Chapter 4

After hearing the conclusion, the three men rushed to get tested without a second thought. The results came back quickly, and Frederick West's kidney was a match. As soon as the doctor handed him the surgical consent form, he signed his name without hesitation and headed into the operating room.

Time seemed to crawl, and just as the tension peaked, a new problem arose. A nurse hurried out, visibly anxious.

"The hospital's blood bank is running low; the patient urgently needs a large blood supply."

Waiting outside the doors, Harlem Riley and Jordan Daniels quickly rolled up their sleeves.

"We have the same blood type as Greta. We can donate!"

"But the patient is hemorrhaging; the blood from you two won't be enough. We need more donors!"

"No time to reach others—we'll donate whatever's necessary to save Greta!"

Unable to change their minds, the nurse led them to the blood donation room.

Outside the operating room, the red light flashed incessantly, blurring Elsie Gardner’s vision. She had witnessed everything—from Greta Chapman’s collapse to the blood donation—and was now in a daze.

In a previous life, when Frederick West and Harlem Riley died because of Greta, Elsie hadn’t been present. She only learned later what had happened and was consumed with grief, unable to understand why they would sacrifice their lives for Greta. But now, having experienced it all, she understood—they simply loved Greta deeply, willing to sacrifice everything for her. Whether it was marriage or life itself, they would forge ahead without hesitation. She realized she could never compete with Greta.

Fortunately, in this lifetime, Elsie had chosen to walk away, refusing to entangle herself in their complex love affair.

When the operating room light went out, the doctor emerged, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Are you a family member? The surgery was a success, and the patient will soon regain consciousness. However, the donor needs to be monitored in the ICU for a while, and the two who donated blood have passed out from giving too much. Can you manage looking after four people?"

Elsie shook her head, her lips dry and her voice rough.

"I’m not related to any of them, but I can help contact their families. They'll be here soon."

She then sent messages to the West, Riley, and Daniels families, as well as Talon Holmes, informing them of the situation. As she prepared to leave, she heard nurses whispering.

"No relation? I thought she might be the wife of one of those three handsome guys!"

"How could she be a wife? If your husband risked his life for another woman, would you stick around? No way! Those three guys must be head over heels for that girl; otherwise, why would they be so eager to save her?"

Elsie listened silently, a faint smile forming as she inwardly agreed with them. Indeed, from beginning to end, their affections were directed toward Greta. And she would no longer be their wife.

When she returned home, exhausted, she found her parents waiting in the living room. Seeing her injuries, David and Valerie Gardner frowned, but Elsie quickly reassured them and brushed off their concerns with a plausible excuse. Hearing she would soon recover, they relaxed and handed her a box.

"This is the engagement gift from the Gardner family. Keep it safe. Ryland also received the token we sent."

"Just now, your Uncle Fred, Aunt Riley, and Grandpa Daniels called about the engagement, mentioning Greta too. They claim the three were simply overwhelmed by kindness and still have feelings for you. We didn’t know how to respond. This is something you'll need to handle yourself. You've grown up, you have your own ideas, and you know where to draw the line. Your father and I won’t interfere."

Elsie promised not to worry them and assured them she would handle the matter. Over the next two days, she gathered information on the Gardner family and Ryland Gardner, getting a general understanding. Armed with this knowledge, she went shopping and prepared gifts according to the family's tastes.

After a full day of shopping, she returned home with a trunkful of presents, only to find Frederick, Harlem, and Jordan waiting at her doorstep. They, too, had brought a pile of gifts, nearly filling the living room.

Faced with Elsie’s puzzled expression, the three exchanged glances before speaking.

"These are from our families. They wanted us to personally visit and apologize; you saw what happened that day. Greta was on the brink of death because she was hurt again due to you. Our emotions were running high, and you got hurt."

"Elsie, if you’re holding any grudges, direct them at us, not the older generations, and don’t blame Greta. She’s a victim as well."

Elsie now understood—they had been pushed by their families to apologize and plead on Greta’s behalf. Lacking the energy to argue, she responded politely.

"Take these gifts back; I don't need them. I won't bother Greta over such minor matters. I'm tired and need to rest."

Saying this, she rubbed her aching eyes, retrieving her phone from her bag. Accidentally, the box containing the Gardner family token dropped, landing at Frederick’s feet. He picked it up.

"What’s this?"

Harlem and Jordan leaned in, seeing the box and their expressions immediately changed.

"An engagement gift? Elsie, you've already chosen a fiancé—who is it?"