hapter 3
age.
He told his assistant to stay quiet and rushed off to find Reed.
The surgery couldn’t wait; delaying it meant risking sterility or even losing the ability to care for myself.
In the hallway, Reed’s voice trembled. “This can’t be happening! How could those brutes do this to her?”
“We need to get Grace into surgery now,” Travis urged.
Through the wall, I felt their anxiety.
For a moment, I let myself hope, but it didn’t last.
Reed said coldly, “No way. We can’t risk Nicole’s wedding, can we?
“If Grace ends up sterile, that’s not too bad. Antonio will drop her for good and focus entirely on Nicole.
“And the worst case… You’re the best doctor in the city. Don’t tell me you can’t heal her.
“Damn! If it comes to that, I’ll take care of her for the rest of her life. I won’t let her suffer too much.”
Hearing those words, I gave up on them entirely.
The pain clawed at me, but I managed to pick up my phone
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and dial a number I knew by heart.
“I miss you. Can you come? I need your help with something,” I asked over the phone.
As soon as I ended the call, they came back..
Reed watched as Travis handed me medicine and water.
I swallowed it without protest.
The effects hit fast, and I drifted into sleep.
I realized those were sleeping pills.
Even with my life on the line, all they cared about was Nicole’s big day.
I woke up the next evening.
The wedding–the one where she took my place–must have already ended.
Still groggy, I saw Travis rush in.
“Grace, the drug will be here in ten minutes! I can operate on you right away. Just hold on a bit longer,” he said excitedly.
Reed looked pleased; I knew that was because his adopted daughter had finally married the man she wanted.
I stared at them coldly and said, “I’m not having the surgery.”
Reed became anxious.
“What? After everything, you’re just giving up? Do you wa to end up a sterile cripple?”
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Chapter 3
Travis grabbed my hand, his voice almost pleading. “Don’t do this, Grace.
“Trust me. I can fix this and your face. Just let me make it right, okay?”
Before I could respond, Reed’s secretary rushed in and leaned close to whisper, “Mr. Parrish, Nicole is here.”
Reed’s face lit up immediately.
He turned back to me, his voice softening. “Think it over, okay? Nicole’s here to see you. Don’t give her a hard time.”
Guilt flickered across Travis’s face, and he fell silent.
I already knew everything.
Nicole had started as an intern at my father’s company. Somehow, she had won him over. One weekend, he brought her home and announced she was his adopted daughter.
From then on, Reed treated her like his own, spoiling her endlessly.
Then came the “accident.” Reed hired two men to drag me into the woods and assault me so that Nicole could marry Antonio.
Antonio hadn’t visited me once since I was taken to the hospital. I was sure he had left me for Nicole.
So why was Nicole here? Shouldn’t she be enjoying her wedding night?
She entered wearing my wedding dress. I couldn’t hide my shock.
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