Chapter 129

"Don't worry. I'm fine. You should go back now," David said, holding Calliope's hand.

Calliope was sobbing uncontrollably, suddenly realizing how much she loved David, and how he had always cared for her.

But at that moment, David started having trouble breathing again. Calliope quickly pressed the call button by the bed.

Soon, a doctor came in to check on him, adjusted the oxygen mask, and sighed. "You need to be prepared. We've done everything we can."

The doctor's words hit Calliope like a heavy blow. She stood there in a daze for a moment, then grabbed the doctor's sleeve and asked, "If they were biological brothers, would the heart match be higher?"

"If they were biological brothers, the match would be higher." The doctor nodded, seemingly a bit surprised by the question.

Such a situation was probably unheard of—two brothers both on the brink of death.

The doctor's confirmation made Calliope's resolve even stronger.

The next day, in the intensive care unit, Sylvester finally woke up. John was the first to go in and ask how he was doing.

But Sylvester weakly said, "I want to see Calliope!" His voice was feeble, but the hatred in his eyes was unmistakable.

John was puzzled but went to find Calliope anyway. Calliope had been waiting outside since she heard Sylvester had woken up. Hearing John's words, she felt nervous, 'Am I really that important to him?'

With a trembling heart, Calliope put on a sterile gown and entered the ICU. Seeing the frail Sylvester on the bed, she felt a whirlwind of emotions.

Sylvester saw her, his brows furrowed and his fists clenched. Despite his weakness, the anger in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Calliope, why? Why did you lie to me?" Sylvester's voice was low and hoarse, his teeth gritted as he questioned her. His face was frighteningly pale, making him look pitiful.

Calliope stood there, speechless, unable to fully grasp his feelings at that moment. Yet, the pain in her heart was undeniable.

She held back her heartache, her trembling hands taking out the organ donation agreement. "If you agree to give your heart to David, I'll have the baby," she said coldly, her words cutting into Sylvester's heart like a knife.

In an instant, Sylvester angrily sat up, yanking out the tubes from his body. He staggered over to Calliope, grabbing her by the neck and pushing her against the cold wall.

"Why are you doing this to me?" His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a mixture of rage and desperation.

"I'm sorry," Calliope said quietly, not resisting, just accepting her fault with a calm resignation.

"Calliope, do you have no conscience?" Sylvester shouted, his anger causing his chest to tighten with a pain he had never felt before.

Seeing him like this, Calliope felt a twinge of pity, but the harsh reality was that he didn't have much time left. 

She could never fully understand her feelings for Sylvester, only that David had a certain pull on her—no matter how much she might care for Sylvester, David always drew her back.

Thinking of David struggling to breathe, she looked at Sylvester with a mix of desperation and resolve. "Sylvester, please, do something good. You're not going to make it much longer anyway. If you give your heart to David, you'll save his life."

Her tone was pleading, but her expression remained cold.

Sylvester looked at Calliope kneeling beside him, his eyes burning with hatred. "Calliope! Tell me you love me! Say it!" He grabbed her arm, squeezing it as if to crush her bones.

"I'm sorry, Sylvester. I don't love you. I never have." Calliope's voice grew louder and colder.

"Calliope!" Sylvester's teeth ground together, his weak body powerless, only able to keep gripping her neck.

Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed her, his hot breath searing her heart like molten lava.

Calliope struggled to push him away but couldn't muster the strength.

Sylvester bit her lips fiercely, the metallic taste of blood filling the space between them. Despite the pain, he refused to let go.

Was this love? So painful, suffocating, yet impossible to relinquish.

With the last bit of clarity, Calliope bit down hard on his lip, the taste of blood intensifying.

Sylvester finally released her, but she was left gasping for breath. She shouted at him, "I love David! I always have!"

He gripped her shoulders tightly, as if trying to crush her. He stared at Calliope, her sharp words still echoing as she now struggled to breathe, her face pale.

The atmosphere in the ICU grew heavier, the beeping of various machines like the call of death, making people anxious.

Sylvester's grip tightened, Calliope's face turning red. With her last bit of strength, she shouted, "I never loved you, never!"

Sylvester spat out blood.

