Bloody Love
Chapter 1
Vivian Harrison used to be an ordinary nurse at the hospital, but she had the rare Rh-negative blood type.
Three years ago, she saved the life of the king of the underworld, Archie Palmer, who had been on the brink of death, with her blood. From that moment on, she had completely fallen for him.
However, when Archie awoke, he just coldly handed her a marriage contract. "I never owe anyone a favor."
The marriage, in the name of repaying a favor, became a gilded cage that confined Vivian for three years.
Archie made Vivian his wife, yet he gave all his tenderness and devotion to a vivacious and innocent woman—Cassie Fuller.
He would drive across half the city on a stormy night just to stay with Cassie because she was afraid of the dark.
He would spend a fortune at an auction to acquire a piece of priceless jewelry, because Cassie said she liked it.
Yet, all he ever offered Vivian was endless indifference and suspicion.
When Cassie suffered even the slightest grievance, he would unhesitatingly lay all the blame on Vivian and even torment and punish Vivian in the cruelest ways. "Your blood disgusts me as much as you do, Vivian."
Later, when Vivian took a fatal bullet for him and lay bleeding on the ground, he walked coldly past her, holding the frightened Cassie in his arms, without sparing Vivian even a glance.
At that moment, Vivian finally understood that this marriage was nothing but a joke from the start.
She decided that she would no longer play along with Archie.
But when Vivian, her body battered and broken, resolutely left Archie, and Archie, who had always claimed he never loved Vivian, for the first time felt his eyes sting, and frantically searched for her all over the world.
...
Today was the third anniversary of Vivian and Archie's marriage.
Inside the large mansion, the atmosphere was eerily quiet and lifeless.
Vivian sat alone at the dining table, her heart sinking as she watched the spread of dishes, which were slowly growing cold.
The clock on the wall showed it was already 11 PM.
He wouldn't be coming back.
She mockingly curled her lips.
She kept asking herself why she had not gotten used to this after three years.
Of course, someone like Archie, a man who held sway over the entire Afosso city and was even the terror of both the criminal and legitimate worlds, would never remember something so meaningless as their anniversary.
Their marriage had always been a transaction he offered out of gratitude.
Three years ago, he had been gravely injured in a gang fight and urgently needed a blood transfusion.
His blood type was the extremely rare Rh-negative, leaving the blood banks across the entire Afosso helpless.
It was Vivian, an ordinary nurse, who saved him from the brink of death with her blood.
That was when she fell in love with him at first sight.
She thought it was a gift from fate, not knowing it was the beginning of her misfortune.
When Archie awoke, his first glance at her was utterly devoid of warmth. And then he handed her a contract. "I never owe anyone a favor. Be my wife, or take a billion."
Blinded by love at the time, she foolishly chose to marry him.
From that day on, she became his wife and the envy of everyone. Yet she had also been trapped in the most gilded cage he had built for her.
Vivian stood up, ready to clear away the untouched dishes, when her phone on the table suddenly vibrated.
It was a call from Archie.
With a faint flicker of hope sparked in her chest, she answered it instantly. "Archie..."
"Make some mulled wine and deliver it to the Soleil Apartment," Archie said in a cold and flat voice, as if issuing an indisputable command.
The flicker of hope was immediately extinguished by his coldness.
Soleil Apartment was where Cassie lived.
And Cassie, a kindergarten teacher, was the only one who could melt Archie's coldness.
"It's pouring rain and thundering outside. She is scared." Archie, as if annoyed by Vivian's delayed response, added impatiently. Vivian had never heard such tension and tenderness in his tone when he talked to her.
"I'll do it right away..." Before she could finish, the call was abruptly ended.
Listening to the busy tone on the other end, Vivian felt a cold chill creep through her.
She glanced out the window; lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and the storm raging so violently it seemed to be swallowing the whole city.
And her husband was right there with another woman and was soothing the woman in a gentle voice.
After swallowing her bitterness, Vivian walked into the kitchen and mechanically opened the red wine, sliced oranges, and added spices.
Half an hour later, carrying the thermos with mulled wine in it, she drove off into the pouring rain without even calling for the driver.
Vivian parked the car downstairs at the Soleil Apartments, but didn't go up.
She knew Archie didn't want her showing up in front of Cassie.
Archie told Cassie that Vivian was merely his personal secretary, tasked with managing his daily needs.
And the naive Cassie believed Archie's words completely. She would greet Vivian warmly every time they met.
Thinking of how innocent Cassie was, Vivian felt even more conflicted.
Vivian resented Cassie, yet Vivian couldn't truly blame Cassie, because Cassie was also a victim of Archie's lies.
Vivian just quietly waited in the car.
After a long while, Archie finally appeared at the apartment entrance.
He held a black umbrella, carefully shielding Cassie in his arms as he helped her into another car.
Through the rain, Vivian could see Archie's sharp profile become so soft as he looked down and said something to Cassie. He even affectionately ruffled Cassie's hair.
At the sight of this, Vivian felt her eyes sting.
Suddenly, Vivian saw the door of her car wrenched open. Archie had walked over without her noticing, bringing a chill of cold air with him.
"Where is the mulled wine?" he asked in an icy voice.
Vivian handed him the thermos that had been sitting in the front passenger seat.
Archie took it, took a sip, and immediately frowned. "It is cold."
"I've been waiting downstairs for an hour." Vivian's voice was soft, yet it carried a trace of grievance she herself hadn't noticed.
Archie shot her a glance, his eyes as sharp as a knife. "So?"
Vivian tried to explain, but Archie impatiently snatched the thermos and jogged back to Cassie's car.
Cassie took the thermos and, following the direction Archie had come from, spotted Vivian.
The moment their eyes met, Vivian shuddered.
Cassie was as beautiful as a fairy from a fairy tale.
No wonder Archie was so gentle with her.
At that thought, Vivian managed a stiff smile.
Following Cassie's gaze, Archie glanced back at Vivian, then turned away indifferently.
After seeing Cassie off, Archie came over and got in Vivian's car with an expressionless face, then started it.
A dead silence filled the car, broken only by the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers.
Back at the mansion, Archie headed straight for the bathroom.
Vivian silently followed him behind.
At that moment, Archie's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen and immediately answered, his voice unusually soft. "What's wrong, Cassie? Still not feeling well?"
Cassie's tearful voice came through the phone. "Archie, my stomach hurts so much... It started after I drank the mulled wine..."
Archie's face instantly changed.
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