"Bone marrow transnt..."
Ferdinand''s gaze was somber as he stared at Briony lying in the hospital bed. “I understand. You can leave us," he said softly.
The foreign doctor nodded, then quietly slipped out of the room.
Ferdinand sat down at Briony''s bedside and reached out to feel her forehead.
Still running a slight fever.
Briony frowned, her eyelids heavy as she struggled to open them.
"You''re awake. Do you want some water?"
"Yes, please."
He poured her a ss and helped her drink through a straw.
The water made Briony feel a little more alert. She looked up at Ferdinand, her voice tentative. "I thought I heard you telling the doctor you wanted to take me to Switzend?"
Ferdinand set the ss on the nightstand. "That''s right. My father invested in a research institute there. They might be able to develop a cure for you."
Her breath caught.
So it wasn''t a dream-Ferdinand really did intend to take her to Switzend. Fred Wentworth''s institute. Could they reallye up with a cure for leukemia?
If they could, why would Fred have fought so hard to reim The Wentworth Group?
That meant... Ferdinand wanted to turn her into the next Malvina Ellsworth.
A chill crept down Briony''s spine.
Now, tomorrow''s wedding was more crucial than ever.
No matter what, she had to stall Ferdinand. She had to make sure Stewart''s n seeded.
She could die-but she would never let herself be ab rat.
But until then, she had to keep up the act.
"I don''t want to go to Switzend." Briony''s gaze was steady as she looked at Ferdinand. "I heard Dr. Jaime just now. The best treatment for my condition is a bone marrow transnt, but the match rate is too low. Ferdinand, I don''t want to end up like your mother, being used as a test subject. Please, just let me go with dignity."
"Don''t talk like that, Bryn." Ferdinand''s hand moved gently across her cheek. "If you die, you won''t be the only one."
Briony red at him.
Another threat.
"Ferdinand, have you forgotten why you hated Fred in the first ce? You couldn''t bear what he did to your mother-turning her into a guine@pig. And now you want to drag me to his institute and do th same to me? I won''t let you." d rather die than live in pain like that. If you force me, I''ll hate you until myst breath...and beyond."
Her voice was steely, her resolve clear.
Ferdinand saw she meant every word. He exhaled quietly. "Wouldn''t you hate me
either way, even if I didn''t take you to Switzend?"
Briony''s re only deepened. She refused to answer.
"Tomorrow, you''ll be Mrs. Ellsworth," Ferdinand said, his tone oddly gentle.
"Yet the way you look at me is still full of resentment."
"Did you really expect me to fall in love with my captor?" Briony''s voice was as cold as ice. "You know I never chose to stay by your side. You''ve always known that."
"I know." Ferdinand drew back his hand and took out his phone. He pulled up a photo from his gallery and handed it to her.
"Take a look at this, Bryn."
Briony''s eyes dropped to the screen.
A surgical consent form-for egg retrieval.
Her own name listed as the patient.
Her eyes widened as she looked up at Ferdinand, stunned. "What is this
supposed to mean?"
"Mary''s baby... it''s ours."
Briony stared at him in disbelief.
Absurd. Impossible.
"Do you really think I''ll believe you just because you show me some paperwork
and say a few words?"
"Think back," Ferdinand replied,
slipping his phone away. He
watched her closely, a faint smile on
his lips. “When you were in the
hospital at Havenport the day you
woke up
Havenport... the hospital...
Briony frowned, trying to remember.
"If you don''t believe me, I can have Marye in and exin it to you herself.”
Briony pressed her hands to her head, reeling. She couldn''t believe a word of this.
Ferdinand had lost his mind.
How could he-
Ferdinand called Mary into the room.
Mary hadn''t expected Ferdinand to
bring this up to Briony the day before the wedding. Standing at the
foot of the bed, she looked at Briony who was clutching her head, terror etched on her face-and felt a tangled surge of emotions.