He Married Me to Save My Brother

That night, when I pried open Liam Sterling's safe, the password I entered was my younger brother Jace Holloway's birthday.

There was no cash or jewelry inside, only a stack of medical reports.

The last page read: [Sibling umbilical cord blood matching, a perfect match.]

My hands were trembling. The door swung open, and Liam Sterling leaned against the doorframe, his expression so calm it was as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

I held up the report: "You married me just to use my child to save Jace Holloway?"

"Iris," he said, "we can have more children later."

He looked at my belly, his expression calm: "As for this one, if it dies, it dies."

I touched my six-month-old belly and suddenly burst out laughing.

As I laughed, tears splattered onto the floor.

So my three-year marriage was just a carefully planned procedure to extract medicine.

It turned out he was in love with my own younger brother.

Iris Holloway POV

When I was six months pregnant, Liam Sterling organized a grand art exhibition for me.

Everyone in New York's business elite said that Liam Sterling, this ruthless, cold, and taciturn rising business magnate, had given all his tenderness to me.

I had casually mentioned once that I liked a certain deceased painter's rare manuscript, and he spent hundreds of millions on an international auction, just to make me smile.

I didn't sleep well during my pregnancy, so he canceled all his international meetings and stayed by my bedside every night, lulling me to sleep by reciting poetry in his deep voice.

I, too, once believed I was the happiest woman in the world.

Until tonight's Holloway family dinner.

At the long dining table, the atmosphere was oppressive. My parents' gaze was almost entirely fixed on Jace Holloway across from us.

Jace Holloway was my younger brother, sickly since childhood, with a pale but rather delicate face.

"Jace, eat more. You look so pale lately."

Mother lovingly put food into his bowl, then turned to me, her tone instantly chilling: "Iris, your brother isn't well. You're pregnant, so stop running around outside. What if you catch germs or viruses and pass them to him?"

My hand, holding the chopsticks, paused slightly. Ever since I was little, my parents' hearts had always leaned towards my younger brother.

Before I could speak, Liam Sterling, beside me, had already put down his knife and fork.

"Mother," Liam Sterling's voice was cold and clear, his tone carrying an oppressive weight. "Iris is my wife. Whatever she wants to do, I will accompany her. As for your so-called infection, if the Holloway family can't even provide a sterile environment, I wouldn't mind having Jace stay at the Sterling family's private hospital."

Mother's face stiffened, and she closed her mouth with an embarrassed smile.

I turned to Liam Sterling; the man was unhurriedly peeling a shrimp, placing the translucent shrimp meat onto my plate. His profile was sharp, and his eyes held an unshakeable focus.

In that moment, a warmth blossomed in my heart.

After dinner, a heavy rain began outside.

Jace Holloway suddenly clutched his chest, his brow furrowed, and his breathing grew rapid.

"Jace! What's wrong? Is it another episode?" Mother frantically supported him.

Liam Sterling moved faster than everyone else. He shot to his feet, strode over, and scooped Jace Holloway into his arms.

I stood rooted, watching a clear panic surface on Liam Sterling's usually impassive face.

"To the hospital," Liam Sterling's voice was strained.

He carried Jace Holloway and rushed into the rain, not even taking time to open an umbrella.

I instinctively took a step forward, but Father roughly pushed me aside: "Don't block the way! If anything happens to your brother, you won't have it easy either!"

I stumbled, barely steadying myself by gripping the doorframe.

Rainwater poured down from the eaves, splashing onto my ankles, icy and bone-chilling.

Liam Sterling's car had already vanished into the night. He had left in such a hurry that he even forgot to look back at me, still pregnant.

Late at night, St. John's Hospital in New York.

I carried a meal box, walking alone down the empty corridor. I was worried, so I still had the driver bring me here.

The door to the VIP ward was ajar, letting out a sliver of warm, yellow light.

Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard voices from inside, and my feet froze to the spot.

"Liam, it hurts so much" Jace Holloway's voice was tearful, heartbreakingly fragile.

"Bear with it, it'll be over soon." Liam Sterling's voice was low and hoarse, laced with a tenderness and indulgence I had never heard before.

I peered through the crack in the door, my pupils constricting abruptly.

