He Asked for Three Years of Freedom, Gave Him a Lifetime of Regret

Tania leaned against his shoulder and began to sob quietly.

Rod's expression shifted instantly. He turned to me：“Selma, what did you say to her?”

I let out a disbelieving laugh：“How would I know what I supposedly said to her?”

Rod frowned.

Tania grabbed his hand, her eyes rimmed red：“Rod, please don't fight with Ms. Cooley. This whole thing is my fault.”

She turned to me and bowed：“I'm sorry, Ms. Cooley. If I'd known sooner that you were the designer, I never would have come to you for a wedding gown. But please believe me, I never meant to provoke you. I'm grateful that three years ago you gave Rod and me a chance. These three years have been the happiest days of my life. In seven days I'll give him back to you, and you'll never have to see me again.”

Watching her little performance, I scoffed：“If I'd known it was you, I wouldn't have taken the commission either. As for Rod”

I paused, looked him dead in the eye, and said, word by word：“You two don't need to break up. I'm handing him over to you. He's yours.”

Rod's face drained of color. He seized my wrist：“Selma, what the hell do you mean by that?”

I wrenched free of his grip. “Exactly what it sounds like.”

“What do you mean, 'exactly what it sounds like'?”

“What do you mean, 'handing me over'?”

“I'm your boyfriend. Your fiancé. Not something you can give away.”

Rod was losing it. “You'd better explain yourself right now, or you're not leaving.”

Every trace of warmth left my face. “You're not my boyfriend. You're sure as hell not my fiancé. And I'm already mar……”

“Rod, please stop arguing with Ms. Cooley.” Tania cut in abruptly：“Ms. Cooley, none of this would have happened if I hadn't insisted Rod give me a wedding.”

She looked at Rod with glistening eyes. “Rod, forget the wedding. I don't want it anymore. I'm leaving right now.”

She spun around and bolted for the door.

“Tania!”

Panic flooded Rod's face, then pure fury as he whipped back toward me.

“Selma! You waited three years. There are seven days left. Was it really so hard to cut her some slack?”

He spat the words and took off after her.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth, picked up my bag, and walked out.

I had barely reached the entrance when Rod's voice ripped through the air：“Tania! Behind you!”

I looked up.

A truck had blown through the intersection and was barreling straight toward Tania.

She had no time to dodge. The impact launched her off her feet.

She lay in a spreading pool of blood.

“Tania!”

Rod sprinted forward, scooped her into his arms, and ran for the hospital.

I pressed my lips together. I had just turned to leave when hands shoved me into a car.

“Ms. Cooley, Mr. Graves told us to bring you along.”

The hospital was chaos. Voices clashing, people everywhere.

“Doctor! Save her! Please, somebody help!”

Rod stood rigid, both hands slick with Tania's blood, his face white as bone.

The bodyguards deposited me in front of him. “Mr. Graves, she's here.”

Rod lifted his eyes to mine and snarled：“Selma! Tania is in there because of you! Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted?”

I let out a cold, quiet laugh.

I was about to turn and walk out when the doctor's voice came from behind me：“The patient has lost too much blood and has a clotting disorder. The blood bank doesn't have emergency reserves. She needs a continuous transfusion throughout surgery, or her life is at risk.”

Rod snapped back to himself. He grabbed my wrist again, wild-eyed.

“She's type O. Compatible with every blood type. Use hers! Get her into the OR now! You save Tania, no matter what it takes!”

I stared at him in disbelief and started fighting to break free：“Rod, have you lost your mind? Her accident has nothing to do with……Ah!”