Chapter 1 Veronica is Camelia's Walking Blood Bank

Everyone knew Veronica Walsh loved Gregory Sutton with reckless abandon, losing all dignity and sense of self. Whenever Gregory called, she would rush to him like a lapdog, desperate for his attention.

Half an hour ago, Gregory had sent Veronica a message, asking her to come immediately to Dawnlight Medical Center, SVIP Room 3.

With a loud bang, the hospital room door suddenly swung open.

Then, Veronica ran in with panic written all over her face. "Gregory…"

Seeing Gregory sitting unharmed on the couch, her racing heart finally began to settle.

She still asked worriedly, "Are you okay, Gregory?"

Facing Veronica's sudden intrusion, everyone else in the hospital room frowned, looking at her with open disgust.

At that moment, Veronica was a complete mess. Rain soaked her heavy frame, and strands of hair clung to her face. A wound on her forehead, wet from the rain, oozed bright red blood that slowly trickled down.

The dark, menacing patch on her right cheek, streaked with rain and blood, looked even more terrifying.

Gregory stood up from the couch and walked slowly toward Veronica. "Go draw about 13.5 ounces of blood for Camelia. She's injured."

Hearing this, Veronica's face instantly went pale, and she turned slowly, staring blankly at the hospital bed across the room.

There, lying pale and fragile, was none other than Camelia Sandoval—Gregory's ex-girlfriend and his first love.

Because Camelia had a clotting disorder and, coincidentally, shared the same rare RH-negative blood type as Veronica, Veronica had always acted as her walking blood bank whenever Camelia got injured.

"She was supposed to have gone abroad… so why is she back?" Veronica wondered, pulling her gaze back and staring at Gregory blankly.

Her eyes brimmed with tears. "You sent me a message asking me to rush to the hospital… just… just to donate blood to Camelia?"

Before Gregory could answer, a man's voice, full of contempt, cut in, "Of course. If it wasn't for Camelia, why would Gregory ever contact you?"

"Exactly. Look at yourself. You're disgusting," another man added.

Ignoring the cutting remarks, Veronica stubbornly stared at Gregory, waiting for his answer. All along, Gregory's handsome face remained cold and indifferent.

He didn't answer her question, and after a long pause, he finally spoke. "The payment has already been transferred to your account."

"Payment?" she thought, the word echoing in her mind.

Of course, her husband had always been generous. Every time she donated blood to Camelia, she received a sizable payment.

The handsome, godlike man in front of her was her husband of two years and the current head of Gardner Group.

"Gregory, I don't feel well." At that moment, a gentle voice, tinged with a hint of pain, spoke up.

Gregory's expression changed instantly.

He glared at Veronica. "Go quickly!"

After saying that, he turned and strode toward Camelia's bed.

Then someone suddenly shoved Veronica. "Hurry up! If anything happens to Camelia, can you take responsibility?"

Veronica staggered when she was shoved and nearly fell to the ground.

A nurse stepped in just in time, steadying Veronica before guiding her away for the blood draw.

As she turned to leave, Veronica heard Gregory's deep, gentle voice behind her. "Just hang on a little longer."

Someone said reassuringly, "That's right, Camelia, don't worry. Gregory won't let anything happen to you."

"Exactly! You have no idea how Gregory got by all this past year while you were gone," another voice chimed in. "But now… you're finally back!"

Veronica shut her eyes in pain. She did not even know how she managed to walk out of the hospital room.

When the cold needle pierced her skin, Veronica frowned slightly from the sting. The pain spread slowly through her arm.

"Ms. Walsh, would you like me to treat the wound on your forehead?" the nurse asked softly.

It was almost tragic. Only now did someone finally notice the wound on Veronica's forehead.

When Veronica received the message, she thought Gregory had been injured, so she rushed to the hospital as fast as she could without a second thought. Near the hospital, she was knocked to the ground by an electric scooter and got hurt.

She never expected that after finally reaching the hospital room, what awaited her would be the demand to donate blood to Camelia.

Thinking of this, Veronica let out a bitter smile. She looked at the nurse and nodded gently. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," the nurse replied.

