Chapter 1
"Please, save my grandson! We'll pay whatever you want!"
On the other end of the line, Lily Murphy, the wealthy lady who used to look at me with utter disdain, was now crying desperately.
I almost burst out laughing.
Three years ago, I volunteered to donate blood to save her grandson, and all Lily did was shoot me a look of disgust and say, "It's just a little blood. What's the big deal?"
Now, her whole family was taking turns calling me countless times.
I just replied, "Don't know you."
*****
I hung up with zero hesitation, cutting off her shrill cries.
The world went quiet.
I dragged the number into my block list, my face completely expressionless.
My fingers didn't even tremble.
But my phone just wouldn't give up.
The moment the screen dimmed, it lit up again, another unknown number blinking insistently.
The buzzing sounded like a dying fly, creating an irritating noise in the quiet studio.
As I stared at the blinking number, my mind drifted back to three years ago.
Back then, I was just a twenty-two-year-old intern, naive, still full of youthful passion.
There was an urgent plea posted on the bulletin board at the downtown hospital.
A newborn with hemolytic disease desperately needed Rh-negative blood.
And that was me.
I barely hesitated. I called the hospital right away and rolled up my sleeve.
The cold needle pierced my skin, and warm blood poured out through the tube.
400cc。
For a girl fresh out of college and still a bit undernourished, that was a lot.
I was sprawled out on the hospital bed in the observation room, pale as a ghost and dizzy as hell.
Through the glass window, I caught a glimpse of the kid I'd just saved, and his whole family crowding around him.
Lily, the aged lady with the raspy voice on the phone, was right there, surrounded by her relatives.
She was grinning from ear to ear, shamelessly trying to hand the doctor some money, her words dripping with flattery.
When the doctor brushed her off, she immediately set her sights on the nurse.
Not once did she even glance my way.
It wasn't until the doctor reminded her that the real blood donor was resting next door that she finally dragged herself over, clearly not happy about it.
She didn't even step inside. She just stood outside, sizing me up through the glass like I was some kind of merchandise.
There wasn't a shred of gratitude in her eyes, just pure disdain and judgment.
It was like my very presence had somehow sullied her precious grandson's noble bloodline.
Lily turned to her son, the kid's father, and complained in a tone dripping with disdain, "It's just a bit of blood. Why is she being so fragile?"
Her words stabbed right into the softest part of my heart, sharp as a needle。
In that instant, it felt like every drop of blood in my body froze.
So that was how it was. My sacrifice was worthless in their eyes, nothing but cheap and insignificant.
Not even a simple thank you.
Not a single mention of any 'compensation' or 'nutrition money.'
They took my blood, saved their precious heir, and disappeared from my life without a shred of guilt.
Like I was just some disposable blood donor, used and forgotten.
The phone's vibration dragged me out of those chilling memories.
The ninety-ninth missed call glared back at me from the screen.
I curled my lips into a cold smile.
Then I pressed the power button.
At last, the world was utterly quiet.
The studio door was gently pushed open, letting in the evening breeze.
Luke walked in, holding a takeout box from my favorite restaurant.
"Why are you sitting in the dark?" he asked.
He flipped on the lights, and the warm orange glow instantly chased away the shadows in the corners.
Luke walked over, noticing how pale I was and how I was gripping my phone like a lifeline.
"What's wrong?" Luke asked.
He crouched down beside me, his warm hand covering mine, gently uncurling my fingers one by one.
I looked up at him, meeting his worried gaze. All the resentment I'd bottled up for three years tangled with the anger burning inside me now, making my nose sting.
I told him the whole story.
No drama, no exaggeration. I just laid it out, straight and simple.
Luke listened quietly, his frown deepening with every word.
When I finished, I looked at him, waiting to hear what he'd say.
He didn't say a word. He just stood up and wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace.
His chin rested gently on the top of my head, his voice low and firm.
"Hazel, you didn't do anything wrong," he said. "Your kindness should never be trampled on like this."
In that moment, all the tension inside me finally melted away.
That was right.
I did nothing wrong.
They were the ones at fault.
The next day, the sun was shining bright.