Chapter 6

Scarlett POV

At the end of despair, there is madness.

I was thrown out of the club by bodyguards, like a piece of trash carelessly discarded.

I picked myself up from the muddy ground, neither crying nor looking for James again.

I hid in an empty public restroom stall, pulling out an old-looking, but military-grade encrypted phone from my inner pocket.

This was my past, buried for five years.

My identity as "Nyx," a top medical investor within the covert network.

I pressed the power button. The screen lit up, revealing a blood-red phoenix emblem.

I dialed the number I hadn't called in five years.

The call was answered almost instantly.

"Boss."

"It's me." I spoke. "Activate S-class clearance. I need the freshest RH-negative AB blood, airlifted to Central Hospital in half an hour, no matter the cost."

"Boss! Once S-class clearance is activated, your location will be forcefully exposed! The people who hunted you down years ago will come looking!"

"I know."

My gaze passed over the stall door, looking towards the hospital.

"For Leo, I have to take this gamble."

Half an hour later.

A black specialized medical helicopter, ignoring city no-fly zone regulations, landed on the roof helipad of Central Hospital with a tremendous roar.

A silver combination lock box was swiftly rushed to the emergency room.

The moment the blood plasma entered Leo's body, the nearly flatlining line on the monitor finally began to fluctuate.

Leo was temporarily out of danger.

I sat by the bedside, holding the child's cold little hand, looking at his peaceful sleeping face. The tension that had held me for hours finally broke, and tears silently streamed down my face.

Just then, the hospital room door was violently pushed open.

James appeared in the doorway.

His gaze fell on the blood bag above the bed, then swept to the still dissipating propeller wash outside the window.

"How did you manage to mobilize a military-grade helicopter to deliver blood?" He walked in, approaching me step by step. "Who exactly are you?"

I quickly wiped away my tears, forcing a smile.

"I sold a kidney."

I said it lightly.

He paused for a moment.

Then he sneered.

"For an illegitimate child, you truly will do anything."

I was long numb to such words.

He didn't press further about the blood's origin.

Today, he was here for something else.

"Serena's surgery plan has changed. It requires highly active cell tissue as a culture medium."

"Your bone marrow, it's a match."

I understood.

Serena again.

Again, something to be taken from me to fill her needs.

"Tomorrow morning, come with me to the operating room for a bone marrow biopsy."

His tone was a command.

"I refuse."

I didn't hesitate.

James sneered, his gaze falling on Leo in the hospital bed.

"Have you forgotten, this hospital is a Vance family property."

"With a single word from me, I can have that illegitimate child, along with all this equipment, cleared out."

He always used this trick.

Using my son's life to force me to yield.

My body trembled uncontrollably.

Looking at his familiar yet alien face, the last shred of anything I held inside me completely extinguished.

For Leo to continue receiving treatment here, I had no other choice.

"Fine. I agree."

Let this be the last time.

To repay the debt from when he pulled me from the fire years ago.

From now on, we would owe each other nothing. Our lives would run separate courses.

James turned and left.

He didn't see the thin surgical blade I had hidden in my sleeve, already clenched in my hand the moment I agreed.

Nor did he notice the black sniper scope fixed on the roof across from the hospital, aimed directly at this window.

A shadow flickered past outside.

My enemies had found me.