Chapter 5

Allie Bridges POV:

I instinctively recoiled, a shiver running down my spine. The air in the hospital waiting room felt heavy, suffocating. August' s eyes, usually so cold and distant, now held a terrifying intensity fixed solely on me.

"I didn't push her," I whispered, my voice barely audible, caught in my dry throat. "She fell on purpose."

August let out a harsh, dismissive laugh. "Of course you'd say that, Allie. Always the victim, aren't you? Always deflecting blame." He took a step towards me, his presence dominating the small space. "You've always hated her, haven't you? Ever since you were a child. You made that clear enough tonight."

His words twisted the knife. He wasn't interested in the truth. He never had been. All he saw was Caroline, fragile and suffering, and me, the vengeful stepsister.

"Hate her?" I echoed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "Yes, August. I hate her. I hate her for what she did to my family. I hate her for what she's doing to you. And I hate you for being so blind, so stupid, that you can't see past her lies!"

My outburst only seemed to harden his resolve. His jaw visibly tightened. "Enough, Allie. I don't have time for your theatrics. Caroline needs blood, and you're her sister. The doctors said you're the most likely match. Get up. Now. You're giving blood." His voice was a command, laced with an undeniable threat.

I stared at him, shaking my head. "No. You can't make me." A flicker of defiance, born of sheer terror, ignited within me.

He advanced, his eyes dark, radiating a dangerous fury. "Oh, I can. You think I don't know your little history, Allie? Disowned, no job, no money. You really think you have a choice here? Caroline is my fiancée. She's family. And if you refuse, I promise you, you'll regret it."

Before I could react, he lunged. His hand clamped around my wrist, his grip like iron. Pain shot up my arm, sharp and immediate. I cried out, struggling against him, but he was far stronger. He yanked me forward, dragging me towards the emergency room doors.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, my voice cracking. I tried to pull away, twisting my arm, digging my heels into the polished floor.

His grip tightened, a sickening crunch echoing in my ears as a fresh wave of agony radiated from my wrist. My vision blurred with tears, not just from the physical pain, but the profound shock of his brutal force. He was hurting me. The man who had cradled me, whispered sweet nothings, was now actively inflicting pain.

"August! My wrist! You're breaking it!" I sobbed, the words barely coherent. My wrist felt like it was on fire, a throbbing pulse of agony that stole my breath. I felt faint, the world spinning around me.

He didn't loosen his grip. If anything, he tightened it further, pulling me relentlessly through the double doors into the sterile, brightly lit emergency room. The doctors and nurses looked up, startled by the commotion, but August's sheer authority, his reputation, seemed to keep them from intervening.

He practically threw me into a chair, his face a mask of cold fury. "Get her ready. She's donating blood. Now."

A nurse, her face etched with concern, approached me gently. "Ma'am, are you alright? Your wrist looks swollen."

August cut her off. "She's fine. Just reluctant. Get the blood. Caroline needs it."

Helpless, trapped, I watched as they prepped my arm, the metallic tang of antiseptic filling my nostrils. The pain in my wrist was excruciating, a constant, dull throb with sharp, sickening spikes whenever I moved.

As the needle pierced my vein, drawing red life from my arm, I looked at August, who stood nearby, watching intently. His eyes were still fixed on me, but not with concern, only with a cold vigilance, as if I were a machine performing a necessary function.

"Do you love her, August?" I whispered, my voice weak, my eyes burning. "Do you truly love Caroline?"

He met my gaze, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something, perhaps regret, perhaps uncertainty. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "She's my fiancée, Allie. She's the one I'm supposed to love. She's the one I'm going to marry." His tone was flat, final.

My heart, already battered and bruised, felt like it finally gave out. It didn't just break; it died. Whatever residual hope, whatever faint ember of love might have lingered, was extinguished by his callous words. My tears stopped flowing. There was nothing left to cry for.

Suddenly, the nurse monitoring my vitals gasped. "Doctor! Her blood pressure is dropping rapidly! And her heart rate is elevated!"

The doctor rushed over, frowning as he checked the monitors. "What's going on? Her body isn't tolerating this well. We need to slow down the transfusion. Continuing at this rate could be dangerous. She's already exhibiting signs of shock."

August stepped forward, his eyes still on the flowing blood. "Dangerous? How dangerous?"

"Potentially fatal, Mr. Armstrong," the doctor said gravely. "Her body is simply not accustomed to this kind of rapid blood loss. We need to stop."

August's gaze flickered between me and the blood bag. His face was unreadable. "Will what's already been collected be enough for Caroline's surgery?"

The doctor hesitated. "It's a start, but she'll likely need more. Ideally, we'd take a little more from Ms. Bridges now, to ensure stability for Caroline, then monitor her."

August turned to the doctor, his voice cold and unwavering. "Then take it. Take whatever she has. Caroline needs it. Now."

My eyes widened in horror. He was willing to risk my life for her. My own life, the life I had given him over three years, mattered less than a few more drops of blood for Caroline.

The nurse, a kind-faced woman, looked at me with deep pity, her eyes pleading with August. But he was resolute.

I closed my eyes. There was no point fighting. This was my fate. To be used, discarded, and now, drained. "Just... do it," I murmured, my voice devoid of all emotion. My body felt numb, disconnected from the pain, from the world. I was just a vessel, a resource to be consumed.

August's monstrous selfishness, his complete disregard for my well-being, solidified into a hard, cold core of hatred within me. He had not only broken my heart but had attempted to steal my very life force. And he had done it with the same casual indifference he might show to a faulty piece of technology. The man I loved was gone, replaced by a ruthless ghost.