A Bone Marrow Lie, A Husband’s Ruin

For five years, Gideon Blackwood had never once truly looked at me.

His heart belonged to a ghost.

His lost love, Seraphina Monroe.

It wasn't until today, when I snatched the documents hed been hiding, that the full truth crashed down on me.

It was a Deed of Gift.

Three properties in his name, along with forty percent of his shares in Blackwood Enterprises, were all being gifted, free and clear, to Felicity Monroe.

Felicity. The younger sister of his dead first love.

Tucked into the last page was another form.

A bone marrow donation consent form. The recipient: Felicity Monroe.

All it needed was my signature.

I slapped the papers down in front of him. "What the hell is this, Gideon?"

He didn't even look up, just reached out and smoothly pulled the documents from under my hand.

"Aurora, this is what we owe Seraphina. If you hadn't insisted on marrying me back then, she would never have died."

"Now Felicity has leukemia," he continued, his voice devoid of emotion. "We have to save her."

Five years. For five long years, I'd been his personal ATM, all to soothe his guilt over a dead woman. And now? Now he wanted to force me to donate my bone marrow.

If Gideon Blackwood had no room in his heart for me or our daughter, then he could play the tragic, romantic hero all by himself.

When I pushed open the study door, Gideon was in the middle of locking a thick file into his safe. I moved like a flash, blocking the heavy door with my body and yanking the file from his grasp.

The black ink on the white paper was brutally clear.

Thirty percent of his shares in the Blackwood Corporation, three sprawling penthouse apartments overlooking the bayall gifted unconditionally to Felicity Monroe.

And tucked beneath it all was the bone marrow consent form, waiting for my signature.

I slammed the file onto the polished mahogany desk, my eyes locking onto his.

"Have you lost your goddamn mind, Gideon? Or did you sell your soul?" I demanded, my voice dangerously low. "It's one thing to pour our marital assets into that bottomless pit, but now you want to drain my marrow? By what right?"

Gideon's brow furrowed, his eyes clouded with impatience. "Aurora, can you stop being so selfish for once?"

"Seraphina was consumed by fire trying to save me. There wasn't even a body to bury," he said, his voice laced with that familiar, sanctimonious grief. "Felicity is her only sister, and now she has leukemia. If we don't save her, who will? These assets are just material things. They're worth it if they can save Felicity's life."

A laugh, sharp and ugly, tore from my throat.

"You're the one who owes Seraphina a life. You go pay it back," I spat. "You want to donate marrow? Go get typed yourself. Don't you dare use my body to play the saint."

My words finally lit his fuse. He shot to his feet. "I'm not a match! You are. Its the only one that's viable. That has to mean something. Its fate."

"You're the lady of the Blackwood estate. You've enjoyed years of luxury. Whats a little blood?" he sneered. "Besides, if you hadn't forced your way into this marriage, Seraphina would never have left town in despair. She never would have been in that fire. You're atoning for your sins, Aurora."

My hand moved before I could think. The sharp crack of my palm against his cheek echoed in the silent study.

"If you're going to act like a rabid dog, Gideon, go get a shot. Don't stand here barking at me," I said, my hand stinging. "You're the one who knelt in the rain, begging me to marry you, begging for my family's capital to save your company from bankruptcy. Now that you're safe, you want to rewrite history and play the heartbroken lover?"

He clutched his cheek, staring at me in disbelief. "You... you hit me."

"And I'll do it again to knock some sense into your thick skull."

I couldn't stand the sight of his disgusting face a moment longer. I turned and stalked out, heading for the stairs. But as I reached the landing, our daughter Rosie's heart-wrenching sobs drifted up from below.

My heart seized. I flew down the stairs, taking them two at a time.

The living room was a disaster. Felicity was sitting on the ruined sofa, a twisted expression on her scarred face. In her hand, she held a decorative, glass-handled feather duster.

Rosie was huddled in a corner, trembling, a long, bloody gash marking her small arm.

The blood rushed to my head in a blinding wave of fury.

"Felicity, you are going to die today."

I lunged, ripping the duster from her hand and bringing it down hard across her back.

