The Bone Marrow Demand

Nora fought like a cornered animal. Julian’s heavy frame crushed her into the leather seats of the Rolls-Royce. His body trapped her. She felt his stiff cock pressing hard against her bare thigh through the ripped fabric of her dress. Panic seized her throat, choking her breaths into shallow gasps. She thrashed wildly beneath him, kicking and twisting her hips to escape his crushing weight. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mixing with the metallic taste of blood from the brutal bite on her shoulder.

"Julian Crawford, let go of me!" she screamed. Her voice cracked with sheer desperation. "Let me go!"

He ignored her pleas. His fingers dug into her waist, bruising her skin. He was going to assault her right here in the cramped backseat. The terrifying reality of his impending violence paralyzed her. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the cruel invasion.

*Knock. Knock.*

The hasty, urgent rapping against the window shattered the suffocating tension.

Julian froze. The savage, lustful rage clouding his dark eyes vanished. He cursed under his breath, lifted his oppressive weight off her body, and shoved the car door open. Cold rain poured into the cabin.

"What is it?" he snapped.

Owen Fletcher stood outside, gripping a cell phone. Rain soaked the assistant's suit. "Mr. Julian, Mr. Leo's condition has worsened. Ms. Mercer says the hospital just issued a critical condition notice."

The news acted like a bucket of ice water. All the twisted anger in Julian disappeared, instantly replaced by frantic urgency for his son. He turned a hard glare to Owen. "Keep an eye on the funeral."

Julian leaned back into the car. He grabbed Nora by her arm and hauled her out into the storm without a second thought for her well-being. She stumbled, her ripped dress clinging to her soaked skin. He dragged her toward his waiting convoy.

Ten minutes later, the tires screeched to a halt outside the Crawford private hospital. Julian kicked the door open. He gripped Nora, dragging her across the pavement. She staggered before he shoved her aggressively through the doors, throwing her toward the waiting medical staff.

"Check if she's a match right now!" Julian ordered, his voice an unyielding command.

"Yes, Mr. Crawford," the doctors chanted. They hauled a disoriented Nora to her feet and pushed her toward the laboratory department.

Julian strode down the glaring white hallway toward the emergency ward.

"Jules!"

Daphne Mercer threw herself into his chest. Tears ruined her makeup. She clung to his suit, weeping inconsolably. "Leo was fine this morning, but he coughed up blood just now! Why am I so useless? I am his mother, yet I am not a match!"

Julian wrapped an arm around Daphne's waist, gently comforting her. "Daphne, Leo will be fine."

Five years ago, a calculated drugged setup had altered their destinies. Nora had allegedly orchestrated the trap to force her way into Julian's bed. But the plan went sideways, and Julian ended up sleeping with Daphne. That single encounter led to Daphne's pregnancy and the birth of Leo. Tragically, the boy was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after birth. Despite the endless reach of the Crawford family, they could not find a matching bone marrow donor.

Daphne wept pitifully in his arms.

Julian held her, but his demeanor toward Nora remained chillingly merciless. A flash of unfiltered cruelty lit his gaze. "I brought Nora here to test as a match. She might have a higher chance."

Daphne pulled back, feigning alarm. "My sister? Jules, you met my sister?"

"She got out of prison today," Julian said coldly. "She is your younger sister. Maybe she can be a match."

Daphne projected hesitation. "But will she be willing? Grandpa Arthur wrote in his will that only you and her child can inherit the Crawford Group. Will she agree to this?"

Julian asserted sheer authority over Nora's bodily autonomy. "If she dares to refuse, I will tie her up in the operating theater and extract her marrow myself."

Daphne let out a shaky breath. "As long as she is a match, I will beg her on my knees! She can ask me to do anything, as long as she saves Leo."

Hours passed before the expedited results arrived.

"Mr. Crawford!" a doctor called out. "The preliminary tests show Ms. Nora Sterling and Mr. Leo match. We can move on to the next test."

