Chapter 1"Don't worry, Lillian, I'll personally take the baby to the operating room once it's born. It's an honor for her and the pup to contribute to your recovery."
Through the door, I could hear Caleb's voice on the phone. My stomach churned. I fought back the nausea as I opened the agreement I'd pulled from his drawer — Agreement for Directed Maternal Blood and Umbilical Cord Blood Donation.
It stated plainly:
[Party B, Tessa, will provide 200cc of blood every fifteen days during her pregnancy for Lillian, who is suffering from aplastic anemia.]
[Party B will also voluntarily donate her newborn's cord blood for Lillian's emergency treatment.]
So all the blood those nurses had drawn from me wasn't for testing. It was given to Lillian. And the agreement was signed the day after I found out I was pregnant.
I still remember that day, when I told him I was carrying his pup, Caleb rushed home ecstatic, swept me up in his arms, and spun me around. Turns out, it wasn't joy that overwhelmed him. It was relief that he had finally secured the key to saving his first love's life.
I felt like every drop of blood had been drained from me. My whole body went cold. I flipped to the last page. There, in bold black print, was a supplemental clause:
[If the cord blood is not a match, Party B, Tessa, must agree to allow a bone marrow transplant from the child once the surgical criteria are met.]
[As compensation, after the procedure succeeds, Caleb will pay Tessa a one-time emotional damages fee of 10 million dollars and immediately reject her, terminating the mate bond.]
[Custody of the child will belong solely to Caleb.]
My child. The pup I risked my life to carry. Even before birth, he had already been labeled by his own father as nothing more than a walking blood bank and bone marrow supply.
Seven years of love. All the kindness he had shown me over that time... I thought it was happiness finally arriving late, but it was all just a heartless betrayal.
The agreement slipped from my fingers. My knees gave out beneath me. I barely managed to catch myself on the edge of the desk.
The study door opened. Caleb walked in with a bowl of chicken soup. When he saw my pale face, he frowned slightly. "Tessa, what are you doing in the study? The healer said you need to rest."
His voice was as gentle as ever. But I could barely hold back the urge to vomit.
I had originally come in here to question him about the agreement. I hadn't expected to overhear that call. My chest burned. A thousand questions screamed inside me, yet I stood trembling, unable to speak.
His gaze followed mine to the document on the floor. For a moment, he froze. But only for a second. Then his expression returned calmly, not a trace of panic, not a flicker of guilt. He walked over smoothly, picked up the agreement, placed it back in the drawer, and turned the key. The whole process was smooth, effortless, as though he were simply tidying up an unimportant document.
Then he turned to me, standing tall, looking down. His voice was patient, condescending.
"So, you heard? Tessa, it's not a good habit to go through other people's things. But since you already know, I won't hide it from you."
"Lillian is very sick. The healer says this is her only chance. Tessa, you've always been kind. You'll help me, won't you?"
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Chapter 2
I stared into his eyes. I used to think I saw galaxies in them, but now I realized they were nothing but a bottomless, frozen abyss.
My kindness? It meant letting him treat my child like medical waste, just to save another she-wolf?
My throat burned, like a glowing coal lodged inside. The pain was so intense I couldn't speak. I could only glare at him.
Caleb shifted uncomfortably under my gaze, looking away. His tone carried the faintest trace of irritation.
"Don't look at me like that," he said. "This won't harm our pup. The healer already evaluated everything. It's perfectly safe."
"When it's all done, the ten million will be more than enough to give you a comfortable life."
He paused, as if realizing how cold he sounded, then softened his voice into something almost coaxing. "Tessa, Lillian's life matters too. We can't just stand by and do nothing."
"You give birth, take the money, I'll reject you. We go our separate ways. It's best for everyone."
Best for everyone? Using my child, risking my life, just to save Lillian... That's what he called "best for everyone"?
If he truly believed that, why had he spent all this time pretending to care? Why bother making up for it, day after day? All those nights he held me while we slept. All those meals he personally made for me. All the little tender moments I thought were love... Everything twisted into something calculated. A meticulous, disgusting lie.
"Is that so?" I looked him straight in the eyes, my voice hoarse and cracking. "Then what if... I don't agree?"