Felicity let out a shriek like a butchered hog, tumbling onto the rug. "Aurora! What are you doing? I was just teaching Rosie a lesson!"

"She deliberately broke the crystal glass my sister gave me! I was just helping you discipline her, what's wrong with that?" she wailed, her face a mask of tear-streaked innocence, as if she were the one who'd been wronged.

I swept Rosie into my arms, my heart shattering as I looked at her tear-stained face.

"Mommy," Rosie sobbed, her little arms clinging to my neck. "I didn't touch her glass. She dropped it herself. And she pinched me."

I turned, my gaze a weapon aimed at Felicity. "What gives you the right to lay a hand on my daughter? Who do you think you are?"

"I swear, I'm going to peel the skin from your bones today."

I raised the duster to strike again.

Suddenly, a powerful force shoved me from behind. Gideon had stormed down and pushed me away.

"Aurora, are you insane?" he roared. "Felicity is sick! How could you hit her so hard?"

He knelt, gathering Felicity into his arms with painstaking care, then glared at me as if I were his mortal enemy.

I steadied myself, holding Rosie tight, and met his furious gaze without flinching. "Are you blind, Gideon? Did you not see the blood on our daughter's arm?"

He didn't even spare Rosie a glance, his attention focused on gently wiping away Felicity's crocodile tears. "Kids get scrapes all the time. It's normal. But Felicity is fragile. A blow like that could kill her."

His voice dropped to a menacing command. "Apologize to Felicity. Now."

Laughter bubbled up inside me, a hysterical, trembling sound. "You want me to apologize to her? The day I do that, Gideon, is the day I die."

I leveled a final, unwavering look at him. "From this day on, this house isn't big enough for both of us. It's her or me."

Gideons face was a thundercloud, dark and menacing. "Aurora, stop being so dramatic."

"Felicity's body can't wait," he said, his tone final. "At the charity gala next week, I'll formally announce that I'm adopting her as my sister. At the same time, I'll announce your marrow donation. Consider it a good deed. It will be good for your public image."

He leaned in, his voice a low threat. "If you dare ruin that gala, don't blame me for what comes next."

I looked at this man I had shared a bed with for five years and saw a complete stranger.

"Who do you think you are, Gideon? God Almighty?" I shot back. "What you announce has nothing to do with me. I won't sign the consent form. Let's see which doctor dares to touch me then."

Nestled in Gideons arms, Felicity let out a series of weak coughs. "Gideon, please, don't force her. Aurora already hates me."

"I won't get the treatment," she whimpered. "Just let me go. I can be with my sister in the afterlife. I'm just a burden here anyway."

Gideon's arms tightened around her protectively. "Don't say that. I will save you."

He turned his venomous gaze back to me. "Aurora, your family's company is preparing to go public, isn't it? A critical time."

"If the world finds out that the great heiress of the Croft family is so cold-hearted she'd watch someone die rather than get a simple marrow test... I wonder what the SEC would think of that."

"You can leave my family's business out of this," I said, my voice ice. I laid down the gauntlet. "You want to use public opinion to pressure me? Go ahead. Let's see who ends up destroyed in the end."

Cradling Rosie, I went straight to the nursery on the second floor and locked the door behind me.

After I soothed Rosie back to sleep, I pulled out my burner phone.

Aurora Croft was no pushover. I had seen potential in Gideon, given him the resources and connections to climb to where he was today. If he was going to throw that all away, then I would be the one to drain him dry.

I dialed the number for my private hacker, K.

"K, I need you to trace the international transfers from an account."

For five years, Felicity had been wiring enormous sums of money overseas under various pretenses. She thought she was being clever, but Id noticed long ago. I just hadn't cared enough to investigate.

Now, it seemed the destination of that money was about to become very interesting.

Less than thirty minutes later, the files arrived in my encrypted inbox. I clicked them open, and the more I read, the more absurd it all became.

All the funds were funneled into an Australian account under the name Vivienne.

And this Viviennes spending habits were nothing short of decadent. One day it was limited-edition handbags, the next it was chartering yachts for wild parties.

But the real prize was what K found next. Hed hacked into an international social media platform and unearthed Viviennes private account. It was a gallery of debauchery.

