. She needs emergency surgery.”

Aubrey flinched. Her body wasn’t ready for surgery yet.

Her health and weight weren’t up to par. If she donated now, what would happen to her?

“Not today. Let me get my strength back…”

“Enough!” Julian slammed on the horn, glaring into the rearview mirror. “You just don’t want to donate, so you’re making excuses!”

“Don’t you know myelodysplastic syndrome can be fatal? If you don’t donate today, Serena and the baby will be in danger.”

Upon arriving at the hospital, Julian pushed her directly to a doctor. “Her bone marrow is a match. Take hers.”

“No! You can’t! I’ll die! Doctor, please tell him!” Aubrey looked at the doctor, her face etched with despair.

She placed all her hope in him.

The doctor frowned. The person before him was skeletal, far from meeting donation standards. He was about to object.

Julian’s voice cut in, a warning. “If you don’t want this hospital to go under, then draw her blood!”

The doctor’s words were swallowed back down. He could only lead Aubrey into the operating room.

Aubrey grabbed Julian’s jacket, crying out, “Julian Davies! What if I really die?!”

Her desperate plea made everyone present wince in pain.

Julian, however, was unfazed. He gripped her chin. “I’ve looked into it. Bone marrow donation won’t kill you. Stop being dramatic.”

“What are you all looking at? Get her in there!”

Fearing repercussions, the doctors could only take her arms and pull her towards the operating room.

Despite her desperate struggles, she couldn’t resist a single anesthesia injection.

The operating lamp switched on, its white glare painfully bright.

Then, gradually, she lost consciousness.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Serena clinging to Julian’s waist, her face tear-stained.

“Julian, do you know how close I came to never seeing you again?”

Julian frantically wiped away her tears, comforting her. “I’m here with you. Don’t be afraid.”

In contrast, Aubrey lay unattended. She tried to push herself up to reach the water glass on her bedside table.

But her hands were too weak. She couldn’t hold the full glass.

The loud crash of the glass hitting the floor seemed to startle Serena, who flinched in Julian’s arms.

She cried even louder. Julian let her tears soak his clothes.

He looked at Aubrey with an accusing glare.

He had severe germaphobia. In the past, if Aubrey accidentally touched his hand with sand, he would wash his hands several times with soap.

But now, Serena’s tears were soaking his collar, and he didn’t seem annoyed at all.

Julian soothed Serena, then angrily turned to Aubrey.