The mask of warmth Caleb had worn for the past nine months shattered. He straightened, towering over me, his eyes as cold as ice.
"Tessa, this isn't up to you," he said. "My mate and my child are supposed to lighten my burden. If you won't, then I'll reject you. And you wouldn't want yourself, or your wolf, to suffer, would you?"
With that, he turned and walked away. At the door, he paused but didn't look back. "Tomorrow morning at nine, my beta will take you to the pack hospital. You'd better cooperate."
There's no greater grief than a heart gone dead. My strength gave out completely. I slid down along the cold surface of the desk and collapsed, unable to even shed a tear.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out numbly. It was a bank notification. Five million. Transferred by Caleb. An advance payment. He always was so thorough.
I stared at that number, and suddenly, I laughed.
This was the marriage I had fought for seven long years. Seven years of loving him. Seven years of being a fool. From now on, it was all over.
Whatever came next, I'd be living for myself.
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Chapter 3
Early the next morning, I didn't wait for Caleb's beta to arrive. Instead, I did something completely out of character. I put on a full face of flawless makeup, then changed into Caleb's favorite white dress.
When I walked down the stairs, Caleb glanced up at me, his eyes filled with scrutiny and warning. I gave him a gentle, obedient smile, then quietly sat down across from him.
"Caleb, I've thought it through," I said calmly. "You're right. Helping Lillian doesn't really cost me anything. I'll do whatever you say."
Caleb clearly hadn't expected me to agree so easily. "That's the best decision you could make. I'll have the pack elders rewrite the agreement. If you cooperate, I'll increase the compensation by another five million."
He was always so confident I'd fall in line.
I lowered my gaze, hiding the sarcasm in my eyes. "Money doesn't matter," I said softly. "What matters is... I have one condition."
"Name it."
I lifted my head and looked him straight in the eyes. "I want to meet Lillian. After all, I'm the mother of this pup, your Luna, your mate. I have the right to know whose life my child is saving. And... I want to see what kind of she-wolf is worth all this effort from you."
Caleb's brows furrowed, like he was weighing the pros and cons. I pressed further, letting my voice tremble with just the right mix of hurt and resignation.
"Don't worry, I won't cause trouble. I just... need to see her to finally let go. Let me see her, and I can bury every last foolish hope I ever had about you. Then I'll peacefully... fulfill my part of this... transaction."
Maybe it was the word "transaction" that pleased him. Or maybe I looked pitiful and submissive enough. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Alright. I'll make arrangements this afternoon."
A weight lifted off my chest. Step one of the plan, complete.
That afternoon, Caleb drove me himself to one of the most expensive private werewolf hospitals. Compared to the basic single room I stayed in during checkups, Lillian's suite was a top-floor VIP suite, bathed in sunlight, decorated like a princess's room.
So this was what favoritism looked like. It showed in every detail.
I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and looked up. Lillian was wearing a pale pink hospital gown. She looked fragile and delicate, propped up weakly against the pillows. When she saw Caleb, her eyes lit up. Her voice was soft and sweet. "Caleb, you're here."
Then her gaze shifted to me, especially to my belly. And in that fragile expression, I caught a flash of something else: possession, superiority, and a hint of smugness.
Caleb walked over and gently tucked her blanket in for her. His every movement was tender, like she was made of glass. "Lillian, I brought Tessa to see you," he said softly.
Lillian finally turned her full attention to me, giving me a delicate, apologetic smile. "Hello, Luna. I'm so sorry for all the trouble my illness has caused you." She gave a little cough, weak and deliberate, her eyes faintly misted. "If there were any other way, I wouldn't have agreed to Caleb's plan. I hope you don't blame him. He's just really worried about me."
What a masterfully pitiable performance. With just a few carefully chosen words, she painted herself as the innocent victim, all while highlighting Caleb's undying devotion to her.
I stood there in silence, just watching her. Then, I smiled. I walked up to her bedside, leaned in, and whispered something only the two of us could hear.
"Lillian," I said quietly, "you're a brilliant actress. But you'd better hope you can keep fooling Caleb for the rest of your life. And you better pray I never speak the truth."
Lillian's face drained of color in an instant.
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