Bloody Love

Vivian Harrison used to be an ordinary nurse at the hospital, but she had the rare Rh-negative blood type.

Three years ago, she saved the life of the king of the underworld, Archie Palmer, who had been on the brink of death, with her blood. From that moment on, she had completely fallen for him.

However, when Archie awoke, he just coldly handed her a marriage contract. "I never owe anyone a favor."

The marriage, in the name of repaying a favor, became a gilded cage that confined Vivian for three years.

Archie made Vivian his wife, yet he gave all his tenderness and devotion to a vivacious and innocent woman-Cassie Fuller.

He would drive across half the city on a stormy night just to stay with Cassie because she was afraid of the dark.

He would spend a fortune at an auction to acquire a piece of priceless jewelry, because Cassie said she liked it.

Yet, all he ever offered Vivian was endless indifference and suspicion.

When Cassie suffered even the slightest grievance, he would unhesitatingly lay all the blame on Vivian and even torment and punish Vivian in the cruelest ways. "Your blood disgusts me as much as you do, Vivian."

Later, when Vivian took a fatal bullet for him and lay bleeding on the ground, he walked coldly past her, holding the frightened Cassie in his arms, without sparing Vivian even a glance.

At that moment, Vivian finally understood that this marriage was nothing but a joke from the start.

She decided that she would no longer play along with Archie.

But when Vivian, her body battered and broken, resolutely left Archie, and Archie, who had always claimed he never loved Vivian, for the first time felt his eyes sting, and frantically searched for her all over the world.

...

Today was the third anniversary of Vivian and Archie's marriage.

Inside the large mansion, the atmosphere was eerily quiet and lifeless.

Vivian sat alone at the dining table, her heart sinking as she watched the spread of dishes, which were slowly growing cold.

The clock on the wall showed it was already 11 PM.

He wouldn't be coming back.

She mockingly curled her lips.

She kept asking herself why she had not gotten used to this after three years.

Of course, someone like Archie, a man who held sway over the entire Afosso city and was even the terror of both the criminal and legitimate worlds, would never remember something so meaningless as their anniversary.

Their marriage had always been a transaction he offered out of gratitude.

Three years ago, he had been gravely injured in a gang fight and urgently needed a blood transfusion.

His blood type was the extremely rare Rh-negative, leaving the blood banks across the entire Afosso helpless.

It was Vivian, an ordinary nurse, who saved him from the brink of death with her blood.

That was when she fell in love with him at first sight.

She thought it was a gift from fate, not knowing it was the beginning of her misfortune.

When Archie awoke, his first glance at her was utterly devoid of warmth. And then he handed her a contract. "I never owe anyone a favor. Be my wife, or take a billion."

Blinded by love at the time, she foolishly chose to marry him.

From that day on, she became his wife and the envy of everyone. Yet she had also been trapped in the most gilded cage he had built for her.

Vivian stood up, ready to clear away the untouched dishes, when her phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

It was a call from Archie.

With a faint flicker of hope sparked in her chest, she answered it instantly. "Archie..."

"Make some mulled wine and deliver it to the Soleil Apartment," Archie said in a cold and flat voice, as if issuing an indisputable command.

The flicker of hope was immediately extinguished by his coldness.

Soleil Apartment was where Cassie lived.

And Cassie, a kindergarten teacher, was the only one who could melt Archie's coldness.

"It's pouring rain and thundering outside. She is scared." Archie, as if annoyed by Vivian's delayed response, added impatiently. Vivian had never heard such tension and tenderness in his tone when he talked to her.

"I'll do it right away..." Before she could finish, the call was abruptly ended.

Listening to the busy tone on the other end, Vivian felt a cold chill creep through her.

She glanced out the window; lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and the storm raging so violently it seemed to be swallowing the whole city.

And her husband was right there with another woman and was soothing the woman in a gentle voice.

After swallowing her bitterness, Vivian walked into the kitchen and mechanically opened the red wine, sliced oranges, and added spices.

Half an hour later, carrying the thermos with mulled wine in it, she drove off into the pouring rain without even calling for the driver.

Vivian parked the car downstairs at the Soleil Apartments, but didn't go up.

She knew Archie didn't want her showing up in front of Cassie.

Archie told Cassie that Vivian was merely his personal secretary, tasked with managing his daily needs.

And the naive Cassie believed Archie's words completely. She would greet Vivian warmly every time they met.

Thinking of how innocent Cassie was, Vivian felt even more conflicted.

Vivian resented Cassie, yet Vivian couldn't truly blame Cassie, because Cassie was also a victim of Archie's lies.

Vivian just quietly waited in the car.

After a long while, Archie finally appeared at the apartment entrance.

He held a black umbrella, carefully shielding Cassie in his arms as he helped her into another car.

Through the rain, Vivian could see Archie's sharp profile become so soft as he looked down and said something to Cassie. He even affectionately ruffled Cassie's hair.

