Chapter 6

I staggered out of the ballroom, my cheeks burning, the dried blood at the corner of my lips pulling tight against my skin.

I didn't call a driver. I drove myself straight to Mount Sinai Hospital.

While the ER doctor treated my wounds, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Half my face was swollen and red. My lip was split. My eyes were bloodshot.

A complete failure.

I tried to smile, but it pulled at the wound, and I hissed in pain.

After the treatment, I got back in my car, ready to return to the apartment—but in the hospital parking lot, two people blocked my way.

Ava's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Monroe.

They stood on either side of my car door, their voices almost pleading. "Ms. Vance, please... stop holding on to the title of Mrs. Blackwood. Just have some pity on us—give that position to our Ava..."

I looked at them coldly. "Move."

"Ava truly loves Mr. Blackwood. Please, just let them be together..."

"I'll say it one more time. Move."

I didn't want to waste another second on them. I pushed past and got into my car.

But the moment I stepped on the gas, Mr. Monroe suddenly lunged toward the front of my car—

Bang.

A dull impact echoed. I hadn't even processed what happened when I saw him already on the ground, clutching his leg and wailing in pain.

Mrs. Monroe screamed and rushed over. "Oh my God!"

I froze, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.

He had thrown himself at the car.

It was deliberate.

But there was no time to think. I rushed out and brought him back into the ER.

In the hospital hallway, Ava hurried over. The moment she saw me, she raised her hand and slapped me without a word.

Smack.

My head snapped to the side, a sharp ringing filling my ears.

"Eleanor!" Ava cried, tears streaming down her face. "You can do whatever you want to me, but why would you hurt my parents like this?!"

The freshly treated wound on my cheek split open again, blood slowly seeping out. Yet I felt no pain at all.

"Your father ran into my car himself," I said coldly.

"That's a lie!" Landon's voice cut in sharply behind me. "Why would Mr. Monroe throw himself at your car?"

"Eleanor, when did you become this vicious?"

I looked at him, my heart already torn beyond repair.

Now, he didn't even bother to investigate. He had already decided I was guilty.

It was as if he had completely forgotten how deeply he once loved me.

A doctor rushed out of the ER. "The patient has lost too much blood and needs a transfusion immediately. He's type A. We're preparing blood from the bank, but if there are family members or willing donors, it will speed things up."

Ava sobbed and shook her head. "I'm family, but... I have severe anemia. The doctor said I can't donate..."

Landon's gaze shifted to me, cold and commanding. "She's type A. Let her donate."

I looked up sharply. "I won't."

"You caused this. You're responsible," he said darkly. "If anything happens to him, I won't let you off."

Cold spread through my body. My voice trembled uncontrollably. "Are you going to threaten me with my father's life again?"

His pupils contracted slightly, as if my words struck something inside him.

But the next second, he hardened again and ordered the bodyguards behind him, "Take her. Draw her blood."

I was forced down into the donor chair.

After a quick blood type and health check, the needle pierced my vein. Pain shot through me, making my fingers tremble.

The blood bag slowly filled. My consciousness faded with it.

I remembered how, in the past, I had mild anemia. Landon had once panicked over a tiny paper cut on my finger.

And now, he was having me held down, draining my blood to save a man who had staged an accident.

Darkness crept into my vision.

I couldn't hold on any longer.

I passed out.