As soon as she finished speaking, another nurse entered the blood collection room. "Mr. Sutton said Ms. Sandoval needs more blood. We'll draw another 3.4 ounces."

Chapter 2 Let's Divorce

When she heard the nurse's words, all the color drained from Veronica's face.

The nurse who was drawing Veronica's blood asked, "Another 3.4 ounces?"

She glanced at Veronica with concern and then at the nurse who had just entered. "She's already given 13.5 ounces. Why do we need to take more?"

The other nurse sighed helplessly. "I already told Mr. Sutton, but he said Ms. Sandoval lost too much blood, and taking another 3.4 ounces from Ms. Walsh wouldn't be a problem. I really have no choice."

She then looked at Veronica apologetically. "I'm sorry, Ms. Walsh. We don't dare disobey Mr. Sutton, so please don't make this difficult for us."

Veronica stayed silent for a long time. Her face was as pale as paper, and anyone paying attention would notice her body swaying slightly.

After what felt like forever, she finally spoke in a hollow voice. "Go ahead."

As her words fell, a large tear rolled down from the corner of her eye.

She quickly raised her hand and wiped it away. Tilting her head toward the ceiling, she forced the rising tears back down.

After 16.9 ounces of blood had been drawn, Veronica's face was ghostly pale. Dizziness washed over her, and her vision doubled.

She rested in the blood collection room for a long while. Only then did she drag her heavy steps and walk out.

The moment she stepped out, she saw Gregory walking straight toward her.

When Gregory saw her complexion, his brows knit slightly. It seemed that drawing 13.5 ounces had already been too much.

When Veronica looked up at Gregory, his expression had already returned to its usual calm. In a highly composed voice, he said, "The divorce agreement… I've left it on the desk in the study. Sign it when you get home."

As his words fell, Veronica felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her already unsteady body swayed violently.

She stared at Gregory in disbelief, her red lips trembling. "You… want to divorce me? Just because Camelia is back?"

When Gregory looked at her, his gaze was cold and full of disdain. "You know why we got married in the first place. Two years is more than enough. This ridiculous marriage should have ended long ago."

The word "ridiculous" pierced Veronica's heart like a blade.

Their two-year marriage had been reduced to just that one word—ridiculous.

How tragic it was.

Tears welled up in her eyes again, uncontrollable.

She bit her lip hard and looked at Gregory unwillingly, her voice filled with despair but carrying a faint, fragile hope. "Gregory, in these two years, did you ever like me, even once?"

A harsh, derisive laugh suddenly cut through the air.

Gregory's friend stepped forward, looking down at Veronica with contempt. "Veronica, look at yourself. You're disgusting, absolutely stomach-turning, and as fat as a pig!

"If you hadn't schemed your way into Gregory's bed back then and forced him to marry you, do you really think someone like you could have ever become Mrs. Sutton?"

"I didn't!" Veronica shouted back.

The man ignored her and turned to Gregory. "Gregory, Camelia is looking for you."

Gregory left Veronica with one final sentence. "Tomorrow at 9:30 am, see you at the courthouse."

With that, he turned and left without looking back.

Watching his cold and resolute figure disappear, Veronica finally lost control and broke down in tears.

By the time she got home, Veronica was in terrible shape.

She picked up the divorce agreement and skimmed through it quickly.

Gregory was indeed generous. He hadn't shortchanged her—200 million dollars and two villas were part of the divorce settlement.

Tears streamed down Veronica's face as she signed the divorce agreement with trembling hands.

"Veronica… you really have lived a miserable life," she thought bitterly.

Suddenly, the ping of a WhatsApp message pulled her attention back to the present.

She picked up her phone and saw a message from her mentor, Raymond Turner. "Veronica, about the opportunity to study medicine abroad that I mentioned before, think it over again. This chance is really rare, and I don't want you to miss it."

Before this, Veronica had been torn and hesitant, already thinking about giving up.

But in that moment, seeing the WhatsApp message, her heart suddenly settled.

