Chapter 69 Give Me Back My Blood
A pang of regret coursed through Gabriel, his gaze falling to the floor, crestfallen. The revelation of her talent with the violin and her smoking habit had taken him by surprise. "I always feared you'd disapprove of my smoking, so I never did it in your presence. Naturally, you never had the opportunity to witness it," she confessed.
Each time Natalie donated blood, her body was left weakened. While Gabriel was there for Alyssa, it was only cigarettes that kept Natalie company during those challenging times. Her smoking habit was a product of those days.
Natalie chuckled, a hint of sarcasm lacing her laughter. Her eyes held a melancholic glint for a moment before she quickly regained her composure. She glanced at Gabriel, noting his downcast gaze, and her lips curled into a playful smile. "Would you like to hear my condition?" she asked, not waiting for his response before continuing. "I want Alyssa to return all the blood she took from me. If she can't manage it all at once, she can do it in installments, two or three times. Regardless, within a year, I want it all back."
Gabriel's head jerked up, his eyes wide with shock. "What?" he stammered.
Natalie's smile remained. "I've given it some thought and decided that my blood could be better used to save more deserving people, rather than being wasted on such a vile woman. I may have been naive before, but it's not too late to rectify my mistake. If you ensure that she returns my blood, I'll give you the emerald ring, and we'll be square."
Alyssa had a habit of feigning illness to provoke Natalie into donating blood. Natalie was well aware of this, but Gabriel had remained oblivious. Natalie had felt wronged in the past, but now, it was irrelevant. As long as Alyssa returned her blood, she could sever ties with her past and embrace her true self.
With Alyssa's return imminent, Natalie wanted to make sure she didn't come back satisfied. She was curious to see whether Gabriel would choose the emerald ring or Alyssa.
Anticipating his answer, Natalie flicked her cigarette butt into the ashtray, stood up, grabbed her purse, and strutted out in her high heels. "You don't have to answer now. Take your time," she said, leaving Gabriel to his thoughts.
Gabriel watched her walk away, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. How much did Natalie despise Alyssa and their marriage to demand her donated blood back? He dialed Brad's number. "Find out how much blood Natalie has donated to Alyssa," he instructed.
Brad paused before responding, "Alright."
A few minutes later, Brad returned with the answer. "Mr. Kensington, Ms. Clark has donated 25 pints of blood to Ms. Davis. An adult's total blood volume is approximately 7 to 9 pints. Ms. Clark's blood donation is equivalent to the total blood volume of three people. Essentially, Ms. Clark has had her blood drawn three times!"
As soon as Brad finished speaking, Gabriel hung up the phone.
She had her blood drawn three times, all for him! And yet, for the past three years, he had remained oblivious to her grievances and sacrifices. Gabriel felt as if a massive weight was pressing down on his heart, making it difficult to breathe.
Natalie's demand for Alyssa to return all the blood within a year was a testament to her hatred. She was unwilling to show them any mercy. Gabriel felt a sense of unease. He knew he wouldn't trade the emerald ring for Alyssa; he simply couldn't.
During his military service, Gabriel was supposed to be the one hit by the bomb, but Oscar had shielded him. Oscar had been concerned about Alyssa's health, and his dying wish was for Gabriel to take care of her. He had promised Oscar to ensure Alyssa's longevity. As he reflected on this, a look of pain crossed Gabriel's eyes.
Outside, Natalie was met by Aaron, who had been waiting for her. As they walked towards the door, they saw Nathan in the hall, engaged in a phone call, a gentle and indulgent smile on his face.
As soon as he saw Natalie, he quickly ended the call and walked over. "Ms. Clark, did you have a pleasant chat?" he asked politely.
"I enjoyed it, although I'm not sure he did," she replied with a faint smile.
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