Chapter 49
Other than speaking, all Stella could do was watch helplessly as her blood was being drawn
She barely had any blood le as was. Honty had already takers so much before, and now, with even more drawn, her head was swimming. She could hardly stay conscion
Stella locked at Lionel and said, “Lionel, you’re a doctor,”
Lionel remained silent.
Stella shouted, “How could you do such a thing? If I report you, you’ll be kicked out of this hospital, and your reputation will be ruined.
“Aren’t you the face of this hospital? You’ll become a pariah, shunned by everyone.”
Still Lionel said nothing
Stella asked, “Don’t you know this is going to kill me?”
Lionel said firmly, “No, Stella, I won’t let you die.”
Stella scoffed in disbelief. She said, “Are you kidding me, Lionel? You keep begging me to forgive you, yet you go and do the very thing I despise most.”
It finally dawned on Stella. She thought, ‘No wonder Henry left so easily, he had already orchestrated everything“.
She didn’t know why Lionel agreed to Henry’s scheme, nor did she care to find out. All she knew was that Lionel hurt me to the core.
Lionel said softly, “Stella, it’ll be over soon. Trust me. Just a little longer, okay?”
Stella was exasperated to the point of laughter. She thought, ‘How could I possibly trust him? Coming into this world, I guess a really had a rude awakening in store for me!
The moment the needle was withdrawn, Stella blacked out.
Lionel reached out and gently caressed Stella’s pale cheek, his touch filled with regret and tenderness. He muttered, “Stella, trint me, I have my reasons for this. I love you. I genuinely, deeply love you.”
Gathering the five blood samples, Lionel quietly exited the room.
Stella had no idea how long she’d been unconscious, but she’d never felt so utterly drained and miserable before. Five tubes of blood might be nothing to others, but for her, it was literally draining the life out of her.
Stella thought bitterly, I’m dying, aren’t I? Might as well just die already. It’s not like anyone in this godforsaken world cares whether live or die.
When the nurse entered, Stella weakly grabbed her hand with the last of her strength. “Please, help me. Save me,” she begged hoarsely.
The nurse shot Stella a dismissive glance, then swiftly pulled her hand free. “I don’t understand what you’re saying,” she stated flatly,
All at once, Stella realized something. She glared and gasped, “it was you. You drugged me before, and that’s why I passed out. What else have you given
me now?”
The nurse’s eyes flickered with unwase. She said sharply, “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Don’t touch me
Still, Stella had her wits about her. She thought, I can’t stay in this hospital do, I’ll just keep being Henry’s personal blood supply, and I’ll never be able to leave this place for the rest of my life!
Seeing that Stella had gonest, the nurse hastily exited.
Chapter 49
Stella lay in bed, trying to gather her strength. But that night, Lionel drew her blood twice in one night, leaving her with no chanc
After the blood draw, Lionel gave Stella two pieces of chocolate, and Stella mechanically aba,
Stella thought, ‘This can’t go oh Seizing a moment when the room in was empty, she struggled to pull herself up from the hospital bed.
The first time Stella tried to get out of bed, she was caught by the nurse. She quickly claimed she needed to use the restroom
She couldn’t tell if the nurse believed her excuse, but she felt the nurses and doctors were constantly watching her every move.
Stella pondered, “The dead of night is my best chance, when everyone’s asleep. Even if the nurses and doctors are on their rounds, they’ll done off a some point. I must escape during that dead of night
Stella recalled that time in Middle–South Yaria, when her kidney had just been forcibly removed and she had barely managed to escape. At that point, she had truly been at death’s door. Yet, she had will paled through.
Stella told herself with conviction, As long as I keep believing, I will definitely get out of here,”
In the dead of night, Stella began to take action. To her relief everything went smoothly along the way. She stumbled outside, spotted a cab, and scrambled in without hesitation.
She asked the driver to take her to Hayes residence. After all, all her belongings were there.
The driver kept glancing back at her with concern. He said, “Miss, you don’t look well at all. You should go back to the hospital”
Stella was barely hanging on. She replied, “If I go back in there, I’ll die. You wouldn’t want that on your conscience, would you?”
The driver had heard rumors about the hospital. He wasn’t sure whether they were true or false, but he couldn’t risk pushing Stella into a dangerous situation. He said, “Alright then, I will take you.”
When they arrived at the Hayes residence, Stella said weakly, “I’m sorry, I don’t have any cash on me right now. Could I get your phone number?t transfer the money to you later.”
The driver paused, then shook his head. He said, “Forget it. You look like you’ve had a rough time. I won’t charge you today.” With that, he turned the car
around and drove off
Stella memorized his license plate number.
A maid hurried out as soon as she heard the sound. She asked, “Ms. Stella Hayes, what brings you back?”
“From now on, I’m staying right here at home. I’m not going anywhere,” Stella declared, her tone resolute
The maid flinched under Stella’s piercing gaze, not daring to speak
Remember, keep it quiet. I don’t want to disturb their sleep,” Stella said softly but firmly.
“Understood,” the maid replied. Exhausted, she went straight to bed.
Stella barely made it back to her room, every bit of strength she had completely used up along the way. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the bed and was out the moment her head hit the pillow.
Early the next morning, still groggy, Stella was awakened by the loud, insistent knocking on the door.
Outside the door, Eleanor snapped, “What on earth are you all doing? Stella must have come home very late last night. She’s never one to oversleep. Why are you pounding on her door like that? Can’t you just let her rest a while longer?”
Fiona explained with a saccharine smile, “Mom, you know Stella was in a car accident and hasn’t fully recovered. Since she discharged here, natura ya we must take her back to the hospital,”
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Chapter 49
Eleanor said firmly. “Now that she’s back, whether she’s fully recovered or not, the
honse.”
want to stay in that hospital. She’ll recuperate night home at
Andrew said, “Tut, Mom, our home isn’t equipped to handle her condition. And if something were to happen while she’s still technically an inpatient the hospital would be on the book for that,”
Eleanor demanded, “Then go and get her discharged.”
Fiona tried to say something more, but Eleanor cut her off
Eleanor declared firmly. “That’s final, Now go and get it done, and don’t disturb Stella any further
Fiona and Andrew exchanged helpless glances, both at a complete loss for words.
Eleanor stood firmly at Stella’s door, shielding her from any disturbance.
Teams streamed down Stella’s face. She thought, “If Grandma weren’t in this world, I wouldn’t have made it this far
“Grandma,” Stella called out.
Eleanor said softly, “Stella, is that you? Damn them for waking you up. Get some rest, dear. I’m here. No one will bother you anymore.
“Grandma, come in,” Stella rasped, her voice weak and ploading,
Eleanor was about to enter when Stella suddenly realized she’d locked the door. She struggled to unlock the door for Eleanor
The moment Eleanor saw Stella, her heart sank in shock. She exclaimed, “Good heavers, Stella, what on earth happened to you?”
Stella’s face had always been pale, but now she looked so ghostly that anyone would have believed she was a ghost.
Eleanor had insisted on seeing Stella no matter what, but others kept telling her that Stella was still in the ICU and promised to take her there once Stella was transferred out. So she didn’t know that Stella’s situation was so serious.
Eleanor said with heartache, “What on earth had happened? I thought things would get better once you came home, but it’s just been one thing alter another since you returned.”
“Grandma, Stella whispered.
AD
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