Photo after photo of a woman in oversized sunglasses and a skimpy bikini, with a different blond muscle-boy on each arm.

Even with half her face covered, I instantly recognized the distinctive beauty mark on her chin.

This wasn't some stranger named Vivienne.

It was Seraphina Monroe. The very same Seraphina who had supposedly been burned to ashes in a tragic fire.

I stared at the screen, a cold, sharp smile spreading across my lips.

So much for the sainted woman who died in a blaze of glory.

She and her sister had played Gideon for the fool, staging the perfect tragedy. They weren't just after his money. They were after my life.

"Having fun abroad, are we, Seraphina?" I murmured to the screen.

"Since youre not dead, allow me to prepare a special welcome-home gift for you."

The next morning, I showered, styled my hair, and applied a full face of flawless makeup. As I descended the stairs, I saw Gideon in the dining room, patiently feeding Felicity a bowl of expensive bird's nest soup.

His eyes turned cold as he saw me. "Have you come to your senses? If so, get to the hospital for your pre-op exam."

I walked to the dining table, poured myself a black coffee, and took a sip with unhurried grace.

"Gideon," I said, my voice calm and clear. "Let's get a divorce."

The spoon in Gideon's hand paused mid-air. A cold sneer touched his lips.

"Aurora, what game are you playing now?" he asked. "You threaten me with divorce every time we fight. You really think that old trick still works on me?"

I took another sip of the bitter coffee, letting the taste flood my senses. "This isn't a threat. My lawyer's letter will be on your desk this afternoon."

I met his gaze. "You won't get a single penny of my assets. And I'm getting full custody of Rosie."

He slammed the bowl down on the table, the soup splashing across the pristine tablecloth. "In your dreams!"

"If you dare file for divorce now, I will ruin you," he snarled. "You will donate that marrow, Felicity. You'll do it whether you want to or not."

Felicity, on cue, began dabbing at her eyes. "Aurora, it's all my fault. I'll leave. Please, don't fight because of me."

She made a show of trying to stand from her wheelchair, then her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor in a heap.

Gideon rushed to her side, scooping her up with a look of pure fury directed at me. "Are you happy now?"

"If anything happens to Felicity, I'll hold you responsible."

I looked at the disgusting pair, a wave of nausea rolling through me. "Do whatever you want, Gideon. You'd better just pray your precious 'sister' lives to see the gala."

I walked out of that villa without a backward glance, got into my Porsche, and drove straight to the office.

The first thing I did was assemble my legal and finance departments. We began a complete audit of all of Gideon's projects and funds connected to Croft Industries.

If we were making a clean break, it was going to be absolute.

For the next few days, I didn't return to that suffocating house. I worked from the shadows, orchestrating a little surprise for the Monroe sistersa gift they would never forget.

K sent another update.

Felicitys so-called leukemia diagnosis was a complete fabrication. The attending physician was an old admirer of Seraphina's, bought and paid for with a hefty sum.

And Felicity was already getting impatient to cash in on the Deed of Gift. She had secretly contacted underground lenders, planning to mortgage the properties and transfer the assets offshore.

And Gideon, the brilliant fool, was completely oblivious. He was too busy posting his usual emo bullshit on social media, waxing poetic about the fragility of life and the weight of his responsibilities.

I couldn't help but sneer at his pathetic words.

Soon, the day of the much-hyped "family recognition" charity gala arrived.

To build momentum for Felicity, Gideon had invited every major socialite and media outlet in Crestwood. He was going to show the world what a deeply loyal and honorable man he was.

And he was going to let the world pressure his cold-hearted wife into giving up her bone marrow.

The day before the event, Gideon called me. His voice was hard, laced with an unquestionable command.

"Tomorrow night. Eight o'clock. The Grand Majestic Hotel. You will be there, dressed to the nines."

He added a final threat. "If you don't show, I'm sending Rosie to a boarding school in the middle of nowhere."

My knuckles whitened around my phone. I forced down the rage, my voice emerging as smooth as glass. "Of course. I'll be there on time."

Gideon seemed surprised by my easy compliance. He grunted and hung up.

I stared at the dark screen of my phone, a chill smile playing on my lips. "Ready to face hell, Gideon?"

