. The room spun around her as her

Salva

.Dad! You're joking right. You can't be serious. Of all th

. "I didn't mean to

ped, hands shaking. "Because it looks a hell o

tly. "You don't understand the kind of power

t gave blood to save his brother's life. I'm not even allowed to f

os

you-" her voice cracked, "you let me believe we still had choices. That I did. I'll fix

's edge, face pale, clutching the

Her fingers curled in

the door. "Don't follow me. Don't talk

was already outside, the slamming d

vement as she walked aimlessly, angry tears slipping down her cheeks. She

they do

th. And now, all of it-her career, her dignity, her future-had been offered like a la

oat and kept walking, her feet carrying her

e night. Her phone buzzed on the table, but she ignored it at first, watch

zzed again

y answered with

't her

as N

come to the hospital now. It's Bella.

g else we

w? Why? What

ls night out party. We ha

h that. I'm on my wa

e hospital . One moment she was in the café, the next she was bursting

said, breathless. "The

running before

to the trauma bay and near

Her bab

ask strapped to her delicate face. Her eye

ing again,"

the doctor ordered. "Get

sidents said gently,

my si

'll do every

dn't move. Co

ed of being a doctor just like her. The only person who looked at Rose

. And now

il her mother was sobbing against the wall and

Rose wh

nd okay all day,

. Tell me the truth! Either way th

f Bella's condition and Bella ended up drinking a drugg

going to beat up Nora and R

d to her best friend. Blaming herself. "Get out of h

Nora said, crying

erged from th

asked. "Family

se said,

now, but we

ltation room fe

indicate something deeper. We ran a series of scans-her EKG and blood work

of defect?"

gh to affect her oxygen levels and h

d. "We'll do it.

ctor p

t-op monitoring... It's going to cost well over three hu

r exhaled

fford that," her

pened but no w

undred

d nothi

but she turned to her father

silence was

and ashamed. "I tried, Rose

y sobbing beside them

k to the hallway. Her hands

was standing in

y siste

free

so

e buzzed

for a long time

calm. "Rose. H

she sai

ther tell yo

es

was a

nd

hospital window at her

offer st

e wedding is

er's surgery first. Every cent. No questions. No games

le

: "O

in writin

ave it by

ed the pho

othing between

expecte

without an

er heart

k to her parents with a stran

decision," sh

ents lo

marry

gasped. "

she said. "You want to s

looked aw

s window, her sister's

t. I'll sign myself away if it mea

r palm against

orgive him for for

apped in shadows and glass, Dante Salvadore pour

yes," he

ling wound and an unreadable gaze, raised

didn't

cold, calcula

we

de

uz would be