Chapter 3

The surgery was set for three days out. As the marrow donor, I checked into the hospital along with Gwendolen.

For Gwendolen, everything had been arranged by Percival.

He'd put together a full set of her things, from slippers to changes of clothes, every last item covered.

For me, there was only the disposable toiletry kit the hospital handed out to everyone.

I didn't say anything. In Percival's eyes I was nothing but a walking marrow bank kept around to save Gwendolen's life.

While Percival was in the room, Gwendolen thanked me over and over.

The moment he left, her face changed.

She looked at me and let out a cold laugh.

"Carla, I've got something good here. Want to take a look?"

I didn't want to deal with her. I closed my eyes to rest.

But she shoved her phone screen right up in front of me.

"You sure you don't want to look?"

"Go on, guess whose urn this is."

At the word urn, my eyes snapped open.

On the screen, a cemetery worker was dropping an urn into a trash bin.

Every nerve in me pulled tight at the sight.

But Gwendolen was still smirking, and I couldn't hold back any longer. I grabbed her by the collar.

"What did you do with my father's ashes?"

Just then Percival pushed the door open. The second he saw me gripping Gwendolen's collar, his face went dark.

"Carla, what are you trying to do to Gwendolen?"

I let go of her and turned to him, my eyes bloodshot. "Where are my father's ashes? Did the two of you throw them out?"

Percival frowned at me. "What's gotten into you? Why would I throw out your father's ashes for no reason?"

As he spoke, he stepped forward and pulled Gwendolen close, checking her over carefully for any injury.

I stood off to the side, my fists clenched. "Percival, I need to be sure the two of you didn't throw out my father's ashes!"

A trace of impatience crossed his face. He pulled out a contract and tossed it to me.

"This is the cemetery contract I renewed today. I renewed the plot for five years. Your father's ashes are sitting safely in the cemetery, right where they should be."

"Yes, I used your father's ashes to threaten you, but that was only because you wouldn't agree to donate marrow for Gwendolen. Now that you're cooperating, I'd never do anything like that."

Hearing him promise it, I slowly calmed down.

After all, what Gwendolen had shown me was only a video.

I'd let myself get carried away just now.

But my father's ashes could not stay in Percival's hands a moment longer.

"Percival, I don't feel safe leaving my father's ashes at the cemetery. I want to see them with my own eyes."

That request brought a flicker of irritation to his face.

"Carla, what is this really about? The surgery's in three days. Why do you have to have your father's urn right now?"

"I already told you. Once Gwendolen recovers, I'll settle down and build a real life with you. When that time comes, I'll take you to the cemetery to visit your father. What is there left for you to worry about?"

Watching the way Percival shielded Gwendolen, I felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest.

A few seconds later, I let out a cold laugh and looked at him.

"What is there for me to worry about?"

"Percival, how am I supposed to not worry about a man who used my father's ashes to threaten me into donating marrow for another woman?"

"Or should I not worry about the attending physician who abused his position to take away my father's chance at life and hand it to someone else?"