Chapter 1

For five years, I sold my blood to pay for my husband's treatment abroad.

He recovered, but lost his memory.

He mistook his caregiver for his girlfriend and wanted to return home to marry her.

I tried everything to awaken his memories, but all I ever got was one cold response:

"I don't know you."

Until I was diagnosed with heart failure, with only a week left to live.

I finally chose to let go and went to say my final goodbye to him.

But then I heard the caregiver leaning against his chest, asking in a coquettish voice:

"Zachary, isn't it a bit wrong for you to pretend to have amnesia just to marry me and deceive your wife?"

My heart seized. The diagnosis in my hand crumpled into a ball.

Disdain flickered in Zachary Knight's eyes.

"Vivian and I have been tied together since childhood. I'm sick of it."

"Besides, you gave yourself to me last week. Even if the sky falls, I'm going to marry you."

Watching the two of them pressed intimately together, waves of dizziness washed over me.

So when Zachary proposed and swore I'd be his only woman for life, it was all just a joke.

The announcement came over the speakers—the flight back home was beginning to board.

Zachary wrapped his arm around Veronica Stone and headed to the queue, not forgetting to whisper sweet nothings.

"As soon as we get back, we'll get married immediately. I'll give you the most luxurious wedding of the century!"

A sharp pain stabbed my chest.

I remembered when Zachary and I got married—it was during the most difficult time of his startup.

The diamond ring was fake, the wedding dress was the cheapest available, and there wasn't even a wedding ceremony.

After slipping the ring on my finger, Zachary pulled me into a tight embrace, his eyes red.

"Vivian, I'm sorry you had to settle. When I have money, I'll give you the grandest wedding!"

The ringing of a phone interrupted my memories.

Zachary stepped aside to answer it.

I quietly followed. The voice of Zachary's assistant came through the phone.

"Mr. Knight, in the first year of your illness, you pretended to go bankrupt and forced your wife to work to earn money. But I found out she's also been selling blood this whole time. I'm afraid her health..."

Zachary cut him off impatiently.

"It's her own fault for coming to the hospital every day to see me, making it impossible for me to spend time alone with Veronica!"

"I pretended to go bankrupt to give her something to do, so she wouldn't be idle all day and ruin my plans!"

The assistant spoke again.

"But Mr. Knight, selling blood continuously for five years can cause severe anemia, and if it's more serious..."

"Anemia can be fixed with supplements, can't it? It's not going to kill her, is it?"

Zachary's voice was ice cold.

"Your only task right now is to prepare properly for my wedding with Veronica!"

The call ended mercilessly.

My legs nearly gave out beneath me.

The dense needle marks on my arm reminded me how laughable I'd been all these years, hiding my blood donations from Zachary to keep him from worrying.

Veronica suddenly let out a delicate cry.

Zachary immediately rushed over, his face full of concern.

Veronica looked aggrieved.

"I accidentally pricked my finger with my brooch. It hurts."

Zachary lifted her hand and kissed away the bead of blood.

Then he carefully fastened the brooch for her.

His movements were as gentle as if handling a priceless treasure.

"Veronica, from now on I'll handle these small things. I'll never let you shed another drop of blood."

The familiar words reminded me of our youth.

I'd scraped my knee and it bled.

Zachary was disinfecting it for me, and I gasped from the pain.

He looked so distressed, swearing earnestly:

"Vivian, from now on I'll protect you and never let you get hurt again!"

Over a decade had passed in the blink of an eye, and that boy who only had eyes for me had vanished with time.

After watching Zachary lead Veronica onto the plane, I bit my lip and found the nearest blood donation center.

After collecting enough for a plane ticket, I dragged my weak body to the ticket counter.

"Hello, I'd like to buy a ticket home."