Chapter 3

Sophia's POV

I turned off my phone. I didn't go to the office or return to the Shaw family estate.

Xander didn't come looking for me either.

Over these three days, London's headlines were all about Xander's new love.

"Mr. Shaw Books Entire Amusement Park Late Night to Make Mystery Girl Smile"

"Mystery Cinderella Moves Into Shaw Mansion, Wedding Bells Soon?"

In the photos, Luna wore Xander's shirt, standing on his private yacht, laughing with wild abandon.

Xander stood behind her, shielding her from the wind, his eyes so tender they could melt ice.

Someone asked in the comments: What about Mrs. Shaw?

The reply below: Who cares about that trophy wife anymore?

I sat on a bench in the hospital, scrolling past these news stories.

This was the intensive care unit.

Through thick glass, my sister Aria Winter lay quietly inside.

Tubes ran throughout her body, the ventilator rising and falling rhythmically.

Seven years ago, my family, the Winter family went bankrupt. My parents jumped from a building.

When those debt collectors burst in to drag me away as payment, it was fifteen-year-old Aria who charged at them with a knife. She was ultimately pushed down the stairs and left in a vegetative state.

Aria Winter was my sister.

For these seven years, Aria had been my entire reason for living.

A single day in the ICU cost a fortune.

When Xander proposed, he said.

"Sophia, marry me. Aria will be like my own sister. I'll hire the best doctors in the world and watch over her for life."

I believed him.

For that promise, I endured his parents' abuse, weathered high society's cold stares, and transformed myself into the perfect version Xander wanted.

But now...

The attending physician approached, looking troubled.

"This month's treatment fees... Mr. Shaw has stopped payment."

I jerked my head up.

"What?"

"Mr. Shaw's secretary just called. He said Mr. Shaw has frozen this expense from his personal account. If payment isn't made by sunset today, they might have to... turn off the ventilator."

The doctor couldn't bring himself to finish.

I felt all the blood in my body flowing backward.

He stopped the medical payments?

Xander was forcing my hand.

He knew I didn't have much cash.

I'd been Mrs. Shaw for years, but I'd never had a hand in the company's money.

My monthly allowance was decent, but most of it had gone toward an experimental imported treatment for Aria these past few months.

He was using Aria's life to force me to sign the divorce papers.

"I understand."

I stood up. My vision went black for a moment. I steadied myself against the wall.

"I'll figure out the money. The medication absolutely cannot be stopped."

I pulled out my phone and turned it on.

Countless messages popped up.

I ignored the mockery and probing questions, dialing Xander's number directly.

It rang once before connecting.

"Come to your senses?"

Xander's careless voice came through, background noise chaotic, like he was at a racetrack.

"Xander, you can stop loving me. You can divorce me."

My voice was shaking.

"But you cannot stop Aria's medication! That's her life!"

"Sophia."

Xander let out a soft laugh.

"Aria's been asleep for seven years. Medical experts say her chances of waking are virtually zero. These seven years, I've spent hundreds of millions on her. I've done more than enough."

"You made a vow!"

"Vows expire. So does love."

Xander's voice turned cold.

"Besides, I need that money for something more meaningful now."

"Something more meaningful?"

"Luna wants to open a stray animal rescue center. The location is in the south district. The initial investment requires capital. Rather than throwing money into a bottomless pit maintaining a living corpse's heartbeat, I'd rather support Luna's dreams."

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.

To open a pet shop for that replacement, he was going to unplug my sister's ventilator?

"Xander, you're a bastard."

"Go ahead and curse. When you're done, sign the divorce agreement."

Xander didn't care at all.

"Sign the papers, and I might consider extending the payments for three more months. Give you time to find your next meal ticket."

The call ended.

I gripped my phone, speechless.

Despair swallowed me like a tide.

Just then, urgent footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.

A large group of medical staff rushed past pushing a mobile bed. Xander was right beside them, his face terrifyingly dark.

I froze.

That was... Luna?

Luna lay on the bed, deathly pale, her forehead covered in blood. She appeared seriously injured.

Xander saw me too, but his gaze didn't linger for even a second. He immediately shouted at the doctors.

"Hurry! Blood transfusion! She has a rare blood type. Does the blood bank still have inventory?"

The hospital director rushed over, sweating profusely.

"Mr. Shaw, bad timing! There was a multi-car pileup last night. All the rare blood type inventory was transferred! Getting more blood will take at least two hours. Miss Luna has lost so much blood, I'm afraid..."

"Useless!"

Xander kicked over a nearby trash can.

Eyes bloodshot, he turned like a trapped beast scanning his surroundings. Finally, his gaze locked onto me.

No, to be precise, it locked onto the ICU room behind me.

My heart lurched. An unprecedented terror shot up my spine.

Aria also had a rare blood type.

The same blood type as Luna.