001. Blood Bank for your Ex?

"My suspicion was right, Mrs. Sawyer. You're one month pregnant."

The doctor's voice was calm, but the words struck Chloe like a bolt of lightning. She sat still in the sterile hospital office, her fingers nervously playing with the edge of her cane.

Her world had always been dark, but this news brought a new kind of uncertainty, one she wasn’t prepared for.

"Pregnant?" Chloe whispered. She touched her abdomen gently, wondering if there was really a tiny life growing inside her.

A child? Could I really be a mother? The thought both thrilled and terrified her. How will I tell Dan? The question alone made her anxious.

The doctor looked at Chloe, who was clearly still processing the news. “Yes, it’s early, but the tests are clear. Congratulations, ma'am. You must take care of yourself. I’ll write a note and add it to your file so we can stop any further blood donations to Miss Sofia.”

Chloe’s heart skipped a beat. “Miss Sofia?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Could it be…? No, it can’t be the same Sofia. Why would she need my blood?

“Yes, the recipient of your regular blood donations,” the doctor replied absentmindedly as he made notes in her file. “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure everything is updated. No more donations during your pregnancy. Should I inform your husband, Mr. Sawyer?"

Chloe hesitated. Dan had been distant for so long, his once affectionate demeanor replaced by cold detachment. She wasn’t sure how to tell him, or if she even wanted to—at least not yet.

“No, please don’t,” Chloe replied quietly, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart. “I’ll tell him myself…”

The doctor nodded, “Of course, Mrs. Sawyer. Take your time. But do remember to take care of yourself and the baby.”

Chloe didn’t respond, her mind whirling as she tried to make sense of the doctor's earlier words. The recipient of my blood... Miss Sofia... The name lingered in her thoughts, sending a chill down her spine. It has to be a coincidence. But what if it’s not? She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Before she could ask more questions, the door creaked open, and Chloe sensed Dan’s familiar presence entering the room. She didn’t need to see his face to know he was tense.

"What's going on?" Dan’s voice was clipped, impatient.

Chloe hesitated, her heart pounding. She opened her mouth to tell him about the pregnancy but stopped herself. Now wasn’t the right time. Instead, she opted for something less daunting.

“Just a routine check-up,” Chloe said, her voice trembling slightly. “Nothing to worry about.”

Dan made a noncommittal sound, already pulling out his phone. His tall, broad-shouldered frame cast a shadow over Chloe as he stood there, his dark hair neatly styled, as always. But his blue eyes, once warm, were now cold and distant. 

He’s so far away, Chloe thought, her heart aching. Where did the man I fell in love with go?

“I need to take this,” Dan muttered, stepping out of the room before she could respond. “The driver will take you home.”

Chloe nodded silently, the doctor's words echoing in her mind. Her hand instinctively went to her cane, a simple black accessory that had become a part of her identity since the accident. 

A blood donor? To Sofia? The more she thought about it, the more unsettling it became. What else has he been hiding from me?

She stood up slowly, her petite frame moving with a grace that belied her blindness. Chloe’s dark, wavy hair cascaded down her back, framing a delicate face with pale skin that had lost its youthful glow due to her regular blood donations and the emotional strain of her marriage.

The ride home was quiet, her thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and dread. The doctor’s casual mention of Miss Sofia haunted her, a name she hadn’t thought of in years but one that seemed to linger around Dan like a ghost.

Chloe’s thoughts drifted back to the day she had first met Dan, the man who had once been her saviour.

It had been a terrifying night. She was returning from a night walk to clear her head when she was cornered by a group of thugs. Their intentions were clear, and Chloe’s desperate attempts to escape had led her down a dark alley.

In her frantic flight, she had slammed into a metal pole, the impact blinding her instantly. The pain had been unbearable, and she had collapsed, helpless and vulnerable.

But then, Dan appeared. 

He had fought off the thugs and carried her to safety. In the weeks that followed, he had stayed by her side, helping her adjust to her new reality, guiding her through the darkness that had become her world.

And when he had asked her to marry him months later, Chloe had said yes, believing she was marrying the man who had saved her life, who had loved her despite her blindness.

But now, it seemed all those months of care was a facade. The man she had married, the one that saved her, no longer existed. 