At the sight of this, Vivian felt her eyes sting.

Suddenly, Vivian saw the door of her car wrenched open. Archie had walked over without her noticing, bringing a chill of cold air with him.

"Where is the mulled wine?" he asked in an icy voice.

Vivian handed him the thermos that had been sitting in the front passenger seat.

Archie took it, took a sip, and immediately frowned. "It is cold."

"I've been waiting downstairs for an hour." Vivian's voice was soft, yet it carried a trace of grievance she herself hadn't noticed.

Archie shot her a glance, his eyes as sharp as a knife. "So?"

Vivian tried to explain, but Archie impatiently snatched the thermos and jogged back to Cassie's car.

Cassie took the thermos and, following the direction Archie had come from, spotted Vivian.

The moment their eyes met, Vivian shuddered.

Cassie was as beautiful as a fairy from a fairy tale.

No wonder Archie was so gentle with her.

At that thought, Vivian managed a stiff smile.

Following Cassie's gaze, Archie glanced back at Vivian, then turned away indifferently.

After seeing Cassie off, Archie came over and got in Vivian's car with an expressionless face, then started it.

A dead silence filled the car, broken only by the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers.

Back at the mansion, Archie headed straight for the bathroom.

Vivian silently followed him behind.

At that moment, Archie's phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and immediately answered, his voice unusually soft. "What's wrong, Cassie? Still not feeling well?"

Cassie's tearful voice came through the phone. "Archie, my stomach hurts so much... It started after I drank the mulled wine..."

Archie's face instantly changed.

Archie spun around, his icy, sharp eyes locking onto Vivian as if he were tearing her into pieces. "What did you put in the mulled wine?"

Vivian was so frightened by the menace in his eyes that she took a step back.

"No... I didn't put anything..." she explained in a panic.

"You dare lie to me!" Archie stepped forward, clamping his large hand around her throat and slamming her against the cold wall.

Vivian couldn't breathe, and her face turned crimson. She futilely grasped at his wrist.

"I warned you not to have any foolish ideas." Archie snarled savagely like he was a devil from hell, his every word laced with an icy chill. "If anything happens to her, I'll make you pay with your life!"

The murderous intent in his eyes was terrifyingly real.

Vivian looked at him in despair.

Only now did she understand that, in his eyes, she was a vicious woman.

And that he would want to kill her when anything happened to Cassie.

Just as she thought she was truly about to die, Archie's phone rang again. It was his assistant. "Mr. Palmer, Miss Fuller's stomachache is from the acute gastroenteritis she is having now. It has nothing to do with the mulled wine. Miss Fuller ate some contaminated food earlier tonight."

Archie finally released his hand, which had been gripping Vivian's neck.

Vivian collapsed to the floor, clutching her throat as she coughed violently, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

While Archie looked down at her, with only persistent coldness in his eyes, instead of any note of apology. "Even if it wasn't you this time, remember this clearly. Know your place and behave yourself. Next time, I won't let you off so easily."

With that, he straightened his slightly disheveled collar, picked up his coat, and walked out without looking back.

"Where are you going?" Vivian asked, her voice hoarse.

"The hospital." He said tersely, then quickly walked out through the door.

The mansion door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Huddled on the cold floor, she touched the sore spot on her neck and suddenly began to laugh.

She was laughing at her three years of foolish infatuation, at her own stupidity for clinging to a man who treated her like dirt.

This marriage was not a cage, but hell.

Vivian sat on the cold floor all night.

The next day, she went to the hospital for her shift as if nothing had happened, her whole body sore.

The mark from Archie's grip on her neck was glaringly obvious, so she had to cover it with a scarf.

As soon as she changed into her uniform, the department head found her. "Vivian, a patient named Cassie was admitted last night with acute gastroenteritis. Mr. Palmer has personally requested that you be assigned to this case."

Vivian felt an ache in her heart but remained composed. "Okay."

Walking into the private room of the hospital, Vivian saw Archie sitting by the bed, personally feeding Cassie.

He was gentle to her, his gaze intent, as if he were taking care of a priceless treasure.

And Cassie, like a docile kitten, just let him feed her, a blissful blush spreading across her face.

The scene was warm and harmonious, yet at it, Vivian felt a sharp ache.

"Hey there, Vivian!" Cassie noticed Vivian before Archie did and waved at Vivian happily.

Vivian forced a stiff smile and stepped forward. "Miss Fuller, I'm here to give you a check-up."

Archie glanced up at Vivian, his gaze as indifferent as if Vivian were a stranger.

Vivian skillfully took Cassie's temperature and blood pressure.

"What is this on your neck, Vivian? What happened to you?" Cassie pointed at a patch of redness on Vivian's neck that the scarf hadn't covered.

Vivian's heart clenched. She instinctively grabbed the edge of her scarf. "Nothing. I'm allergic."

