Chapter 1

Eight-year-old Leo was in a car accident and urgently needed Rh-negative blood.

My husband, David, turned quickly to the doctor. "I know someone with Rh-negative. I'll call her right now."

I slammed the divorce papers against David's chest. "She can come. But you sign these first."

He crumpled the papers. "Scarlett, are you insane? Our son is fighting for his life, and you're doing this now?"

I met his gaze, my voice cold. "Yes."

My mother-in-law rushed forward, hand raised to slap me. "You heartless bastard! You'd really let your own son die?"

I only smiled. Then I walked to the ER door.

"Doctor! Halt all the preparations. This family refuses consent for the transfusion and the surgery!"

The doctors and nurses stared at us, their movements frozen.

The air in the ER corridor grew thick, heavy, broken only by the low hum of medical machines.

David pointed a finger at my face, his eyes bloodshot.

"Scarlett. Say that again."

"I said, stop the surgery." My voice was low, unnervingly clear in the silence.

My mother-in-law snapped out of her daze and lunged for me again. David caught her, locking his arms around her waist.

She clawed at the empty air between us, screaming. "You monster! Leo is still in there! Your own flesh and blood! How can you say that?"

I simply watched her, saying nothing.

David held his struggling mother, snarling at me. "What the hell do you want? Is it because I called Chloe that you're acting like this? There's nothing going on between us! She just happens to have Rh-negative blood, and I didn't want you to suffer again!"

"You didn't want me to suffer?" I asked him. "David, do you even believe that yourself?"

My question choked him, his face twisting in an ugly grimace. "Is this really the time for this? Leo's life is what matters most! Whatever grievances you have, we can talk about them after the surgery, when we're home!"

"Home?" I looked at him. "David, we don't have a home anymore."

I held out the divorce papers again.

"Sign them. I've already arranged for a blood bank and several volunteers. As soon as you sign, they'll be on their way. There will be enough blood for Leo's surgery."

My mother-in-law' stopped sobbing. Both she and David stared at me as if I were insane.

"To force me into a divorce, you'd even abandon our son's life?" David ground out, each word bitten off.

"I said, sign, and the blood will arrive." I didn't back down.

Other patient families began to gather, whispering and pointing at me.

"What's wrong with that woman? She's so cruel."

"Right? Even animals protect their young. Her husband didn't want her to donate blood because he cared about her, and she's using the child's life to threaten him into divorce."

The murmurs and accusations washed over me, but I felt nothing.

David watched me, his chest heaving. "Fine, Scarlett. You're ruthless."

He released his mother, snatched the papers and pen from my hand, and scrawled his signature a few times before throwing the document back at my chest.

"Satisfied now? Can we save our son?"

I picked up the papers from the floor, confirmed his signature, and tucked them into my bag. Then I turned to the doctor nearby. "You can prepare for the surgery now. The blood will be here as soon as possible."

With that, I turned and walked away.

David yelled after me. "Where are you going? You're not staying for Leo's surgery?"

I didn't look back. "His life or death is no longer my concern."