Chapter 2
Liana Langston stood in the hospital hallway, her ears ringing.
The doctor’s words–threatened miscarriage -were like a dull blade, slowly carving into her heart.
Instinctively, she looked at Adrian Graham. He froze for a second, then his eyes lit up with a surge of joy. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he whispered, “This is good… finally, everything can get back on track.”
She knew exactly what he meant–Zoe Young was pregnant. He could finally shed the disguise of “Landon Graham” and return to her life openly and legitimately.
But she didn’t want it anymore.
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“But the patient has lost a significant amount of blood and needs an emergency transfusion,” the doctor said, pulling her back to reality.
Adrian immediately yanked open his collar. “Take mine!”
“You’re not a match, the doctor shook his head. “She needs Rh–negative.”
The entire hallway went silent.
All eyes turned to Liana Langston–the military hospital’s famously Rh–negative blood donor.
Adrian stepped toward her, voice raspy. “She’s carrying… the Graham family’s only grandson.”
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His throat tightened. “Help her. Once the baby’s born, I swear I’ll-”
“I’ll give the blood” she cut him off, her nails digging into her palm. “I’m her sister–in–law. Your brother’s widow. How could I not save the only heir of the Graham family?”
In the blood draw room, the needle pierced her vein.
She watched as her blood streamed into the tube–deep red, steady.
And suddenly, she remembered half a year ago, when she was injured during field training.
Adrian had torn up his shirt to bind her wound, then carried her across a minefield, whispering, “Liana, your life means more to me than anything.”
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Now, that very blood was flowing into Zoe Young–nurturing their child.
In the days that followed, Liana locked herself inside.
Every morning, she saw Adrian leave the house in a rush with a thermal container, returning in the evening with an empty lunchbox.
Sometimes it was fish soup. Sometimes oatmeal with honey.
Just like when she got frostbite during disaster relief, and he spent thirty straight days making her lung–soothing soups.
When Zoe Young was discharged, the whole base housing area smelled of homemade cookies.
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Adrian walked from door to door with a jar of cookies. Even his typically sharp jawline seemed to soften. “Zoe’s expecting. Just spreading the joy.”
“Oh Adrian, that’s wonderful news!”
“Make sure Zoe rests–heard it was almost a miscarriage…”
Adrian nodded with a smile, his thumb unconsciously rubbing the Bride & Groom‘ etching on the cookie jar–from his wedding with Liana.
Finally, he reached her door, his fingers tremble as he offered the jar. “Liana…”
“Congratulations,” she said, taking a cookie. The wrapper caught the light, casting a cold glint. “Wishing the baby health and safety.”
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drian’s breath hitched.
Such a flawless, composed blessing rattled im far more than any outburst ever could.
Since his “death“, Liana had been all bloodied wrists and starvation strikes. She had never looked this poised.
Zoe Young suddenly slipped her arm into his, her barely–there baby bump brushing against his elbow. “Landon, didn’t we promise to treat Liana to hotpot?”
To thank her for the blood donation, Zoe insisted on inviting her to dinner.
At the hotpot place, the waiter smiled as he led them to a table. “Right this way, folks!”
His gaze flicked between Adrian and Zoe.
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“Newlyweds, huh? You two look inseparable.”
Then, turning to Liana, “Your little sister? She’s as pretty as a movie star.”
Adrian’s hands tightened.
Then Liana let out a soft laugh. “No. I’m his sister–in–law.”
Steam rose between them. She saw his knuckles turn white from the pressure-
Yet in the end, he silently picked up a slice of lamb and placed it in Zoe’s bowl.
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