Chapter 4

Izabella stared in shock as Margaret twisted the truth. She tried to explain instinctively. "I didn't do it!"

Slap! Madison raised her hand and struck her across the face. "As long as I'm here, you don't get to speak in this house!"

Margaret's mother rushed forward and slapped Izabella a dozen more times, sobbing and begging her not to hurt Margaret.

Izabella sat numbly in place. She watched Carson scoop Margaret into his arms and hurry out. At the doorway, his steps suddenly paused. "Bring Izabella too."

Izabella froze. A faint spark of hope flickered in her chest. "Her blood type matches Margaret's. She can serve as a blood donor!"

The light in Izabella's eyes died completely.

They dragged her to the hospital like a discarded rag doll and dumped her in the blood bank. They drew 1000cc of blood by force.

When Carson left, his gaze toward her was utterly cold. "Consider yourself lucky. Margaret came out of this with minor injuries. We're taking the blood now as backup, in case a vicious person like you tries something again."

Excessive blood loss left Izabella dizzy. She lacked even the strength to argue.

Carson reached the door but could not resist glancing back. Izabella leaned against the table. Her frail frame looked as if a breeze could carry her away.

He hesitated, wondering if he should return. Then his phone rang. He paused and answered it. "Good. I'm bringing the plasma now. Tell Margaret not to worry..."

The hospital staff seemed wary of complications and did not rush her out. By the time Izabella regained enough strength, it was already the middle of the night.

She staggered to the hospital entrance and pulled out her phone to call a ride. Suddenly, darkness swallowed her vision. She pitched forward uncontrollably.

A hand grabbed her arm the next instant and stopped her fall.

Izabella looked up. It was the doctor who had examined her last time.

He eyed her with concern. "Miss Dobson, your condition is serious. Haven't you told your family yet?"

Izabella pressed her lips together and stayed silent.

Seeing she did not want to answer, the doctor glanced at the ride app on her phone. He hesitated before speaking. "It's hard to get a car this late. Where are you headed? I'll drive you."

Izabella felt too ill to refuse his offer.

When they reached the villa, she stumbled out of the car. The doctor steadied her just in time. "You should come back to the hospital for a follow-up when you can. With your condition..."

He trailed off. Izabella only smiled faintly and said nothing.

The entire house stood dark when she returned.

She started toward her room in the shadows. Suddenly, someone yanked her arm and pulled her into a corner. "Who was the man who brought you home?"

Fury laced Carson's voice. "Izabella, how can you be so cheap? You can't live without a man, can you? My brother died, and you're already eager for the next one?"

Izabella looked at him in disbelief. "I didn't..."

"Liar!" Carson grew angrier. "I saw you hugging that man with my own eyes!"

He seized her and nearly lifted her off the ground. "Any man will do, right? Then why not me..."

He swallowed the rest of the words. Madness overtook him as he dragged her toward the stairs.

Cornered, Izabella sank her teeth into his arm with all her strength.

She bit hard enough to draw blood.

"You're insane!" Carson raged. He grabbed her collar and shoved her violently toward the staircase.

Her foot slipped. She tumbled down the entire flight.

Warm blood instantly flowed from between her legs and spread across the floor along her thighs.

Carson stood at the top. In the pitch black, he could only make out Izabella sitting at the bottom, unmoving for a long time.

Unexplained panic surged through him. He started down instinctively. Then the master bedroom door opened. Madison spoke coldly. "Carson, why aren't you sleeping? You have a board meeting tomorrow!"

Carson paused. In the end, he turned and went back to his room.

Izabella lay on the cold floor. In the now-silent villa, she laughed and cried at once.

Finally, the last thread tying her to this world had snapped completely...