I was born with the rarest blood group in the world, called the golden blood. My mother died at the time of delivery due to excess blood loss and my father labelled me as a taboo, and left me in an orphanage.

But, when I turned three years old, I was adopted by a wealthy person, only to donate my blood to his daughter, Mia, who happened to share the same blood group as me.

I was not a person, but a living medicine to them. Every month they drained out blood from my veins and stored them, in case their daughter suffered any mishap and needed blood.

When I turned eighteen, I ran away from my foster family and settled abroad where I met the love of my life, Nolan.

The time I spent with Nolan felt like the happiest moments of my life. But soon, as if the bad omen were chasing after me, I caught a rare infection in my blood, which needed purification every month.

I had to drain the dirty blood out of my body, in case they infect my organs.

It was the second time in the month that I had drained out the blood and was feeling too weak to even stand up.

I barely managed to come out of the hospital ward and walked up to the Doctor’s cabin where Nolan had been waiting for me.

However, my legs hung in the middle as I overheard Doctor William saying,

“How long are you going to fool your wife with the fake disease only to donate her blood to your sweetheart, Mia?”

****

Nolan remained silent for a while before he spoke up, “Is the fake report of her disease ready? There isn't anything to doubt, right? Make it look like her condition is worse than earlier and need to purify blood two times a month for the next six months.”

My nails clenched into my palms listening to Nolan's cold and distant voice. Even his friend, William was taken aback by his cruelty.

He immediately spat, his voice desperate, “Have you gone mad? She has been donating blood every month since she was three years old. She is already very weak and you want her to double it. Do you want her to die?”

“Don't Jinx her…” Nolan blurted out, his voice trembled. But, the next words coming out from my lips, shattered all my hopes and sent me to the abyss as he added,

“If anything happens to her, Mia’s life would be at risk. It's not easy to find a golden blood donor.”

So, that was what I valued in his life, an important tool to keep his sweetheart alive?

“If Bella's life is that important to you and to your Mia, why are you putting her at risk by doubling the donation?” William asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“You already have so many bottles of blood stored in advance. Besides, Bella is wrapped around your fingers. You can take her blood whenever Mia needs it. Why must you take her blood every month in advance?”

“Bella's life is important for Mia. But, Mia’s life is beyond everything to me. I don't ever want to put her life at risk.” Nolan said, his voice firm.

“So, the more blood I have in advance the better.” He added.

“And, why is the process doubling all of a sudden?” William asked while raising his eyebrows.

“It's because Mia is pregnant. She might need the blood anytime. I have to be prepared in advance.” Nolan stated.

There was a long pause after the statement, no one saying anything or I might have lost my senses hearing it out.

After a long time, William asked, his voice low and ironically, “And, whose child is it in her womb? It can't be yours, can it?”

“No,” Nolan replied, “It doesn't matter to me whose child she is carrying. Even if she is married to someone else, I cared the most about her.”

“And, I’ll do everything in my possession to keep her safe, be it draining blood two or five times from Bella's body, as long as I can keep Mia safe.” Nolan added.

My legs trembled listening to their conversation and I lost my balance, resulting in a severe fall on the floor.

As I fell on the floor, and my eyes closed, an event of the past flashed through my eyes. Last month, I was tested positive for pregnancy. But, Nolan wasn't happy and asked me for abortion.

“You know your health better than anyone else, Bella. You are too weak to conceive a child. It requires a lot of blood, which you don't have.”

“Do you want me to see you die while delivering our baby, just like your mother? You'd rather kill me than let me see this, Bella.” He had said, strictly forbidding me from keeping the baby.

It was only now that I understood that it was not I, for whom he was worried. His concerns were for Mia, his true love.

To keep her and her child safe, he was even ready to kill his own blood. What a shameful depiction of one's love towards his mistress!

As I layed on the floor, my hands subconsciously wrapped around my belly. Though Nolan had forbidden me from keeping the baby, I couldn't make up my mind aborting it.

I knew deep down Nolan loved kids. He had once shared his dream of a home filled with children’s laughter.

I was so disappointed when I came to hear that my body was not fit for conceiving a child. The sadness was not for myself, but for Nolan.

I didn't want him to hold back his happiness just for the sake of my health. So, I decided to keep the child for him, no matter what happened to me in return. I just wanted to give Nolan the happiness he deserved.

Now that I thought about it, I only found myself foolish. I was risking my life to give Nolan what he didn't even care.

Yes, he loved kids and would care about them, but only those who belonged to Mia, even if they were of someone else's, not his.

“Nolan…” I whispered in a low voice, “It turns out you are no better than my foster father, the man I had been running from throughout these years…”

“Bella…” Nolan whispered, his voice laced with panic and anxiety as he found me lying almost unconscious outside Doctor William’s cabin.

He rushed on my side and immediately grabbed me in his arms. He picked me up and brought me inside.

“Why did you walk yourself here? Why didn't you call me? I would have carried you, darling.” Nolan said as he rubbed the palm of my hands and legs.

“You have lost so much blood, Bella. You shouldn't exhaust yourself while walking, okay? Let me help you with everything.” he said, his voice so gentle and so caring.

It was the usual love and care he used to give me after sucking my blood like a vampire. Earlier, I would go crazy thinking how much he loved me to even carry me to the washroom and help me clean.

Only did I know that those love and care he provided me with was only the investment he was making to reap the benefits for his sweetheart.

He was only milking me for all I have worthed.

“You are sweating, Bella. Is everything okay?” Nolan asked, his voice laced with genuine care.

“Perhaps I’m not, Nolan.” I said, “But, do you care?”