She had missed too much for Gregory, but now… she would no longer live for anyone else.

She was going to start a life that belonged to her. A life lived only for Veronica.

"Mr. Turner, I'm going," she replied firmly.

After sending the message, Veronica turned back to her room and began packing her luggage.

...

Having been soaked in the rain and with her forehead injured, she woke up the next day with a fever.

After breakfast and taking some antipyretics, she dragged her exhausted body out the door.

At the courthouse, she dialed Gregory's number.

The moment the call connected, a low, husky, and undeniably sexy voice came through. "I've got something to take care of today… We'll handle the paperwork another time."

Before Veronica could speak, Gregory had already hung up.

Staring at the blank phone screen, Veronica couldn't help but tug at the corner of her lips. Just now, she had clearly heard a woman's voice on the other end.

But none of that mattered anymore.

Because today, she was flying to Mestioso.

From now on, Gregory would have nothing to do with her.

She would completely forget about him—she promised herself that.

Chapter 3 I've Never Seen a Woman More Beautiful Than Her

Three years later, a black Rolls-Royce Ghost glided smoothly down the wide avenue.

Inside the car, Leon Reid turned to look at Gregory. "Gregory, it's been three years. Still haven't been able to reach that woman, Veronica?"

Gregory lounged lazily, his long legs crossed. His sharply defined fingers flipped through the documents resting on his lap.

At the mention of Veronica, his handsome face remained completely expressionless. A low, husky sound rumbled from his throat, a wordless acknowledgment.

Today, he wore a silver-gray suit that was perfectly tailored to his tall, strong frame.

His face looked like the masterpiece of a world-class sculptor, painstakingly carved and polished to perfection. From every angle, not a single flaw could be found—handsome, flawless, and utterly impeccable.

Leon cursed under his breath, his expression twisted with disdain. "That woman… She's shameless. To avoid divorcing you, she actually chose to disappear completely. Does she really think that would let her keep the title of Mrs. Sutton? How delusional."

"Gregory, you…" His next words died on his lips.

Through the car window, his gaze froze on the black sedan not far away.

More precisely, it landed on the face of the woman inside the car.

It was a face so perfect it took his breath away.

Her face was a flawless oval, with striking and seductive almond-shaped eyes, a high, elegant nose, and full, crimson lips. Every glance and every smile seemed to tug at the heart, utterly irresistible.

Before he could get a clear look, the car window slowly rolled up. The black sedan then hit the gas and quickly sped away.

"Goddess! Goddess!" Leon couldn't hold back and shouted out in amazement.

Gregory frowned, glancing at him from the side. "You losing it?"

"Gregory, didn't you see her just now? The woman in that car just now… She's stunning! I swear, I've never seen anyone more beautiful than her. She's literally my dream girl!" Leon's face betrayed a hint of obsession.

Gregory remained expressionless, completely uninterested.

The so-called "goddess" Leon was raving about was now holding a small bottle of dark liquid, carefully applying it to the right side of her face.

Soon, a large, very menacing dark patch appeared on her otherwise flawless, delicate features.

"Veronica, are you really not going to show your true face?" Veronica's assistant, Minerva Stone, asked.

Veronica removed the black wig from her head and adjusted her hair. "No. By now, many people worldwide are familiar with Eleven's appearance. I absolutely cannot let them find out that she and Veronica are the same person."

"True. Otherwise, your house would probably be swarming with admirers by now. Eleven, the world-renowned top surgeon—everyone would want to have you in their grasp!" Minerva said.

Veronica just let out a soft laugh.

…

Tonight, the Steele residence was alive with the heiress' 20th birthday celebration.

Ranked third among Bircanda City's eight most prominent families, the Steeles had drawn all the city's elite to the event.

In a corner, Leon suddenly seemed to remember something and looked at Gregory. "Gregory, according to the law, as long as you and Veronica have been living apart for two years, you can go ahead and file for divorce with the court."

"I mean, who knows when Veronica will show up. You might as well go ahead and file for divorce in court now," he added.