Calliope instinctively closed her eyes, feeling the warm blood splatter on her face and body. When she opened them again, she saw Sylvester collapse heavily to the ground, his eyes filled with endless hatred.

His eyes turned bloodshot, his chest felt like it was being torn apart, and he could barely breathe. His thin lips parted with difficulty, blood gushing out as if it would drain all his body entirely.

He had already been severely injured in a previous fight, and his fragile body was now pushed to its limits.

Calliope stared at the horrific scene, his once attractive lips and chin now covered in blood, making him appear both cruel and pitiable. She was at a loss for what to do.

"Anyone, help!!" Calliope cried out. Her delicate face was smeared with his blood, making it look as if she had hurt him herself.

A doctor outside heard the cries for help and rushed in immediately. Seeing Sylvester lying in a pool of blood, they quickly pushed Calliope aside and began emergency resuscitation.

The ICU was once again in crisis mode, restricting access to anyone outside the medical team. Calliope was ushered out and could only wait anxiously in the hallway.

Watching the frantic medical staff and Sylvester's pale face, she was overwhelmed with regret. Sylvester had always been kind to her, yet she had repaid his kindness with betrayal. Hadn't she gone too far?

Suddenly, a loud slap through the hallway.

John slapped Calliope hard. "You heartless woman! After everything the Moore family has done for you, how could you hurt my son like this?"

Calliope stood there, stunned and speechless. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart, but she had no strength to defend herself.

John continued to vent his anger on Calliope, blaming her for all the pain Sylvester had suffered. "You are just an illegitimate daughter. It was bad enough that you tricked us into letting you marry into the Moore family, but now you've committed this heartless act. Let me tell you, you will pay for this!"

At that moment, Robert also arrived, his face contorted with rage. He didn't say a word, just glared at Calliope with fierce, accusing eyes.

Calliope felt like her world was collapsing. Why was this happening? She thought her world only consisted of David, but at the moment Sylvester fell, everything seemed to crumble around her.

Sylvester's blood on her hands felt like a searing brand. She touched her face, smeared with his blood, unable to fathom the agony Sylvester must have endured.

How much pain did it take to cough up blood?

'God, let me bear all the consequences alone,' she prayed silently. In that moment, she realized the magnitude of her mistakes. Though she had been forced by the Gray family to marry Sylvester, everything that followed was her fault.

Was it truly all her fault?

In the hospital corridor, Calliope felt like a shell of her former self. She was physically present, but her heart felt lifeless, as if her soul had been ripped away.

John was livid because of her actions and immediately ordered Robert to withdraw all investment funds. The hospital quickly descended into chaos.

Jack rushed over with Vivian, and as soon as they arrived, Vivian slapped Calliope across the face.

"How dare you hit me?" Calliope glared at her.

"Because you are heartless. You took everything from me, and now you've done this to Sylvester!" Vivian shouted, her voice trembling with rage. She knew that without this funding, the Gray family would be ruined.

Jack joined in, blaming Calliope and trying to shift all the responsibility onto her.

Jack stood in front of John with a guilty expression. "Mr. Moore, this is not my fault. It was Calliope who begged me to marry her into the Moore family. Who knew she had such malicious intentions? I really had no idea."

"Yes, we all thought she was a kind-hearted person, but we never expected her to do such a thing," Vivian added.

Jack and Vivian pleaded humbly, trying to put all the blame on Calliope.

"No matter what, I will never forgive you. Prepare to declare bankruptcy!" John said coldly.

"No, Mr. Moore, this really has nothing to do with me. The Gray group can't lose this funding. Please be merciful, don't withdraw the investment, or my life will be over," Jack pleaded.

John had no patience for Jack's rambling and had them both thrown out.

Hearing this, Calliope let out a bitter laugh. She felt truly pathetic. On one side, Tom was relentlessly pressuring her to save David, and on the other, the Gray family was blaming her for everything. Now, to the Moore family, she was nothing but a deceitful and malicious woman.

What had she done to deserve being caught between these two families?

A few hours later, the light in the ICU finally went out. The doctor came out and said, "We did everything we could. Mr. Sylvester Moore's injuries are severe. You need to be prepared for the worst."