Chapter 6

Kaelyn's face turned pale. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Although the Morley Group wasn't as prosperous as it once was, it was far from bankruptcy.

It was her father's hard work. It couldn't be treated like a commodity for others to pick and choose.

Andres also sensed something was amiss and called his secretary to ask what was going on.

The secretary lowered his voice. "Miss Dobson added it to the auction list at the last minute."

"Remove it."

"Miss Dobson... disagrees."

Andres frowned as he called Madelynn. He only heard a voice tinged with grievance on the other end.

He looked helpless, but his gaze softened. After hanging up, he explained to Kaelyn, saying, "Madelyne is an outstanding graduate from a top university. She had some experts evaluate the Morley Group and concluded that it has limited potential. So a merger is the best option now. Kaelyn, you have to trust her. Besides, even if the Morley Group is sold out, you still have me."

Kaelyn shook her head, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

Before her father went into surgery, he had entrusted her with only one task. That was to protect the Morley Group.

She couldn't let others be the boss of the Morley Group.

She grasped Andres's hand and asked in a trembling voice, "I don't want anything else. Please... help me take the Morley Group, will you?"

Andres's heart stirred.

It had been a long time since Kaelyn showed such vulnerability.

He tightened his grip on her hand and said, "Alright. I'll make sure to get it for you."

Kaelyn nodded and felt slightly reassured.

The auction began with a starting bid of ninety million dollars.

Kaelyn nervously looked at Andres, but he suddenly stood up to answer a call. He looked anxious. "Don't worry. I'll be right there."

After hanging up, he hesitated for a moment and then handed her the bidding paddle. "Madelynn's in trouble. I have to go. Just keep bidding. No matter how much it is, I'll cover it."

Before Kaelyn could respond, he hurried out.

The bidding continued.

Kaelyn forced herself to remain calm. She consistently offered slightly higher bids each round.

Ultimately, she secured the Morley Group at three hundred million dollars.

She was secretly relieved. When she followed the staff member to complete the payment, she handed over the bank card Andres had given her.

A moment later, the staff member returned the bank card with an apologetic look. "Ma'am, this card is not valid. Do you have another method of payment?"

Kaelyn's heart sank.

How could it be?

Even if Andres didn't care about Kaelyn, he wouldn't give her a useless card to embarrass her publicly.

"Could it be a machine error?" she asked, trying to maintain her composure. "Could you please try again?"

The staff member nodded and attempted several more times, but the result was the same.

Kaelyn's fingers trembled as she called Andres.

He picked up quickly, and she said in a low voice, "Andres, the bank card you gave me doesn't work."

"How could that be?" Andres replied, puzzled. Then he comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, Kaelyn, I'm on my way back now."

Before he could finish, a soft, aggrieved female voice was faintly heard on the other end of the line.

Kaelyn couldn't make out what Madelynn said, but she knew Andres's mind instantly changed.

"Sorry, Kaelyn. Something urgent came up here, and I can't leave now. I'll call you later, alright?"

Before she could respond, the call ended abruptly.

Kaelyn stared at the darkened phone screen, and her heart grew cold.

She couldn't just watch as the Morley Group was bought by someone else. Desperately, she dialed Andres's number repeatedly, but only the cold, busy signal responded.

Others settling their own transactions noticed her predicament. Some whispered mockingly, "Isn't that Andres's fiancée? She looked so arrogant earlier, yet she can't even pay for an auction item?"

"If she can't pay, let others have a chance. Or... maybe if she offers something in return, I'll consider buying it for her." They laughed loudly.

Kaelyn's eyes reddened as she hoarsely retorted, "It has nothing to do with you."

Their laughter grew more brazen, and their words became increasingly offensive.

The staff member was helpless and bowed slightly. "I'm sorry, ma'am."

Then the staff member indicated that the Morley Group would pass to the next highest bidder.

Meanwhile, due to her prolonged presence in the settlement area and the disturbance, two staff members politely but firmly asked her to leave.

Kaelyn tried to explain, but her influence was insufficient. Amidst the struggle, she was escorted out.

Before the door closed, she heard the auctioneer's hammer fall. Two hundred and fifty million. Sold!"

Kaelyn froze, feeling a chill spread through her body.

She hadn't managed to hold onto even one thing.

She didn't know how long she stood there in a daze before she got up and found Madelynn blocking her path with a smirk. "How does it feel to be thrown out? You'd better leave Andres as soon as possible. Stop embarrassing him."

Kaelyn's eyes were blank as she tried to walk past.

Madelynn grabbed Kaelyn's hair and said, "I'm talking to you."

They tussled by the roadside, oblivious to the red light. A truck barreled towards them.

"Kaelyn!" Andres's shout jolted her.

She looked up, only to be blinded by the truck's headlights.

With a deafening crash, Kaelyn was flung several meters away. Pain seared through her body, and warm liquid pooled between her legs.

Andres knelt nearby and examined Madelynn's scraped arm. He looked so nervous.

At that moment, Kaelyn's hope was gone completely.

By the time Andres rushed over, Kaelyn had already lost consciousness.

Outside the emergency room, the doctor was there.

"Miss Dobson is currently stable, but there's a slight detachment of the uterine lining. We need further tests to assess the situation..."

Before the doctor could finish, Madelynn burst into tears, "Andres, I don't want to lose my uterus. You have to save me. Kaelyn's uterus is fine. Can't you transplant hers to me?"

Andres hesitated. He then looked at the doctor and hoped for a solution that wouldn't compromise either of them.

The doctor looked serious as he said, "Mr. Warren, Miss Morley's condition is very weak right now. She can't undergo transplant surgery. If you insist on having her undergo the surgery, she will be in danger. Miss Dobson's uterus isn't damaged severely enough to need a transplant..."

Madelynn's cries intensified. "Andres, you promised my parents that you'd take care of me. How can you break your promise? If it weren't for Kaelyn, I wouldn't have been in an accident. Just surgery to transplant her uterus to me, and I'll forgive her."

Ultimately, Andres made his decision. "Proceed with the surgery to transplant the uterus. Kaelyn's health isn't a concern, but Madelynn loves children so much. She needs a healthy uterus."

He turned to Kaelyn, who was unconscious, and softened his voice with guilt, "Kaelyn, we can build a family together through adoption. I'll always be with you."

He still thought about Madelynn at that moment.

Kaelyn was wheeled into the operating room, and the surgical light shone overhead.

She struggled with all her might and tried to escape. But she was weak. She merely watched helplessly as the anesthetist approached with a needle.

She was despairing and closed her eyes.

Just then, the operating room door burst open.

A tall man rushed in. His gaze locked onto Kaelyn on the table, and his pupils contracted sharply. "Stop. I dare anyone to touch her!"

The doctor turned and gasped in shock. "Mr. Saunders..."