Iris Holloway POV

On the hospital bed, Jace Holloway leaned into Liam Sterling's embrace, his hands tightly wrapped around the man's waist.

And Liam Sterling not only didn't push him away but lowered his head, pressing his slightly cool lips gently to Jace Holloway's forehead.

It was a kiss full of comfort and affection.

My mind went blank with a "boom," and it felt as if all the blood in my body had been drained in an instant.

Liam Sterling was bisexual; this was an open secret in New York's upper echelons. But after our marriage, he had led a clean life, never involved in any scandals.

I thought he only loved me

Yet now, my husband was holding my own younger brother, his eyes filled with a deep affection I had never witnessed.

"Liam, can the baby in Iris Holloway's belly really save me?" Jace Holloway looked up, tears still clinging to the corners of his eyes.

Liam Sterling's slender fingers ran through his hair, his tone firm: "Yes. The doctor said that once the baby is born, a stem cell transplant using the umbilical cord blood will completely cure your illness."

"But will Iris Holloway agree? She dislikes me so much."

"She doesn't need to agree." Liam Sterling's gaze turned cold, radiating bone-chilling frost. "She just needs to give birth to the child. I went to such lengths to marry her, gave her the title of Mrs. Sterling, and gave her the love and career she desired. She has no room to refuse."

The meal box slipped from my hands.

A muffled "thud" echoed, especially jarring in the silent corridor.

The sounds from the ward ceased abruptly.

I frantically covered my mouth, tears falling without warning.

So, all of this was a carefully orchestrated deception!

He married me, doted on me, put me on a pedestal, not because he loved me.

But because I was a perfect vessel, capable of bearing the medicine that would save his beloved.

I stumbled backward, then turned and ran frantically out.

The corridor lights were stark and blinding. I felt as if my heart was being brutally torn apart by an invisible hand, the pain so intense that even my breaths tasted of blood.

My proud love, the child I joyfully anticipated, all of it was a sacrifice prepared for Jace Holloway.

I don't know how I got back to the villa.

I collapsed onto the cold floor, looking at the room full of famous paintings and antiques Liam Sterling had collected for me, and suddenly felt incredibly nauseous.

My stomach churned, and I rushed into the bathroom, throwing up violently.

The person in the mirror was pale and disheveled.

I touched my swollen abdomen, feeling the faint kicks within, my heart twisting in agony.

"Baby" I murmured, tears slipping through my fingers. "What should we do?"

Liam Sterling returned just before dawn.

He pushed open the bedroom door, bringing in a crisp chill. Seeing me curled up on the sofa, his brows furrowed slightly.

"Why are you sleeping here? You'll catch a cold." He walked over, instinctively reaching to pick me up.

I recoiled sharply, avoiding his touch.

Liam Sterling's hand froze in mid-air, his eyes darkening. "What's wrong? Are you upset I didn't stay with you last night?"

He sighed, his tone regaining its tenderness: "Jace's condition was critical, and Father and Mother were distraught. I had no choice but to take him to the hospital first. Be good, don't throw a tantrum."

What a perfect excuse.

What unassailable tenderness.

I looked up, staring fixedly at the handsome man before me.

"Liam Sterling." My voice was terribly hoarse. "Is it really me you love?"

Liam Sterling paused slightly, then chuckled softly, stroking my cheek with his thumb. "What nonsense are you thinking? Of course, I love you."

He lied.

I looked into his deep eyes, and the last shred of hope in my heart turned completely to ash.

Iris Holloway POV

Liam Sterling's thumb was warm, slightly calloused from years of holding a pen, as it gently caressed my cheek.

If it were before, I would have leaned into his palm, enjoying that unique tenderness. But now, that warmth felt like a snake's tongue, sending shivers down my spine.

"I'm tired, I want to rest." I turned my head, evading his hand, my voice so calm even I found it incredible.

Liam Sterling didn't say much, simply tucked the blanket around me: "Alright, get some more sleep. I'll go to the study to handle some documents."

The moment the door closed, my tense body instantly sagged.

I knew I couldn't just sit there and wait for death.

Liam Sterling's study had always been off-limits, but he had never guarded it against me, and the password was my birthday.

While Liam Sterling was at the company for a meeting, I pushed open the study door.

I walked straight to the locked safe and entered my birthday.