“Of course, I care.” Nolan said immediately, “Why wouldn't I? Your health means everything to me, Bella.”

Yes, you are right! My health means everything to you. But, It's because you need my blood for your sweetheart, Mia. If anything happens to me, how would you keep your darling alive?

“Why do you ask such a question all of a sudden, Bella? Is anything wrong?” Nolan asked hesitantly, his eyes scanning mine.

Everything is wrong ever since I saw your true face, Nolan. Our marriage, the child I have kept for you by risking my life, everything turned out to be a wrong decision.

“Why are you not saying anything, Bella?” He asked, his hands abruptly reaching out to my forehead to check if I was okay. The action, the care seemed so genuine that I could never doubt his intentions.

But, now that I had seen him inside out, I felt only disgusted by his touch. I brushed his hands off my face and said,

“I’m just tired, Nolan. I’m feeling very weak and vulnerable after draining out the blood from my body.” I said in a weak voice, “Can I skip purifying my blood next month? I can bear any risk than feeling this vulnerable all the time?”

Nolan's eyes widened in terror. He immediately refused while saying, “Are you kidding with me? I have checked your medical report, Bella. It's worse than earlier. With this body condition, even if you are ready to take the risk, I don't!”

“If you don't believe me, ask Doctor William. You need to purify your blood two times a month from now.” Nolan said, his voice sounding so confident that even William was taken aback.

How could a person lie with this perfection?

I turned to look at William as I asked in a low voice, “Is Nolan saying right, Doctor? Can't I skip the next round?”

I saw William chewing his lower lips while clenching his fists. Even he was pitying on me as he shot a helpless glance at Nolan, wanting him to stop torturing me like this.

But, the only thing Nolan cared about was Mia and her child. He shoot a meaningful glance at William, saying, “Why are you silent, William? Tell Bella what you told me. She needs to purify her blood two times a month, doesn't she?”

In the end, William gave up. He turned to me and said, his voice laced with guilt and regret, “Nolan is right, Bella. You can't skip the process.”

I forced a smile on my face as I replied, “It seems like I don't have any option left.”

I turned to Nolan and as I said, “I’m ready, Nolan.”

My voice was indifferent but his mind was so much filled with Mia's concern that he didn't notice the changes in my tone or expression.

As if a heavy burden was left from his chest with my acceptance, he sighed in relief and gently stroked my hair, saying, “Don't be scared, Bella. I’ll be there to accompany you during all these processes and to support you when you are vulnerable.”

I curled my lips but I couldn't smile. I just nodded my head, not letting him know how double standard he was sounding to me.

I then tried to get up from my chair as I said, “I want to go home. The smell of the hospital makes me puke.”

But, before I could stand on my legs, they trembled and I stumbled on my slippers, almost causing me a fall.

Nolan held me on time and made me sit before he said in a disappointed tone, “I told you not to move. Why are you exhausting yourself like this? I’m here for you, Bella. I can carry you to-”

His words hung in the air as his phone rang, interrupting our conversation. In normal circumstances, he wouldn't pick up any call while he was taking care of me.

But, this time his eyes shined brightly as he read the name on his phone’s screen. He excused himself and went out to talk.

After he returned, he had a unique spark on his face and a smile on his lips that I never saw before.

Why do I feel he was blushing?

But, the worst part of it was, I never saw him blushing before.

He came up to me and said, “Bella, I got some urgent work. I need to leave right now. Can you go home by yourself?”

I stared at him in a daze for a while before I nodded my head in agreement.

Wasn't he promising me to carry me home just to not make me exhausted? Now, all of a sudden he wanted me to go home all by myself while I was barely managing to stand up on my feet?

He smiled on me as he bent down to kiss my forehead, a usual gesture to show how much he cared for me. But, before he could kiss, his phone vibrated and his head remained stuck in the middle.

He glanced at his phone’s screen and a familiar smile appeared on his lips, a smile that I saw only once in these two years of our wedding.

This time, I noticed the name on his phone. It was only one letter ‘M’ followed by a heart emoji.

I didn't need to think much about who the person was.

One text from Mia could make him ignore me completely yet he claimed I was important to him. I laughed inside in irony on his lavish claims.

With that, Nolan turned to leave, his hands moving on his phone, probably texting something to Mia. He didn't have time to tell me when he would return or how I was supposed to leave for home since he had driven me to the hospital.

William, who had been observing us all this time, walked up to me as soon as Nolan left and asked politely, “Bella, do you want me to drop you at your home?”

“No thanks,” I declined, “I can manage myself.”

“But-” William wanted to say something but as if something was stopping him, he swallowed his words and watched me dragging my weak body out of his cabin.

I booked a cab for myself and arrived at the apartment, Nolan and I lived after our wedding. It was a home, filled with the memories of our happy days, each wall filled with the photo frames that captured us while enjoying our days.

One by one, I took off all the frames and threw them away. The laughter in those pictures was only teasing me and mocking me for making such a fool of myself.

After I was done with destroying all the memories with Nolan, I walked up to his study room.

I always knew there was something off about the wardrobe I saw in his study room, but never bothered myself checking them before.

However, this time I walked into his study room and opened the wardrobe there. A study room didn't need a wardrobe yet Nolan kept this one there locked with a digital lock.

As expected, it opened with Mia’s blood group as passcode, which happened to be my blood group as well.

The wardrobe had nothing special in it, just old clothes and some random files but what caught my eyes was the secret door opening to another room.

As soon as I walked into the secret room, my eyes opened up wide in terror and shock. I wish I had never unlocked the door.