Chapter 4 A Heartbreaking Scene

No concern crossed Noah's mind about whether Madelyn was ill. Instead, his voice cut through the air, as cold as winter rain, reminding her that she had to pay for arranging Sadie's abduction.

That was her husband-a man who never spared her a shred of trust.

A brittle laugh escaped Madelyn. Without arguing, she simply trailed after Noah on the way to the hospital.

The moment they stepped inside, a doctor rushed toward them. "Mr. Mitchell!"

Noah's jaw set tight the instant he caught sight of the doctor's anxious face. He gave Madelyn a firm shove forward. "Get the transfusion started! Right now!" he snapped, and then darted off down the hall to catch up with the doctor.

For the first time, Madelyn saw worry and fear flicker across Noah's face. She had spent years convincing herself he was just distant by nature.

But the mask she'd built with self-delusion fell away at the sight of his raw concern.

A nurse wasted no time in drawing Madelyn's blood.

When the needle slipped under her skin, she wondered if the painkillers she'd swallowed were finally working, or if she just no longer felt anything at all.

Slowly, the fog over her eyes started to lift.

"Ma'am, are you feeling alright?" The nurse's eyes widened at Madelyn's ashen complexion. Never before had she seen anyone so fragile come in to donate.

Madelyn managed a weak nod, her gaze fixed on the vivid blood filling the tube. "Will this take much longer?" she asked.

With a pause, the nurse finally said, "It'll be a little while yet."

Catching the uncertainty in Madelyn's eyes, the nurse explained, "We only needed 200 milliliters at first, but Mr. Mitchell insisted we take extra, so we'll need to collect about 400 milliliters more for backup."

Extra for backup?

A bitter smile tugged at Madelyn's lips. Noah truly did go to great lengths for the woman he cherished. Why not just empty every drop from her veins for Sadie's sake?

It dawned on her then-perhaps Noah had always known her blood matched Sadie's. Both carried the rare Rh-negative type. Maybe that was the only reason he had kept her safe, despite all his contempt.

By the time the blood draw ended, her limbs felt like ice, her body hollowed out as though the warmth had bled away with the donation.

Dragging herself from the blood bank, she paused without thinking when she reached the door to Sadie's room.

The door hung open just enough for her to see inside. Time had turned Sadie from a naive girl into a stunning woman, her delicate features sharpened and refined.

Even in a plain hospital gown, she seemed wrapped in elegance, her presence soft but undeniable.

Madelyn knew the contrast well. Illness and hardship had stripped her own face of vitality.

"Noah, I feel a little cold. Will you stay with me for a bit?" Sadie's gentle plea floated through the doorway, her arms stretching toward him.

Madelyn couldn't see Noah's face from her spot in the hallway, but she watched as he moved closer and wrapped Sadie in a quiet embrace.

Sadie's eyes found his, and the softness in his profile told Madelyn everything.

Frozen at the door, Madelyn stared at the pair. Her face, usually unreadable, cracked just enough to show her heartache.

She hated that her vision had cleared at the worst possible moment, forcing her to watch this scene unfold.

Lost in the moment, Madelyn didn't even notice Sadie looking her way until she spoke. "Noah! Madelyn... she is here..."