As he spoke, he turned his gaze toward Camelia. "Besides, Camelia has waited for you all these years. Don't you owe her an explanation?"

Hearing this, Camelia's heart raced with excitement.

She looked shyly at Gregory, who kept his head down, sipping his drink, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice, "As long as I can be with Gregory, I'm satisfied. I don't ask for anything more."

Even so, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Gregory was full of expectation.

Gregory remained expressionless, his handsome face calm and unreadable, ignoring their words entirely.

After exchanging a glance with Camelia, Leon was about to speak.

But at that moment, his gaze froze on the woman slowly walking into the villa, dressed in a dark green gown.

With a sudden jolt, Leon sprang up from the couch and rushed toward her.

"Goddess! I didn't expect to see you again so soon!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with delight.

This was the same breathtaking beauty he had seen earlier on the road.

Veronica slowly turned her head.

However, when Leon saw the large, dark patch on the right side of her face, stretching from her right eye to the corner of her mouth, his expression changed instantly.

He examined her carefully. Aside from the angle he had seen earlier, which made the side of her face resemble his goddess, there was almost no resemblance anywhere else.

He wondered why the dark patch on her face seemed so familiar.

At that moment, a slightly shocked, low voice called out, "Veronica? Is that really… you?"

From the crowd, a beautiful woman in a pale yellow gown stepped forward.

"Three years apart, and you've lost so much weight. It's unbelievable. Veronica, you're finally back. Mom and Dad have missed you so much," Rowena Walsh said. She was the heiress of the Walsh family and Veronica's older sister.

Nearby, when Gregory heard the name "Veronica", his brow twitched slightly. He lifted his gaze and glanced at her briefly before quickly looking away again.

"You're Veronica?" Leon frowned after hearing Rowena's words.

He studied her carefully once more and finally confirmed it really was Veronica, only much slimmer than before.

Leon's expression instantly soured, as if he had swallowed something foul, and pure disgust washed over his face.

"Damn it! What bad luck," he cursed, then turned and walked away while muttering under his breath.

He couldn't believe he had just mistaken Veronica—that fat, ugly woman—for his goddess. He must have been blind.

Someone in the crowd spoke up. "So she's the Walsh family's adopted daughter who was brought back from the countryside. What kind of place is this? Does an adopted daughter like her even have the right to be here?"

"Exactly. If I looked like that, I wouldn't even dare step outside and embarrass myself," another voice chimed in.

Faced with their sarcastic, insulting remarks, Veronica's expression didn't change at all. It was as if the person they were mocking had nothing to do with her.

Only when she heard the words "adopted daughter" did she let out a cold laugh internally.

Veronica was just about to speak when a sharp, piercing cry suddenly rang out.

"Carter! Carter! What happened to you?"

Chapter 4 Success Only, Failure Is Not an Option

Everyone immediately followed the sound and looked over. At the other end of the banquet hall, a little boy about six or seven years old was clawing at his throat, his small face flushed deep red.

His mother, Pamela Hoffman, was desperately pounding his back, while the guests around them panicked and hurriedly backed away.

Veronica's expression changed sharply. This was choking from food obstruction.

She rushed over to the boy, Carter Sowle, in just a few strides.

"Move," Veronica said coldly.

She shoved Pamela aside without hesitation, stepped behind Carter, wrapped her arms firmly around his waist, and began performing the Heimlich maneuver.

"What are you doing?" Seeing this, Pamela panicked and instinctively reached out to stop her.

Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

"Mrs. Sowle, don't go over there. She's trying to save Carter," Gregory said.

When Pamela turned and saw Gregory, it was as if she had found support. "Gregory, look at Carter. What's wrong with him?"

Gregory's face was grave as he explained, "He's choking on food. Carter must have accidentally gotten something stuck while eating."

"Carter… Carter!" Pamela cried out, tears streaming down her face.

Gregory comforted her while glancing sideways at Veronica, who was entirely focused on performing the rescue.

This side of Veronica felt unfamiliar to him.

When Veronica tried abdominal thrusts for the third time, Carter suddenly went limp and lost consciousness. At that moment, his chest no longer rose or fell, and his lips had turned bluish-purple.

