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.
On their wedding night, Rogelio wrapped his fingers around Marian's neck and spat at her, "Congratulations! From now on, you live in hell!" The reason for his wrath was that he believed she was responsible for the death of his elder brother. So, he married her but refused to touch her, determined to make her suffer for the rest of her pitiful life! However, due to an unforeseen accident, Marian was forced to sleep with Rogelio in order to save him, and she ended up getting pregnant. Concealing her pregnancy, Marian lived cautiously under Rogelio's watchful eyes. He hated her and relentlessly humiliated her, yet he would never allow anyone else to lay a finger on her— "Mr. Bailey, your wife got into a fight with someone!" Rogelio secretly took action, eliminating that person completely. "Sir, your wife claimed that all of your family's wealth belongs to her!" Rogelio quietly transferred all the shares to her. Unaware of all this, Marian only wanted to escape, but Rogelio pulled her into his warm embrace, whispering, "Mrs. Bailey, where do you intend to go with our unborn child?"
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."