Not a Fiancée, a Resource

and trembling as she held up her phone. The screen showed a tex

sion not changing. "It's exactly what

, 'Proceed with the 400cc draw. Chloe's vitals can handle it. Ethan needs it.

as usual, looked between them, confused. "Ch

her breath away. "By lying? By telling the nurses to take more blood from me than

tepped forward, trying to take the phone. Chloe

, placating tone that suddenly made her skin crawl. "Ethan'

arely get through my shifts at the hospital. I thought it was stress from the wedding, but it' s this. It' s you.

doubt in his eyes. "Liam, is that

g a comforting hand on his shoulder, but his words were for her. "Ethan, don't listen to her. She

face. Chloe watched them, a scene that had played out a thousand times before. Liam the pro

y, is it?" Chloe said, her vo

suddenly "felt weak." The times she' d left class or work early to rush to the hospital, a summons from a worried Liam, only to find Ethan looking tired but stable. The cons

hole in the bottom, a hole actively being drilled by Liam. And Ethan, her beloved Ethan, had just let it happen. He ne

learly sent before this confrontation, which he must hav

sure Chloe provides enough blood for the pre-wedding 'health buffer.' W

photos. The humiliation was a bitter taste in her mouth. She was not a partner, n

n her screen. This one was from Ethan.

ain. The doctor thinks one more small donation before the wedding would

emed to give up. A wave of dizziness washed over her, so intense the room tilted. Black spots dan

distant sound of her own name bei

spital room greeted her. The smell of antiseptic was

ce gentle but firm. "Your levels are dangerously low. You

ital room, with the steady beep of the monitor as her only company, the truth settled in her bones. It was over. She h

ed calls from Ethan and Liam. She ignored th

n calling me, frantic," Megan sai

ing strange and distant to her ears. "Hey, are

, but... Chloe, are you sure? You hate those

washing over her. "And I'm not going to find a br

oment, then Megan gasped. "

a flicker of something she hadn't felt in

ed bar, a glass of water in her hand. She felt out of place, a g

r colleague from her residency. He had always been kind, qui

anaging a small smile

his eyes kind. "Y

st made her cry. She took a deep breath instead. "I'm looking for a new b

sed. "Oh. I... I see.

eat me like their personal blood bank." Th

, his expression ser

m, caught complete

"I'm not sick. I have my own blood. And I've

timate act of love. Now she saw it for what it was. Ethan hadn't fallen in love with her, Chloe, the brilliant medical student. He had fallen in love with her rare blood type, the perfect ma