Chapter 2
I changed out of the wedding dress, planning to go back, pack my things, and leave for good.
But soon, a black sedan screeched to a halt right in front of the shop.
Jasper's assistant and a couple of bodyguards didn't let me speak. They just bundled me into the car.
"Ms. Carter, Mr. Lawson has requested your presence at the hospital immediately," the assistant said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Requested?" I shot back.
Glancing at the bodyguard who held my arm, I forced a bitter smile.
"This is kidnapping," I snapped, not bothering to hide my anger.
"Remember your position, Ms. Carter. You are Ms. Quinn's substitute. Be grateful you can still be of use to her—even if it's just to donate blood," the assistant said coldly.
"You know exactly how you ended up in her place," he added, his voice dripping with contempt.
His words pierced my heart like an ice pick. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I had no way to argue back.
I had already tried 99 times to make Jasper mine.
If I hadn't copied Hailey in every way, I never would've gotten close to him, let alone changed his fate—being used and ruined by her in the end.
The car screeched to a stop at Jasper's private hospital, and the bodyguards practically dragged me inside.
As soon as I walked in, I spotted Jasper sitting outside the ER, looking like he was about to lose it.
The moment he saw me, he snapped at the doctor beside him to take me to draw my blood.
I stared at Jasper's tall, cold figure, feeling like an invisible hand was squeezing my heart so tight that it hurt just to breathe.
"Jasper, you know I have anemia and a blood clotting disorder," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.
He knew it all.
The night we made things official, he was so rough in bed, not a trace of tenderness. He only stopped when he saw the blood on the sheets and realized what he'd done.
"If it makes you happy, then I don't mind," I whispered, forcing a smile.
After he found out about my blood clotting disorder, he never handled me roughly again. He even had the housekeeper make meals every day to help build my blood back up. To keep me healthy.
But now, when he glanced back at me, his eyes were distant, like I was nothing but a stranger to him.
"It doesn't matter," he said, his voice flat and emotionless.
A nurse came over, her voice shaky as she told me to go into the ward for the blood transfusion.
"Please lie down here and roll up your sleeve," she said softly.
I didn't move, so the bodyguard just grabbed me roughly and pinned me down on the bed.
The chill of the alcohol wiped across my skin, making me shudder.
The moment the needle slid into my vein, I winced.
Then I felt warmth pressing against my arm—familiar, firm.
I blinked open my eyes to find Jasper gripping my arm, his impatience written all over his face.
The nurse glanced nervously at my pale face and whispered, "Mr. Lawson, that's almost a full pint. Ms. Carter doesn't look good..."
Jasper cut her off, his voice as cold as ice. "Not enough."
"Take whatever you need to keep Hailey alive. She's just a substitute. Her life doesn't matter," he said, cold and ruthless.
I stared at him in disbelief, feeling like I'd just been pushed through ice.
The nurse hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she stayed quiet.
"Jasper," I murmured, my voice barely more than a whisper.
"If it were me lying there, would you make her do this for me?" I asked softly.
He looked down at me, his eyes cold and detached.
"No. Hailey's kind and guileless. She'd never be as manipulative as you," he replied, his voice like ice.
"Don't worry. You're just a substitute, but I'll make sure you're taken care of," he said, his voice still icy and indifferent.
Right, she was so kind and guileless, though she left when he loved her most. When his world fell apart, she moved on to someone else.
And me? I swallowed my pride and stuck by his side, doing everything I could to be her copy—helping him rise again, staying with him through every sleepless night. And all I got in return was being called manipulative.
Now that the dream was over, any warmth I thought I had was shattered.
He was still the same cold-hearted Jasper.
My vision was getting blurrier by the second, and I could barely hold on any longer.
The last thing I heard was his cold, impatient voice, barking out orders.
"This is taking too long. Hailey can't wait. Get a bigger needle," he snapped.