Veronica dropped to her knees beside him and quickly checked his carotid pulse with her fingers. "Complete airway obstruction. His heartbeat is already very weak."

Gregory's expression changed sharply when he heard that.

He turned to the surrounding guests and asked sharply, "Has an ambulance been called?"

At that moment, the heir of the Steele family, Roderick Steele, stepped forward. "It's already been called, but it will take at least ten more minutes."

Without hesitation, Veronica gave orders to a nearby housekeeper. "I need a sharp knife, high-proof alcohol, and a straw. Now."

The housekeeper did not dare delay and immediately ran off to prepare the items.

Gregory stared at Veronica and questioned her in a low voice. "Veronica, what are you trying to do?"

Only then did Veronica look up and meet Gregory's sharp, pressing gaze.

Seeing that familiar handsome face, her breathing faltered for a few seconds, but she quickly regained control.

She answered seriously, "He can't wait for the ambulance. I have to perform an emergency cricothyrotomy immediately."

As she spoke, Veronica had already pulled open Carter's collar and precisely located the hollow just below his thyroid cartilage.

"What does a cricothyrotomy mean?" someone in the crowd asked.

"To put it plainly, it means cutting an opening in his neck," another guest explained.

"What? Right there? That's way too dangerous," someone whispered in alarm.

At that moment, a gentle yet anxious female voice suddenly rang out. "No! Veronica, you're just a funeral parlor mortician. You don't have the ability to perform this kind of emergency procedure."

The speaker was Rowena.

"Even if you want attention, you can't gamble with a life," she added urgently.

Veronica had always worked at a funeral parlor in Bircanda City, and her mother had objected many times. Yet Veronica had always refused to quit.

"A mortician? That… isn't that someone who does makeup and grooming for the dead? Oh my god, who let someone like her in here? This is bad luck!" someone exclaimed.

"Exactly! She talks so confidently and looks so professional that I actually thought she was a doctor, but it turns out she only works on corpses," another person chimed in.

When Pamela realized Veronica was just a mortician and not a real doctor, panic immediately set in. She ran over in a few quick steps and shoved Veronica aside, her voice sharp with warning. "I won't let you touch Carter!"

Veronica lost her balance and was pushed to the ground. Seeing this, Gregory instinctively furrowed his brow.

At that moment, the housekeeper had already brought the items Veronica needed. She didn't have time to think and immediately tore a piece from her dress, then knelt in front of Carter again, pouring high-proof alcohol over the knife and straw to sterilize them.

"What are you doing? You're not allowed to touch my child!"

Veronica snapped back, turning to glare at Pamela, raising her voice, "If we waste even a few more minutes, not even a miracle could save him! Are you really going to watch your son die?"

Pamela went pale, fear gripping her heart, yet she stammered, "But—"

A low, husky voice cut her off. "Mrs. Sowle, let her do it."

Hearing that, Pamela turned in shock to look at Gregory.

Veronica's brows twitched slightly, and she couldn't help but lift her eyes to meet his. At that moment, he was watching her intently.

Though Veronica had always worked at the funeral parlor, he knew she had studied medicine in college.

His voice carried a subtle threat as he said, "Veronica, you're only allowed to succeed. Failure isn't an option."

Chapter 5 So You're Playing Hard to Get Now?

Veronica didn't answer Gregory.

Time was critical, and she couldn't waste another second.

She pressed one knee against Carter's shoulders to stabilize him, using her left index and middle fingers to firmly hold the sides of the cricothyroid membrane.

"Hold his head still for me," she said to Gregory.

With that, she pressed the small knife in her right hand against the thin membrane, barely half an inch wide.

In a flash, the blade made a precise horizontal incision. As blood gushed out, Veronica angled a straw into his trachea, sealing the other end with her mouth to blow air in.

To everyone's amazement, Carter's chest immediately began to rise and fall, and the bluish-purple color of his lips started returning to a healthy tone.

The surrounding guests widened their eyes in disbelief as they watched Veronica perform the emergency procedure.