"I see. Take care of yourself." Cassie said with concern, then picked up an exquisitely wrapped box from the nightstand and handed it to Vivian. "By the way, Vivian, this is for you. Thank you for specially bringing me the mulled wine last night."

Vivian glanced at the box but didn't take it.

"I made these cookies myself. Archie told me that you love sweets." Cassie eagerly shoved the box into Vivian's hands.

Vivian felt her heart ached painfully as she now discovered that Archie even shared her preferences with Cassie.

That meant he truly held nothing back from Cassie.

"Thank you," Vivian just said in a strained voice.

After the check-up was finished, Vivian was about to leave. But Archie called out to her. "You will go have lunch at that restaurant on the south side of the city."

It was just like another order from Archie.

Vivian clenched her hands at her sides imperceptibly. "There is a cafeteria at the hospital."

"Do as I told you to!" Archie didn't raise his voice, but it carried an unmistakable pressure that left no room to refuse.

He didn't want to go there with Vivian. He just wanted Vivian out of the hospital so he could be with Cassie alone.

Vivian took a deep breath. "Okay."

She turned and left the ward. The moment she closed the door, she heard Cassie's sweet voice from inside.

Cassie said, "You're so harsh to Vivian. After all, she is your secretary."

"If she did wrong, she should face the consequences," Archie said nonchalantly, as if he were complaining about an unruly subordinate.

Vivian's steps faltered.

So, to him, she didn't even have the right to be forgiven after a mistake.

The restaurant on the south side of the city was very far from the hospital. It would take a one-hour drive to be there.

By the time Vivian returned to the ward, Archie and Cassie were just preparing to leave.

Archie had changed into a well-tailored casual outfit, while Cassie wore a beautiful dress, her face unable to conceal her excitement.

"Archie is taking me to the observatory in the suburbs! I heard there's a meteor shower tonight!" Cassie happily told Vivian.

Vivian remembered she had once mentioned to Archie that she wanted to watch a meteor shower with him.

But what had he said to her then?

He had called it a stupid idea.

Now, he was going to fulfill that very wish with another woman.

"Miss Fuller hasn't fully recovered from her gastroenteritis. It is not good for her if she gets in a draught," Vivian reminded him out of professional habit as a nurse.

The smile on Cassie's face stiffened.

Archie's expression instantly turned cold. He walked up to Vivian, exuding an intimidating presence with his tall frame. "Are you trying to tell me what to do?"

"I was just..." Vivian tried to explain.

"Stay out of her business." Archie cut Vivian off coldly, with an evident note of warning in his tone.

He took Cassie's hand and said softly, "Don't listen to her. There are blankets in the car. You won't catch a cold."

With that, he put his arm around Cassie and walked straight past her, not sparing her another glance.

When they had walked far away, Vivian could still hear Cassie's coquettish voice. "Archie, can't you be a little nicer to Vivian from now on?"

Archie instantly softened and readily said, "Okay."

Standing alone in the empty hospital room, Vivian felt that she really was pathetic.

After she returned home, she shut herself in the room, keeping telling herself that it was time to let go.

Late at night, Archie came home.

He carried the chill from the suburb and a faint trace of women's perfume-the one that Cassie always wore.

Without a word, he walked into the bathroom. When he came out, he tossed a first-aid kit in front of Vivian.

"Cassie sprained her ankle," he said coldly, "Go over there now and take care of it. You're responsible for looking after her until she is fully recovered."

Vivian looked at him, feeling it utterly absurd. "I am a nurse, not an on-call private nanny available 24/7."

Archie narrowed his eyes and approached her step by step. "Say that again?"

"I mean..." Vivian tried to say something.

But Archie stopped her violently.

He threw her onto the bed, pressing down his tall, strong body over her, his hands clamped tightly around her wrists. "Know your place, Vivian. I can make you my wife, but I can also take everything away from you."

His gaze was venomous and fierce, sending a chill down Vivian's spine.

"You tampered with the steps of the observatory to make Cassie fall, didn't you?" He leaned down, enunciating each word.

Vivian's eyes widened in shock.

She hadn't been to the observatory the whole day!

"It wasn't me!" she protested vehemently. "I was home all night!"

"Is that so?" Archie let out a cold laugh, the mockery in his eyes stronger. "Do you think I can't tell that you're jealous of Cassie?"

He gave her no chance to explain and just roughly tore her clothes open. "Since you like playing dirty, I'll show you what a real dirty trick is."

The cold touch and humiliating pain washed over her in an instant.

She didn't know what he took her for.

A vicious woman who would resort to any means out of jealousy to hurt others? Or merely a tool for him to vent his anger on at will?

Tears streamed down her face, soaking into the pillow.

She closed her eyes desperately.

It turned out that, in this marriage, in the name of repaying a favor, there was always no trust.

All he ever gave her was hurt and humiliation.