From Wife to Blood Bag

Chapter 2

Xavier Thorpe ordered his men to pin me down in the mahogany chair in the study.

The cold ropes cut into my skin as I watched the nurse pull out a syringe, thick as a baby's arm.

The moment the needle pierced my vein, I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood.

"Mr. Thorpe, Mrs. Thorpe's heart can't withstand this much blood loss—" The doctor's voice trembled, barely audible from outside the door.

"I said take as much as Natalie needs," Xavier snapped, his voice colder than a blade.

As the syringe filled halfway, my vision began to blur.

In my haze, I saw Xavier standing at the edge of the light and shadows, perfectly composed in his tailored suit, his beauty almost divine.

"Endure it." He stepped closer, his cold fingers brushing over my sweat-soaked forehead.

"It'll be over soon."

I turned my face away, letting the cold sweat soak through my clothes.

"Xavier!" Natalie's voice called from upstairs, pulling him away from me like an invisible tether.

By the time they'd drawn eight hundred milliliters of blood, my nails had dug deep into my palms.

The doctor glanced nervously at Xavier.

"Any more, and Mrs. Thorpe's life will be at risk—"

"Keep going." Xavier didn't even look up from his phone.

"Natalie is pregnant. She can't afford any mishaps."

I curled my lips in weak defiance.

"Once this bag is full, let me go."

Xavier's head snapped up, an unreadable flicker in his eyes—but before he could respond, Natalie's second call extinguished whatever faint light had been there.

Three days later, I woke up in a VIP hospital room.

Xavier sat by my bed, reviewing documents, his gaze unreadable behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

When he noticed I was awake, he set down his pen and picked up a bowl of warm congee.

"I can do it myself," I muttered, pulling away from his outstretched hand.

An eerie silence filled the room before Xavier spoke abruptly.

"Who's been calling you so much?"

I gripped my phone tighter, trying to hide the tension.

"None of your business."

"Sophia." He loosened his tie with an irritated tug.

"Don't push it."

In the past, I would've softened, apologized, but now I simply pointed at his vibrating phone.

"Your precious is looking for you."

As soon as Xavier left, my phone lit up.

"Sophia!" The voice on the other end was choked with emotion.

"We were supposed to meet today! I waited all day—"

"Something came up." I stared out the window, watching the falling plane leaves.

"I might need your help."

"I'm booking a flight right now!" The voice grew frantic.

"This time, I swear I'll get you out of there—"