"Oh, I'll be there. And I'll make sure that by the end of the night, none of you will ever be able to show your faces in this city again."

I dialed K and gave him his final instructions.

All the pieces were in place. All I had to do was wait for the show to begin.

The grand ballroom of The Grand Majestic Hotel was dazzling.

Gideon had booked the entire top floor, decorating it with an opulence that screamed new money. I made my entrance in a custom-tailored, wine-red haute couture gown, my hair swept up, my heels clicking purposefully on the marble floor.

Every eye in the room turned to me.

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

"So that's Mrs. Blackwood. I heard Gideon is giving away half his fortune to his ex-girlfriend's sister tonight."

"And he's forcing her to donate bone marrow, too. How tragic."

"I know, right? But she looks so powerful. It's hard to believe she's such a pushover at home."

I ignored their probing, pitying stares and walked directly to the main table.

Gideon, looking smug in an expensive bespoke suit, was schmoozing with his guests. Felicity sat beside him in a specially designed wheelchair, dressed in a white tulle gown that made her look like a saintly, pure angel. If you ignored the sickly pallor she'd so carefully applied, she was the very picture of tragic beauty.

His eyes flashed a warning as I approached. "Good, you have some sense. When you get on stage later, play along. Don't embarrass me."

I shot him a look of pure ice and said nothing.

Felicity, meanwhile, tugged timidly at the hem of my gown. "Aurora, thank you for coming. I promise I'll repay your kindness for the rest of my life."

I snatched my dress away from her touch. "I wouldn't be able to bear your 'repayment'. Save it for when you're in hell."

Felicity's face went white, her eyes instantly welling with tears.

Gideon immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her like a guard dog. "Aurora, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you have to cause a scene on such an important night?"

"I'm not causing a scene. I'm just stating a fact." I picked up a glass of champagne, swirling the golden liquid, my gaze as cold as a winter morning. "Gideon, I'm asking you one last time. Are you absolutely sure you want to transfer those shares to her?"

He scoffed, his voice resolute. "I've already signed the papers. I'm announcing it tonight in front of everyone. You'd better not try any tricks, or I swear you'll regret it."

"Good. That's very good." I nodded, then drained the champagne in one swallow. "Since you're in such a hurry to greet your damnation, I'll be happy to send you on your way."

Soon, the gala reached its main event. The host took the stage, recounting the touching, tragic love story of Gideon and Seraphina, painting Gideon as the most devoted, heartbroken man in history.

Then, to a round of thunderous applause, Gideon pushed Felicity's wheelchair onto the stage.

He took the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the audience with manufactured emotion. "Thank you all for being here tonight."

"As many of you know, years ago, Seraphina gave her life to save mine. It's a debt I can never truly repay."

"Now, her only sister, Felicity, is battling a terminal illness. As the man who loved Seraphina, it is my duty and my honor to care for her."

"Therefore, I have decided to gift thirty percent of my shares in the Blackwood Corporation to Felicity, unconditionally."

Gasps echoed through the ballroom. Thirty percent of the shares was a fortune in the billions.

Gideon paused for effect, his eyes finding me in the crowd. "And I must also thank my wife, Aurora."

"She has graciously agreed to donate her bone marrow to Felicity, to use her love to give Felicity a new lease on life."

The spotlight swung, pinning me in its bright glare. The entire room was looking at me with a mixture of awe and pity.

On stage, Gideon extended a hand toward me, beckoning me to join him. "Aurora, come up. Let everyone witness your selfless generosity."

Slowly, I set down my glass. Under the watchful eyes of hundreds, I walked, step by deliberate step, onto the stage.

Gideon thought I had surrendered. A triumphant smirk spread across his face.

But the moment I took the microphone from his hand, that smile froze solid.

I scanned the faces of the guests below, my voice ringing out, crisp and clear.

"Good evening, everyone."

"The story Mr. Blackwood just told was indeed very moving."

"However, it seems he forgot to mention one, even more moving, detail."

I turned to Gideon, my eyes like daggers.

"The truth is, I never agreed to donate any bone marrow."

"And what's more, the lovely Miss Felicity Monroe here... doesn't have leukemia at all."