A "beep" sounded, a red light flashed, password incorrect.

I froze. I tried Liam Sterling's birthday, our wedding anniversaryall wrong.

I entered Jace Holloway's birthday.

"Click." The safe opened.

In that instant, my heart felt as if it had been plunged into ice water, aching with cold.

There were no confidential documents in the safe, only a thick stack of medical reports and a worn-out sketchbook.

With trembling hands, I opened the medical reports. Jace Holloway's name was prominently displayed.

The diagnosis was a rare aplastic anemia, and the last page of the treatment plan highlighted sibling umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant.

The matching results showed that my gene loci were a perfect match with Jace Holloway's.

The date was exactly one month before Liam Sterling proposed to me.

I bit down hard on my lower lip, tasting a strong metallic tang of blood.

I then opened the sketchbook. It was filled with drawings of the same young man, laughing, playing, or quietly reading. The style was amateurish, yet it radiated the artist's overflowing love.

The young man in the drawings was an eighteen-year-old Jace Holloway.

On the last page, a sentence was written: "My Jace, may you always be happy."

The signature was Liam Sterling.

So, they had been in love for a long time.

It turned out that I was the ridiculous third party, a human blood bank existing solely to save their love.

I put everything back exactly as I found it, then stumbled back to the bedroom.

In the afternoon, the roar of a car engine sounded outside the villa.

Liam Sterling not only returned himself but brought Jace Holloway back with him.

"Jace needs to recuperate in a sterile environment. The hospital is too crowded, I don't feel at ease."

Liam Sterling explained to me while instructing the servants to set up the guest room as a sterile room, "You usually get bored alone at home. With Jace here to keep you company, I'll also feel more at ease."

I looked at Jace Holloway standing at the main entrance, dressed in Liam Sterling's oversized shirt, and my stomach churned again.

"Iris, I apologize for the intrusion." Jace Holloway smiled at me, his smile seemingly innocent and harmless, but his eyes held a hidden challenge.

The next few days, the villa became my purgatory.

Liam Sterling practically moved all his work to the house.

He personally supervised Jace Holloway taking his medication, accompanied him in the glass conservatory to sunbathe, and even wiped Jace Holloway's mouth without a hint of distaste when he vomited due to medication side effects.

And I became invisible.

Only when reminding me to take folic acid or go for prenatal check-ups would Liam Sterling deign to cast a glance my way.

"How are you feeling today? Has the baby kicked you?" Liam Sterling came up to me, holding a glass of warm milk, his gaze falling on my swollen abdomen, his eyes so tender they could drown someone.

Looking at his affectionate demeanor, I only felt absurdity.

Iris Holloway POV

"Liam Sterling, who are you truly thinking of when you look at me every day?" I finally couldn't hold back, piercing through the layers of this false pretense.

Liam Sterling's brow furrowed slightly as he placed the milk on the table. "Iris, you've been too sensitive lately. I understand that hormonal changes are significant during pregnancy, but don't be unreasonable."

"I'm unreasonable?" I let out a soft laugh, though my eyes were red. "Do you dare to say you brought Jace Holloway here just for him to recuperate? Do you dare to say you didn't marry me for the umbilical cord blood in my belly?"

Liam Sterling's eyes instantly turned cold, the atmospheric pressure around him dropping to freezing point.

"You looked in my safe." He stated it as a fact, his tone absolute.

I didn't deny it, raising my head to look him straight in the eye: "Yes. So what? Are you going to kill me for your Jace?"

Liam Sterling stepped forward, pinching my chin. The force wasn't heavy, but it carried a warning.

"Iris, I've given you the best life, the honor of being Mrs. Sterling. As long as you obediently give birth to the child, nothing will change. Jace is your own younger brother, after all; saving him is your rightful responsibility."

"What did you say?" My tears splattered onto his hand. "By what right do you make decisions for me! That's my child!"

"And my child too." Liam Sterling released his grip, looking down at me. "Don't do anything foolish. You should know that in New York, without my permission, you can't even walk out that front door."

He turned and left, his back resolute.

I collapsed onto the sofa, trembling all over.

That evening, Jace Holloway knocked on my bedroom door.