The sweet, loving Dan was gone, replaced by someone cold and distant, a stranger who barely acknowledged her presence.

Several days passed in a blur of anxiety and unanswered questions. Chloe couldn’t bring herself to confront Dan, not until she had more information. But the tension was always there.

Then, one morning, Dan called her out of the blue. His tone was as cold and detached as ever. “Get ready. The driver will be there in 30 minutes to take you to the hospital for your routine blood donation.”

Chloe’s heart raced. 

She was about to tell him that she couldn’t donate blood anymore, remembering the doctor’s words, but Dan ended the call before she could speak. She sat there, phone in hand, the sense of dread growing with each passing second.

When the driver arrived, Chloe was still in her room. She told him she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t go to the hospital today. The driver hesitated before calling Dan, explaining the situation.

Dan’s sharp voice came through the phone. “Give the phone to Chloe.”

The driver handed her the phone, and Chloe took a deep breath. “Dan, I’m not feeling well. I—”

“I don’t want to hear it, Chloe,” Dan interrupted in an icy tone. “I don’t care what the issue is. All I want is for you to be at the hospital in the next 20 minutes.”

Chloe’s heart pounded in her chest, her fingers trembling as she gripped the phone. This could be her opportunity to confront him, to ask about Sofia. “Dan, why are you so insistent? I can always go another day—”

“No,” Dan snapped. “You’ll go today. I don’t want any more nonsense. Get ready.”

The line went dead before Chloe could respond. She stood there, her heart racing, feeling trapped. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to get dressed, determined to confront him once and for all.

As she finished getting ready, the sound of the front door slamming startled her. Dan had come home himself. His footsteps were heavy, filled with anger as he approached her.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Chloe?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. “Why are you trying to make this difficult? Just go get your blood drawn.”

Chloe turned towards him, her heart pounding. “Why are you so urgent, Dan? It’s just a blood donation. I can always do it another day.”

Dan’s expression faltered for a moment, but then his eyes hardened. “Because it’s important. You know that.”

Chloe’s hands clenched at her sides as she gathered the courage to confront him. “Important for who, Dan? For me, or for Sofia?”

Dan’s blue eyes widened in shock, his carefully constructed mask slipping. He was so shocked, he said nothing to Chloe’s question. His silence further confirmed Chloe’s fear.

Her heart twisted painfully in her chest. “So it’s true,” she whispered, her voice shaking with a mixture of anger and hurt. “I’ve been donating my blood to your ex-lover for all these years, and you never thought to tell me?”

Dan’s jaw tightened. “Chloe, it’s not what you think—”

“Not what I think?” Chloe cut him off, her voice rising. “You’ve been lying to me, using me as a blood bank for someone else, and you didn’t think I deserved to know?”

Dan’s face darkened in frustration. “It was for your own good, Chloe. You were the perfect match, and she needed your blood. I didn’t want to burden you with it.”

“Burden me?” Chloe echoed, her voice trembling with disbelief. “You made me think I was doing something good for myself, for strangers, when all along it was for someone you clearly care about more than me.”

Dan stepped closer, his tone softening slightly. “Chloe, it’s not like that. I just—”

“I want a divorce, Dan,” Chloe interrupted, her voice firm despite the tears welling up in her eyes.

“What?!” Dan’s expression hardened once again. “That’s not possible. In case you’ve forgotten, you signed a contract. You can’t ask for a divorce until Sofia is out of her coma. You’ll keep donating your blood to keep her alive.”

Chloe’s eyes blazed with fury. “Fine. I’ll keep donating my blood to your darling Sofia even after the divorce, but I’m done being your pawn.”

Dan’s lips curled into a bitter smile. "You think I’ll let you go that easily? No, Chloe. I won’t let you walk away."

Just then, his phone rang. Dan glanced at the screen and answered it, his expression changing as he listened to the person on the other end. "Sofia... she’s awake?"

Chloe couldn’t see his face, but she could hear the relief and joy in his voice, emotions he had never shown for her. He still loves her... after everything.

"Yes," he said into the phone. "I'll be on my way. Thank you, Doctor."

He hung up and turned to Chloe. "It seems you’ll get your wish after all. Sofia is awake, and I no longer need you. You can get the divorce."