Chapter 2

Clara's POV

Everyone envied me because this love was something Frederic had risked his life for.

Three years ago, when a crazed patient's family member raised a knife to strike, I thought I was dead.

It was Frederic who blocked that fatal blow with his bare hands.

His blood sprayed onto my white coat, dripping down the hem.

As chaos erupted in the emergency room, he simply covered my eyes with that blood-soaked hand and said in a steady voice, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

That scar across his palm, deep enough to show bone, became the ultimate proof of his love for me.

To ensure I'd never be frightened again, billionaire Frederic swiftly dealt with all the trouble.

He brought me to high society galas, announcing to everyone that I was his future wife.

To let me complete my residency in an absolutely safe environment, he spent money to buy shares in an entire private hospital.

I thought, on this exhausting path of practicing medicine, Frederic was my only safe harbor.

But tonight, everything changed.

I walked into his study carrying warm milk. The drawer under his desk was half-open.

I set down the glass and reached to close the drawer for him.

The moment my fingers touched the edge, a medical document pressed beneath business reports showed its corner.

Professional instinct made me sensitive to medical terminology. I pulled out the document.

The header was printed in bold black: Bone Marrow Matching Agreement.

Donor: Clara.

Recipient: Lydia.

Match similarity: Ten out of ten loci fully compatible.

Those names stabbed at my eyes.

Lydia, Frederic's childhood friend who had leukemia and grew up receiving treatment abroad.

My hand holding the agreement trembled uncontrollably.

Not only did it contain my detailed physical examination data, it even outlined a three-month bone marrow maturation plan.

Every item on the plan had a red checkmark next to it.

My gaze froze rigidly on the familiar handwriting at the signature line as tears splashed onto the pages.

So when Frederic had lovingly coaxed me, practicing writing my name over and over on blank papers, it wasn't some romantic gesture. It was so he could forge my "signature" on this agreement.

Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.

I hurriedly shoved the document back in the drawer and retreated into the shadows by the bookshelf, holding my breath.

Frederic didn't enter. He answered a phone call in the hallway, his voice low. "Stop rushing me. Her hematopoietic stem cells haven't reached optimal condition yet."

"Frederic, you're being way too good to Clara. You even bought her a private hospital. People who don't know better would think you actually fell for that resident doctor."

The teasing voice of his friend came through the phone, carrying a hint of amusement.

Frederic didn't respond.

I felt completely drained, desperately covering my mouth to keep from making a sound.

Cold dread climbed up my spine, numbing my limbs.

The friend's voice continued on the phone.

"But seriously, hiring those actors to cause trouble in the ER, even deliberately taking that knife yourself. That false flag operation was brilliant. Clara's completely devoted to you now. Won't Lydia be jealous if she sees how you two interact normally?"

Frederic cut him off coldly. "Shut up. Discussing Lydia's situation to my face. Do you have a death wish?"

"My bad, my bad. Everyone knows Lydia is precious to you. This is all to make Clara willingly lie on that operating table, right?"

"Once the matching matures, we'll use her marrow to save Lydia's life."

Frederic didn't refute it. He just rubbed his temples and gave a low warning. "Keep your mouth shut. Don't let anything leak before the surgery. After it's done, I'll transfer a substantial health compensation from my account, enough for her to recover comfortably for the rest of her life."

Whatever else they said, I couldn't hear anymore. Crouched in the dead corner by the bookshelf, my mind went completely blank.