Give Me Your Heart Edmund by Bonnie Judson

Chapter 2 Blood Donation

Exhausted, Dahlia went upstairs. She took out the key and inserted it into the keyhole, turning it halfway to the left until the door opened. Her mind, which was muddled a moment ago, quickly snapped to attention as she sensed the changed atmosphere in the room.

Through the door, she heard someone making a phone call.

Edmund was back.

‘Should I tell him about the stomach cancer? Will he care about me once he knows?’ Dahlia asked herself in a continuous loop. As she pondered, she pushed the door open and saw Edmund gazing at her with a somber expression.

“Where have you been fooling around? Take a good look at how many calls I’ve made to you!” he reprimanded.

‘Fooling around? If going to the hospital for a blood test and gastroscopy is considered fooling around, it would be really funny. After all, my time is running short,’ Dahlia commented inwardly.

Her eyes stung at the thought of this. Nevertheless, Edmund didn’t notice Dahlia’s reddened eyes. He just kept looking daggers at her, accusing her of not answering his calls.

Dahlia took out her phone from her bag, shook the darkened screen, and said, “The battery is dead.”

She had two phones in total—one for work and the other solely used to contact Edmund. For the past two days, she was so troubled by her stomach condition that she forgot to charge her phone. That was why she didn’t get his call on the way back.

“What’s the emergency?” Dahlia asked. She didn’t need to think much to figure out who Edmund was calling her so anxiously and repeatedly for.

As she mused, Edmund grabbed her hand and dragged her out. “Abigail is injured. She’s bleeding too much. You need to go to the hospital with me.”

Dahlia’s heart was completely filled with sorrow as she mused, ‘As expected, his nervousness is all about Abigail.’

Abigail Burton had a severe coagulation disorder. She had a rare blood type, and Dahlia was the only person with an exact match for her blood type.

Dahlia’s entire body was soaked by the rain, her long, wet hair clinging to her back, her lips pallid, and her hands as cold as ice. However, Edmund didn’t notice any of these signs. The hospital where Abigail was admitted was nearby, just a ten-minute walk away. Despite this, Edmund, in his anxiety, forcefully pushed Dahlia into the back seat of the car.

Edmund, who was driving, glanced inadvertently into the rearview mirror. When he saw Dahlia’s pale face, he frowned subconsciously. “Why is your face so pale?”

‘He’s only noticing it now…’ Dahlia thought.

She curled her lips into a mocking smile, feeling a heavy lump in her throat. As she rolled down the window and observed the heavy rain outside, her body felt frozen, her breath turning into mist, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

Edmund glanced at her indifferently. Seeing that she didn’t speak, he felt annoyed for some inexplicable reason.

He felt that something was wrong with Dahlia today.

But upon reflection, he reckoned Dahlia’s well-being had nothing to do with him. He should focus on Abigail’s condition now. With this in mind, he gently stepped on the accelerator with his right foot, increasing the car’s speed.

Upon reaching the hospital, Edmund pulled Dahlia’s hand and dragged her out of the car. Before she could stand on her feet, Edmund dragged her away, causing her to stagger behind him.

Edmund took Dahlia directly into the blood collection room and said coldly to a nurse, “Draw her blood. No need for a check-up. Hurry up.”

A wry smile touched Dahlia’s lips. Edmund seemed to trust her blood more than he trusted her and didn’t even bother to examine her blood. ‘Won’t he worry that the cancer cells in my body might enter Abigail’s?’ she thought.

Dahlia’s expression changed briefly, and she said, “Edmund, I’m not feeling well. Can we not…”

Edmund’s eyes narrowed, and a dangerous gleam emanated from within. Bending down, he gripped Dahlia’s chin with one hand and spoke coldly. “Who are you to say no? We signed the contract four years ago. You should fulfill your duties.”

‘Indeed. According to the contract signed four years ago, in the event of Abigail suffering severe blood loss, I am obligated to donate blood unconditionally,’ Dahlia thought.

This was the deal she had signed. Even if Dahlia was going to die soon, she would still have to donate blood for Abigail.

She owed it to Edmund.

That year, Abigail had a car accident in Ackleton and urgently needed Rh-negative blood type, as she had lost a significant amount of blood from the wound due to the delayed arrival at the hospital.

When Edmund learned of Abigail’s accident, he begged Dahlia anxiously for help.

At that time, Dahlia somehow came up with a deal. “You be my man. We get married, and I will save Abigail.”

She could still vividly remember the shock in Edmund’s eyes and his disgust for her.

From that moment on, Dahlia knew they could no longer live together peacefully.

She took advantage of Edmund’s difficult situation and coerced him into complying with her request.

Born into the esteemed Carlton family, Edmund was naturally privileged. Despite having a hot temper, he made up for it with considerable wealth. He indulged in the finest things life had to offer. Those around him followed his lead. No one had ever spoken harshly to him before, but that day, he found himself being threatened for the first time.

Dahlia knew that what Edmund hated most was being coerced into doing things against his will, so when she saw Edmund signing the contract without any hesitation, she knew she had lost.

Seeing him willing to go to such lengths for Abigail, Dahlia felt a deep sadness that tugged at her heart. However, she consoled herself that love could be cultivated, and perhaps, after marriage, Edmund would treat her as well as he treated Abigail.

Unfortunately, fate had its way. Dahlia never anticipated that she would face her retribution so swiftly.

Unexpectedly, she was diagnosed with a terminal illness. ‘Perhaps I deserve this harsh twist of fate,’ she thought bitterly.

As Dahlia watched the needle pierce her skin and the red blood being drawn out, her face paled with pain. It hurt so much, even more than when she underwent gastroscopy.

The nurse who drew her blood had never seen such a frail woman. She stared at Dahlia’s pallid wrist and asked in a low voice, “Can you still hold on?”

Dahlia shook her head. Feeling dizzy, she replied in a hoarse voice, “Go ahead. I’m fine.”

The nurse drew a total of 20 fluid ounces and hesitated to continue. Dahlia’s hands were abnormally cold, far below normal body temperature.

Just before Dahlia passed out, she heard Edmund asking the nurse, “Is that enough? You can keep drawing if you don’t have enough.”

‘How did Edmund become so cruel after all these years?’ This was Dahlia’s last thought before she sank into oblivion.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.