The Forsaken Bride

"Wait, don't administer the anesthesia yet!" The ultrasound technician suddenly spoke, her expression grave. Every head in the operating room turned. "There seems to be something in her uterus."

​The head surgeon and the anesthesiologist exchanged a tense look. The syringe was immediately withdrawn. After checking the monitor, the surgeon confirmed, "There is indeed a small shadow!"

​Elena Vance was in tears, her heart racing with a mix of terror and a sliver of hope. She nodded frantically, her eyes pleading. Because of the years spent as a human blood bank for her sister, her body was fragile and irregular. If they cut into her now, she knew she wouldn't survive the table.

​The head surgeon walked over to Cillian Thorne. "Mr. Thorne, there is an unknown shadow in this young lady's uterus. If we force the surgery, it will involve other blood vessels. It would be extremely dangerous."

​"So?" Cillian asked, his fingers tapping slowly on the armrest of his wheelchair. The sound was rhythmic and intimidating. "If we do the surgery, will she die?"

​The surgeon hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."

​Cillian's powerful aura turned glacial. He glanced at the trembling Elena with utter indifference. "Continue the surgery. If she can't make it through, she can only blame her bad luck."

​Elena shivered. His voice was a death sentence. The rumors were true: Cillian Thorne was a demon who viewed human life as a mere statistic. She was being sacrificed for a sister who didn't love her, to a man who wanted her dead.

​"Mr. Thorne, are you sure?" the surgeon asked, his voice shaking. "What if someone dies..."

​"Our family can afford the life of one woman," Cillian replied. "Daring to marry into the Thorne family while carrying a bastard child? She should have been prepared for the consequences."

​The Reprieve

​Knock, knock, knock!

​The door flew open. Philip Woods shouted from the hallway, "Young Master Cillian, Madam is here! She is right outside and demands to see you."

​Cillian frowned. Why was his mother here? He gestured to the doctors. "Hold the surgery for a moment."

​Outside in the hallway, his mother's face was stern. "Cillian, Elena Vance cannot die yet. Don't be impulsive."

​"She's pregnant with a bastard, Mother. Are you aware of that?"

​"Even so, we need her alive," she hissed. "The Vance family gave us the item, but we can't unlock it without them. That chip has a password, and Jason Vance is holding back. He's afraid you'll take the technology and abandon his daughter."

​She sighed, her eyes cold. "He said that in three months, if you and Elena are 'on good terms,' he will provide the password. Just bear with her for now. Treat her like a toy, a dog the Thorne family can afford to feed one more mouth. Once we have the code, you can kick her out."

​The New Nightmare

​Inside the operating room, Elena was suddenly untied. Instead of being operated on, she was hauled back to the Thorne estate. Servants scrubbed her body, dressed her in revealing, provocative clothes, and applied heavy makeup. Still dazed from the small dose of anesthetic, Elena felt like a doll being prepped for a shelf.

​She was soon stuffed into the back of Cillian's luxury limousine. The space felt cramped under the weight of his presence. He sat with his eyes closed, seemingly napping.

​"Elena Vance, what are you and your father plotting?" Cillian's eyes snapped open, meeting hers with aggressive intensity.

​"W-what?" Elena stammered. As she moved, the sweet fragrance of her skin filled the car. It was that same scent-the one from the night Cillian had been drugged. His irritation flared. How could a "shameless" woman like Elena have the same scent as the innocent girl he was looking for?

​He leaned closer, trapping her against the car window. Elena instinctively closed her eyes, her breath hitching. For a second, his aura reminded her of the man from the hotel strong, overwhelming, and possessive.

​If Cillian was the father... she thought, then immediately dismissed it. The man from that night had been athletic and powerful. How could it be Cillian, whose legs were paralyzed?

​Cillian saw her closed eyes and mocked her. "You don't actually think I'm going to kiss you, do you?"

​Elena opened her eyes, blushing with shame. Cillian's tone suddenly turned hauntingly gentle, though his eyes remained like knives.

​"Today is our wedding day, a joyous occasion. As your husband, I feel I should fulfill your wish."

​Elena's heart sank to her stomach. Fulfill her wish? What kind of twisted "celebration" did a demon like Cillian Thorne have in mind?