He walked in smiling, carrying a plate of sliced fruit: "Iris, have some fruit. Liam specifically had it air-shipped for you."

I looked at him coldly: "Get out."

Jace Holloway wasn't bothered. He simply sat down on the sofa, crossing his long legs. "Iris, why are you so angry? Actually, you should thank me. If I hadn't gotten sick, how would Liam ever have noticed a mediocre woman like you?"

He leaned forward, lowering his voice, his tone filled with malicious gloating.

"Don't you understand? That glass conservatory you're so proud of, Liam actually built it for me to watch the stars. The reason you have all this now is also because of me."

My fingertips dug into my palms, my nails almost breaking.

"Have you said enough?"

"No," Jace Holloway's smile grew even brighter. "Iris, guess what: once the baby is born, will Liam keep you, a woman who has lost her usefulness, or will he openly be with me?"

I abruptly stood up, picked up the water glass from the table, and fiercely splashed its contents onto Jace Holloway's face.

"Shut up!"

Jace Holloway shrieked, then stumbled to the floor, knocking over the fruit plate.

The door was violently flung open, and Liam Sterling strode in.

Seeing the mess on the floor and the water stains on Jace Holloway's face, his expression instantly turned utterly grim.

"Iris Holloway, what are you doing!"

He roughly pushed me away, pulling Jace Holloway into his embrace.

I stumbled back a few steps, my side hitting the corner of the table hard, a searing pain shooting through me.

But Liam Sterling didn't even glance at me, only anxiously checked Jace Holloway for injuries.

"Liam, don't blame Iris, I accidentally made her angry" Jace Holloway murmured, leaning against him.

I clutched my faintly aching stomach, looking at the embracing pair before me, and suddenly burst out laughing.

As I laughed, tears streamed down my face.

In this house, even my breathing felt wrong.

Iris Holloway POV

The bruise on my side ached faintly, but it was nowhere near a thousandth of the pain in my heart.

Liam Sterling carried Jace Holloway out of the bedroom and didn't return all night.

I lay awake in the darkness, my eyes open, until the sky began to lighten. I touched my swollen abdomen; the little life inside seemed to sense my sorrow, giving me a gentle kick.

"Baby, I'm sorry" I whispered, my voice utterly broken.

I couldn't let my child become a sacrifice for someone else's love, nor could I let my child face the fate of having its umbilical cord blood drained the moment it was born. I had to leave.

I forced myself to calm down.

Liam Sterling's influence spread throughout New York; a direct escape would be tantamount to seeking my own death.

I needed a detailed plan.

A few days later was the annual New York Charity Gala.

As the CEO's wife of Sterling Group, I had to attend. It was my only chance to reach out to the outside world and find an opportunity to escape.

On the day of the gala, Liam Sterling had the stylist deliver a haute couture gown early.

It was a dark blue velvet gown that perfectly accentuated my pregnant figure, making my skin appear as white as snow.

Liam Sterling stood at the closet door, looking at me in the mirror, a flicker of admiration in his eyes.

He walked up to me, wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, and placed a priceless sapphire necklace around my neck.

"Beautiful," he murmured, his chin resting on my shoulder, his warm breath fanning my ear.

If I hadn't known the truth, I would have indulged in that tenderness. But now, I only felt a chill run down my spine.

Through the mirror, I gazed at him coldly. "Liam Sterling, aren't you tired of acting?"

Liam Sterling's movements paused slightly, then he recovered his composure.

He brushed back a few stray strands of my hair, his voice flat. "Iris, as long as you cooperate, we will remain New York's most envied couple. Tonight's gala is very important; don't disappoint me."

I didn't speak, just lowered my gaze.

The gala hall was bustling with activity.

Liam Sterling escorted me in, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

He thoughtfully fended off all the toasts on my behalf, shielding me from the crowded guests, perfectly playing the role of a devoted husband.

"Mr. Sterling truly dotes on his wife."

"Indeed, I heard Mr. Sterling even put off a multi-billion dollar project just to accompany his wife for her prenatal check-ups."

The constant flattery around me felt incredibly ironic.

Just then, a stir suddenly rippled through the crowd.

I looked up to see Jace Holloway, dressed in a well-tailored white suit, entering surrounded by our parents.

Though his face was pale, the lighting accentuated a fragile beauty about him.

