Chapter 4

The restaurant was a sea of white tablecloths and crystal chandeliers. Jaydan was already there, waiting at our usual table by the window, a single red rose lying beside his plate. He looked up as I approached, his face breaking into that familiar, devastating smile.

"There she is," he said, standing to kiss my cheek. "You look breathtaking, Ainsley."

The entire evening was a performance. He was attentive, charming, playing the part of the doting husband to perfection. He talked about our past, reminiscing about our first date, our honeymoon, the funny little moments that had once been the bedrock of my happiness. He spoke of the future, of the children we would have, the life we would continue to build. He carefully avoided the present.

He then got down on one knee. The entire restaurant seemed to hold its breath. He produced a small velvet box.

"Ainsley, my love," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Ten years ago, you saved my life. Every day since has been a gift. Marry me, again."

He opened the box. Inside was a diamond ring. It was large, dazzling, and felt utterly, completely worthless. I knew, with a sick certainty, that this was the "gift" he and Ariana had picked out this morning. I also knew that the main piece of jewelry it had come with, probably a necklace or a bracelet, was currently gracing Ariana' s neck or wrist. This ring was just an afterthought, a prop for his show.

He slid it onto my finger, next to the ten-year-old lie I already wore. His eyes were shining with unshed tears. "I love you, Ainsley. More than anything."

I felt nothing. Just a vast, empty coldness. All I could think about was the look on Ariana's face when she posted that photo this morning, the triumphant gleam in her eyes.

We were halfway through dessert when his phone rang. He glanced at it, and the color drained from his face.

"I have to take this," he said, his voice strained. He stood up and walked away from the table.

I knew who it was. It was always her. On my birthday, on Christmas, on any day that was supposed to be about us. Ariana always had an emergency. And Jaydan always went to her.

He came back to the table, his face a mask of distress. "Ainsley, I'm so sorry. It's Ariana. She's been in an accident. She's at the hospital."

He didn't even wait for my response. He threw some cash on the table and ran out of the restaurant, leaving me sitting alone with a fake ring and a half-eaten tiramisu.

I sat there for a long time, watching the city lights. I knew her game. I knew this was another one of her pathetic, desperate ploys for attention. I was just glad I didn't have to care anymore. I calmly finished my wine, then took off the new ring and dropped it into the glass, where it sank to the bottom.

My phone rang. It was Jaydan. His voice was frantic, panicked.

"Ainsley! Get to the hospital now!"

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice calm.

"It's Ariana. She lost a lot of blood. She needs a transfusion. She's O-negative. The blood bank is low."

My breath caught. O-negative. The same rare blood type as me. And as Cody.

"Jaydan, no," I said, my voice shaking for the first time. "You can't ask him. Cody is still weak from the last-"

"I'm not asking him!" he shouted. "I'm telling you! Get down here! His life depends on it, Ainsley. You know I can cut his funding again with a single call!"

He wasn't asking me to donate. He was threatening my brother's life to save his mistress.

"I'll do it," I said, the words a bitter pill. "Don't you dare touch Cody's treatment. I'm on my way."

I raced to the hospital, my heart a block of ice in my chest. The moment I arrived, a nurse was waiting, ready with a needle.

They put me on a gurney next to Ariana's room. Jaydan stood over me, his face tight with anxiety.

"Is it enough?" he kept asking the nurse.

"We've taken a pint. Anymore would be dangerous for the donor," the nurse said, looking at me with concern.

"I don't care," Jaydan snapped. "Take more. She needs it."

He pushed the nurse aside, his eyes wild. He grabbed the IV line himself, adjusting the flow, ignoring my protests, ignoring the nurse's warnings. The world started to spin, the bright hospital lights blurring into a kaleidoscope of white.

I felt myself slipping away, my body growing cold. The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was Jaydan's back as he rushed into Ariana's room, holding the bag of my blood like a precious treasure. He hadn't even given me a second glance.

He loved me. More than anything. The thought was a final, cruel joke as the darkness closed in.