They hadn't expected that Veronica could actually pull it off.

Gregory's deep eyes locked onto Veronica, narrowing slightly as they grew darker and more intense.

By the time the paramedics burst in, Carter was already breathing on his own, albeit weakly.

After quickly assessing his condition, the doctors and nurses lifted him onto a stretcher.

One of the doctors couldn't help but exclaim, "Thanks to the timely cricothyrotomy, he might have died otherwise."

Hearing this, Pamela, who had been about to follow the nurses out, froze in her tracks. She turned back and bowed deeply to Veronica, her voice choked with gratitude. "Thank you… Thank you for saving my son."

Veronica simply nodded lightly without saying a word, her expression calm.

"Veronica." A commanding voice then rang out.

She turned her head to see Lionel Steele, the head of the Steele family, walking toward her.

He reached out and patted her shoulder, his tone still carrying a trace of relief. "I just heard the news. Thank goodness you were here."

Hearing Lionel refer to her by name, the guests exchanged surprised glances. Judging by his tone, they seemed to be on very good terms.

Lionel then turned to face the other guests, his voice sharp and commanding. "Veronica saved my life and is a guest we specially invited! Anyone here who just claimed she had no right to be here or insulted her, step forward now!"

As Lionel's words fell, the massive banquet hall went completely silent.

Everyone was stunned to learn that Veronica had saved Lionel's life.

Under the pressure, the two women who had been gossiping earlier could only step out from the crowd. Both appeared to be around Veronica's age.

Lionel's expression was stern, radiating authority and anger. "Who do you think you are? My Steele family's honored guests aren't for you to insult at will!"

He then turned toward Leon in the crowd. "And you, Leon, get out of my house right now! From today onward, you are no longer welcome at any Steele family events."

At his declaration, every guest present was left completely stunned.

No one had expected that Veronica, the adopted daughter the Walsh family had taken in from the countryside, could command such protection from Lionel.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Steele Senior! I shouldn't have insulted Ms. Walsh," one woman admitted.

"I know I was wrong, too. Please forgive me this once, Mr. Steele Senior!" the other pleaded.

Faced with their desperate pleas, Lionel remained unmoved. "If you don't leave now, I'll have security remove you."

With no choice, they slunk away in shame.

Lionel then turned to Leon, who was still standing frozen in place. "Mr. Reid, do you need me to send someone to escort you out?"

Leon's face turned pale with shock. He couldn't believe he would be thrown out of the banquet hall for insulting Veronica.

"Mr. Steele Senior, you—"

He barely managed to start when Lionel cut him off coldly. "Security!"

Leon's expression changed again. Knowing he had no choice but to comply, he drew in a deep breath and muttered, "I'm leaving."

Before leaving, Leon shot Veronica a venomous glare.

"That damn ugly girl! I'll remember tonight's humiliation!" he thought.

For a moment, the guests' expressions toward Veronica subtly changed.

Lionel smiled at her and said, "Veronica, come with me, let's go over there."

She gave a slight nod and followed him.

Rowena's eyes flickered with a trace of jealousy as she watched her retreating figure.

…

After washing her hands in the restroom, Veronica stepped out and immediately saw Gregory leaning against the wall not far away. Her steps paused slightly.

When she saw Gregory again, Veronica had to admit that her heart still stirred. But now, she could keep her expression completely composed.

She stepped toward him. Looking at his strikingly handsome face, Veronica said directly, without any small talk, "Tomorrow, 10:00 am at the courthouse. I hope this time… you'll be punctual, Mr. Sutton."

After saying this, Veronica stepped past Gregory, ready to leave.

"Veronica, what game are you playing now?" Gregory suddenly spoke, his low, husky voice carrying a hint of impatience.

Veronica froze at his words, furrowing her brow as she turned to face him. "I don't understand what you mean, Mr. Sutton."

Gregory looked down at her, a faint, mocking smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Three years ago, when it was time to divorce, you suddenly vanished. And now you bring it up yourself, talking about going through with it tomorrow. What is it… trying to play hard to get and catch my attention?"