Liam Sterling's grip on my hand tightened abruptly.

I distinctly felt the man beside me's breathing falter.

His gaze cut through the layers of people, fixated on Jace Holloway, bearing a restrained longing and desire.

"Why is he here?" Liam Sterling whispered to his assistant behind him, his voice laced with tension.

"Jace Holloway said he was bored at home and wanted some fresh air, so Mr. Holloway brought him," the assistant replied nervously.

Liam Sterling's brows knitted tightly together.

Jace Holloway seemed to sense his gaze, looking over from a distance with a faint smile on his lips.

In that moment, I felt like nothing more than a superfluous ornament.

Halfway through the gala, I used the excuse of going to the restroom to escape Liam Sterling's watchful eye.

6

Iris Holloway POV

Hiding in the shadows of the corridor, I pulled out the spare phone I had secretly hidden and dialed my college friend Kaelen Voss.

"Kaelen, do me a favor. Help me get a fake passport to go abroad, as soon as possible." My voice was a low, trembling whisper.

Kaelen Voss on the other end of the line was startled. "Iris? What's wrong? Isn't Liam Sterling treating you well?"

"It's all a lie..." I closed my eyes, tears sliding down my cheeks. "He married me just to use my baby's umbilical cord blood to save Jace Holloway. Kaelen, I beg you, help me."

Kaelen Voss was silent for a moment, then gritted her teeth and agreed. "Okay, give me three days."

After hanging up, I let out a long breath.

As long as I could get the passport, I could escape this cage.

I composed myself, preparing to return to the ballroom.

Just as I reached the corner, I heard muffled gasps.

A faint light peeked through the half-open door of the lounge.

I instinctively stopped, looked through the crack in the door, and my blood ran cold instantly.

Inside the lounge, Jace Holloway was pinned against the wall by Liam Sterling.

"Who told you to run around? Don't you know your body can't handle this strain!" Liam Sterling's voice was low, filled with intense anger and heartache.

Jace Holloway tilted his head back, his eyes slightly red. "I just wanted to see you... Liam, watching you and Iris together every day, I'm going crazy."

"Just hold on a little longer." Liam Sterling raised a hand to caress his cheek, his thumb gently stroking the corner of his eye. "Once the baby is born and your illness is cured, we won't have to hide anymore."

"Really?" Jace Holloway rose on his tiptoes, leaning close to his lips. "Then kiss me now, okay?"

Liam Sterling didn't refuse.

He lowered his head and kissed Jace Holloway's lips.

The air in the corridor seemed to have been sucked dry. I stood rooted to the spot, even forgetting to breathe.

I clamped my hand over my mouth, preventing myself from making a sound.

My fingernails dug deep into my palms, drawing blood, yet I felt no pain whatsoever.

I thought I was numb enough, but seeing my husband and my own brother kissing, the soul-rending agony still made me wish for death.

This was the man I had loved for three years.

This was my proud marriage.

I stumbled backward, then turned and ran out desperately.

I didn't want to stay in this heartbreaking place for another second.

Just as I ran out of the corridor, I bumped into my Mother, who was looking for me.

"Iris! Where did you run off to? Can't you watch where you're going!" Mother grabbed my arm, reprimanding me sharply.

I looked at the mother who had given birth to and raised me, despair filling my eyes. "Mom, did you know all along?"

Mother froze for a moment, her gaze evasive. "Know what? What nonsense are you spouting!"

"About Liam Sterling and Jace Holloway! About their conspiring to use the baby in my womb!" My voice was shrill, filled with a sorrow so deep it felt like weeping blood.

Mother's face instantly changed. She clapped a hand over my mouth, lowering her voice to a furious whisper:

"Shut your mouth! Since you already know, then obediently give birth to the child! Jace is your brother; are you going to just watch him die? It's your luck to be able to exchange a child for your brother's life!"

I felt as if I had been struck by lightning.

I stared at my mother in disbelief, as if looking at a monster.

So, everyone knew.

Only I, like a fool, had been kept in the dark, trampled upon and used by them at will.

"Let go of me..." I violently shook off Mother's hand, my eyes terrifyingly vacant. "I won't let you have your way."

I turned and ran out of the ballroom, disappearing into the vast night.