Daphne gasped in delight. "Really? What are we waiting for? Let's go on!"

The doctor hesitated. "Ms. Sterling halted the procedure. She demands a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Crawford. She refuses to proceed if he does not meet her."

"Where is she?" Daphne demanded.

"The lab department doctor's office."

Daphne sprinted down the corridor. Julian and the doctor followed.

Daphne pushed the door open.

Nora sat slumped in a chair. The prison sentence had stripped away her vitality. She was malnourished, and drawing vials of blood had drained her. She looked frail and broken.

Seeing Nora in such a weak state sent a thrill of malicious glee through Daphne's veins.

But Daphne masterfully concealed her twisted joy with a mask of pitiful sorrow. She dropped to her knees in front of Nora, bowing in a calculated display of meekness.

"Sis, please," Daphne begged. "Be Leo's donor. I will do anything for you as long as you are willing to do it."

Nora looked at her enemy, her sunken eyes burning with resentment. She mocked Daphne with biting sarcasm. "Daphne Mercer, I ended up ruined and in prison because of you, and you want me to save your son? I won't!"

Daphne pinched her thigh, forcing tears to well up. She sobbed relentlessly. "Nora, I know you hate and blame me. But Leo is innocent! He is just a poor child. He doesn't know anything."

Nora’s gaze flicked to Julian, who was approaching. She sneered. "Having a heinous mother like you is his original sin."

Daphne wailed, begging relentlessly. Internally, however, she was ecstatic. *Nora, I hope you maintain this exact resolute stubbornness when you eventually discover the hidden truth about Leo's true birth origins!*

Looking at Daphne’s lowly display, Nora felt a sudden tightening in her chest. She imagined what she would have done to save her own deceased children. If her babies had lived, she would have given up everything. A brief, agonizing flicker of maternal sympathy stirred in her heart.

Then, she forcefully hardened her heart. She reminded herself not to play the Good Samaritan. Every nightmare she endured came directly from Daphne. Her own children never got to see the world because of this woman.

Nora leaned forward, her tone vicious. "Daphne, do you know why your child is ill? It is retribution! This is divine retribution for all your wicked actions."

Daphne cried her eyes out. "Whatever you say, Nora. I beg you to just please save my son."

Nora gripped Daphne’s jaw. "And if I ask you to leave Julian?"

Daphne escalated her performance. "As long as you are willing to save him, I will take Leo and leave. I won't appear before you and Julian again, I promise."

Nora froze, slightly dazed by the offer.

Julian stepped forward. He pushed Nora away and carefully helped Daphne up, handing her to a nurse.

"Jules..." Daphne pleaded.

Julian nodded lightly. Daphne then staged a dramatic faint from emotional exhaustion, collapsing into the nurse's arms.

Nora scoffed mockingly at the theatrical performance.

Julian pulled up a chair and sat directly across from Nora. His eyes radiated freezing hatred. He uttered cold words designed to stab her heart. "Nora, I underestimated your viciousness."

Nora chuckled mockingly. "Julian, I cannot even begin to compare to Daphne's viciousness."

She silently recalled the horrible truth from five years ago. It was Daphne who pulled Grandpa Arthur’s oxygen mask, framed Nora for the murder, and condemned her to five years in hell. Julian had thrown her into a cage and branded her a wicked woman.

"Nora, other than the position of Mrs. Crawford, I can offer you a transactional deal," Julian stated.

Nora’s eyes turned ruthless. "Do you think I still yearn for you to this day, Julian? I feel pure disgust at the mere thought of my name being associated with yours."

Her vehement declaration destroyed his assumption that she still wanted his love. Infuriated by her defiance, his jaw clenched.

Julian interrupted her with a cold, calculated threat designed to pierce her very soul. "If you refuse to save Leo, I will simply harvest the marrow from your own kids."

The sterile room stopped spinning. Nora froze, her reality shattering as she stared at the man in stunned disbelief.

She questioned, "Kids? What kids!?"