Evangeline Harper never wanted to be rescued, especially not by a billionaire like Alexander Sterling. With her art struggling to sell and her sister's life slipping through her fingers, Eva's only choice is to rely on herself until Xander steps in with an offer she can't refuse.But behind his irresistible charm and staggering wealth lies a secret that could shatter everything. Now, as their worlds collide in an explosion of passion, love, and betrayal, Eva must decide if love really conquers it all. Some love stories are worth fighting for. Others come at a cost.
"Lila's gone."
The words stopped me cold. Reading the fuzzy text on my screen felt like a sudden blow to my stomach, causing my heart to skip a beat. No. Not possible. She can't be gone.
Gasping for air, I sprinted through the hospital doors, swiftly passing by doctors and patients in the hallway. My brain is unwilling to acknowledge it. Lila's not gone. She can't be.
A nurse walks by me, and I clutch her arm, my voice breaking as I ask, "Please tell me it's not true. Tell me she's not gone."
She pulls away, stammering, her eyes wide "I-I don't know, but you should go to the ICU-"
I don't wait for her to finish. My legs carry me faster than I thought possible, past sterile walls and the buzzing fluorescent lights overhead, toward the double doors that separate me from Lila. My sister. My heart. My responsibility.
"You can't leave me now, Lila," I mumble quietly, hurrying down the hospital corridor as the bright lights hum overhead. Each movement seems like a timer, ticking down the remaining moments I may have.
I lean my back on the wall by the ICU, feeling my heart racing in my chest, on the verge of bursting out. Once more my phone vibrates-another message from Clara, yet I cannot concentrate on it. My mind is here, with Lila, trapped in that room, fighting for her life.
"Not again. I can't do this again."
My breath shakes, eyes locked on the double doors in front of me. Where is Dr. Carter? Looking down at my shaking hands, I swallow the fear that's about to overwhelm me. She has to come out with good news. She has to.
My legs weakened and I slid against the wall, hugging my knees tight. I bowed my head, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath."Please, Lila. Fight. Fight harder."
Time seems to drag on, making hours feel like an eternity. The door opens and I immediately sit up.
"Eva," Dr. Carter says softly, her calmness making the anxiety spike in my veins.
"Is she okay?" I stand, my voice catching. "Tell me she's okay."
She doesn't answer immediately, and that pause shatters any hope I have. Her eyes meet mine with that same practiced, calm look that doctors wear when things are bad.
"She is in a stable condition," she states, however, a "but" lingers in the air. "We've temporarily stabilized her condition, but we're running low on options." The medication is losing its effectiveness."
"So what on earth are you planning to do?" I start to lose control of my voice as the fear, which I have hidden away, suddenly emerges. "There has to be something else."
"There is. But..." She looks down, hesitating. "The next treatment option is... expensive. Very expensive."
I stagger back as if the word itself is a blow.I am already aware of what is going to happen. "I whisper, unable to keep my voice from wavering, that we don't have enough money for it."
"I know," Dr. Carter replied gently. "But without it..."
"Without it, she dies." The words slip from my mouth, raw and terrifying. My vision blurs with unshed tears. "There has to be another way."
"We'll look into foundations, charities-"
I cut her off. "Both you and I are aware that it's unlikely to happen."
She remains silent, simply nods and places a hand on my shoulder. I will try my best to do everything I can.
Once she fades away behind the doors, my knees give out, and I crumple onto the frigid floor. The world's weight crushes my chest. There is no oxygen in this place, no room to catch a breath. How on earth am I expected to solve this?
I am brought back to reality by the sound of footsteps, and when I glance up, I notice Clara running towards me, with breathlessness and wide eyes.
"Eva!" she shouts, running until she reaches my side and falls to her knees. "What happened? Is she okay?"
I nod my head, struggling to speak. "She... she needs more treatment. It's too expensive."
Clara's face pales. "However, there must be some action we can take.
I gaze at her, powerless. "I don't know, Clara. I am unsure of any other actions we can take. We've exhausted everything."
She seizes my hands and squeezes them firmly. We will not quit. Lila is a strong individual and we're going to fight with her. No matter what."
Her words are fierce, but I see the fear flickering behind her eyes. The same fear that's choking me, suffocating me. We sit there in silence, the soft buzz of the hospital enveloping the area between us. However, all I can focus on is Lila's presence in that bed, her life barely hanging on.
The peacefulness is shattered by an abrupt eruption of chaos in the ICU.
A nurse rushes past us, her face tight with urgency.
My heart stops. Something's wrong.
"Dr. Carter! We need you, now! " The nurse yells, making her way through the ICU doors.
The hospital sounds fade away as panic consumes me, causing the world to become hazy.
"Eva, wait!" Clara calls, but I'm already up, already moving, rushing through the doors.
I abruptly stop in my tracks upon seeing her. Lila.
Pale. Struggling to breathe. Machines screaming all around her.
"No", I breathe out, staggering towards her."Lila!"
She opens her eyes, filled with fear and whispers, "I'm scared."
I hold her hand tightly, trying to comfort her.Promise?"
I force a smile, my throat burning with unshed tears. "I promise."
The team around us is moving fast, but I'm frozen. My eyes are locked on hers, as if letting go means losing her forever.
"Eva," Dr. Carter's voice cuts through the chaos, firm and commanding. "Step back. We need to stabilize her."
"No!" I scream, my voice cracking. "No, don't take her away from me!"
Dr. Carter moves in front of me, blocking my view as more doctors rush in. "You need to let us work."
I can barely hear her over the deafening roar in my head. My heart races, my entire body trembling. Clara pulls me back, her arms wrapping around me as I struggle to breathe.
"Eva," she whispers. "We have to trust them."
The machines continue to make beeping sounds, increasing in volume and speed, each one indicating a countdown. I watch Lila's motionless body as they try to save her, but it seems like everything is fading. I am losing everything, and I am powerless to stop it.
Nothing.
"Lila!" I scream, my voice raw. The sound of the machines cuts through the air, each beep echoing the desperate rhythm of my heart.
And then... nothing.
Silence.
"Lila, please," I whisper, as if my words alone could bring her back.
Time stands still.
Then, the machine hums to life again, the steady beep filling the room.
She's still here.
I crumble in Clara's embrace, overwhelmed with relief, struggling to catch my breath. However, deep down, I am aware that this is far from finished. Not by a long shot.
"She's stable," Dr. Carter says quietly, looking at me with that same calm she always wears. "For now."
But "for now" isn't enough.
Not anymore.
While I stand there, observing my sister battling for her life, the burden of all our financial limitations overwhelms me suddenly. Time is running out, there is no space left for pride.
Something has to give.
Because the next time I hear the words "Lila's gone," they might be real.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."