Chapter Two

Davide stares at Avery with reddened eyes. 

He was waiting for an explanation, but she only looked at him and ignored him. 

Davide's heart sank as he saw Avery's demeanor change once again. Her warm smile faded, and her expression became cold and distant. 

"What's going on?" He asked again; his voice tinged with concern.

Avery looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "Noah is a friend of mine from college," she said, her voice icy. "We met by coincidence here at the hospital."

Davide glared at Avery, seeing how she latched onto the man's arm. Her smile widens even more, making Davide furious. 

He quickly retracted his gaze and said, "A friend?" 

Avery shrugged with a smile and glanced at Davide, "Yes, a friend. Is there a problem?" There was a coldness in her voice, and her expression showed no emotions. 

Avery felt inexplicably irritated seeing Davide like this. 

Davide's gaze drifted to Noah.

 Noah's hands were wrapped around Avery's waistline. Davide's fist tightened, the veins of his bottleneck clearly visible as he tried as much to be civil.

Noah suddenly whispered into Avery's ears, and they both giggled, staring at Davide like he was irrelevant.

 Unable to control himself, his eyes instantly well up, and he pulls Avery closer.

His grip tightened around her wrist, "Who is this man to you?" A tear dripped down his cheeks as he heard her scoff.

Avery's eyes darkened further, and she spat impulsively on his face, "You have no right to ask me questions. Your only duty is to offer blood to my mother. Don't ever forget your place." 

Noah suddenly laughs, "Oh, I see; he is your contracted husband, right?" 

Davide shuddered, staring at Avery in disbelief. His heart felt as though it was crushing into million fragments, and each piece more painful than the earliest.

"I'm just a blood bank? Is that how you've truly seen me as?" The words struggled to come out of his lips. 

"Yes." She responded.

"And you've told your friends I'm just your blood bank?" Davide asked, tears dripping from his eyes.

"What's there to hide?" Avery sneered and flipped her hair backward. 

"Right, right, how could I have forgotten that I'm just your blood bank...." He starts laughing.

As if a hole was dug in his heart, only the wind whistled through. Davide's grip loosened around Avery's wrist.

Slowly he stepped backward and placed his hands on his knees as he wailed like a child.

Three years ago, Davide was at the hospital for a blood donation when he heard the melodious whimpering of a lady.

 She was being watched by an older man, who stood right before her as though the words of comfort were stripped from his lips. 

When Davide heard they needed someone of his blood type, he offered to help instantly. 

He could still recall the way Avery's eyes glowed every time she looked at him. 

He was foolish to think she loved him. 

"After everything I've done for you, Avery? I placed my life on hold for you." Tears kept falling from his eyes like a cascade.

But Avery only glared at him. There was not a glimpse of remorse in her eyes. 

"Would you stop embarrassing me?" She yelled.

On seeing this, Davide nods in regret. He stood up straight and took in a deep breath as he wiped the tears from his eyes and said, "Let's get divorced." 

Avery erupts into laughter. Davide seemed like a joke to her. "Divorce? Come on, we both know you aren't caught up for that." 

Avery knew how much Davide loved her, and she betted on his feelings that he won't dare divorce her. 

"Stop joking, Davide, and just go inside the ward to rest a little. You look pale." She tried to touch his face, but Davide shoved her hand away.

"Let's get a divorce." He said to her again, and this time, Avery realized how serious he was. 

"You want a divorce?" She sneered at him, "Okay, fine, let's say we get a divorce; how are you going to fend for yourself?"

Davide's brows furrowed, and his eyes narrowed further as he glared at her, "I have a degree; I will get a job." 

"What?" Avery laughed, her eyes shimmering with mockery, "Come on, Davide, you haven't worked since you graduated. Who's going to employ a graduate with no experience?" Her brows raised as she pointed her finger at him.

She walked closer to Davide and hit his chest with her pointed finger, "I'm all you have, Davide. You won't survive without me. I own you, cloth you, and feed you. You won't last a day without me." 

Davide held her wrist and shoved it off him, "How could I not have seen this side of you? I can't believe I fell in love with someone so disgusting." 

Having said that, Davide walked away from the ward. When he stepped out of the hospital, he turned back and took another last glance. 

He wiped the tears from his eyes and walked towards the gate, but then Noah seemed to be waiting for him.

"Mr. Donor," Noah waved his hand in the air and approached Davide.

There was no warmth in the man's expression like he was earlier with his wife. 

"Why don't you leave Avery? She doesn't need a male dependant. She needs a real man who can care for her, someone great like me." 

Davide grunted in reply. He tries to avoid his gaze, but Noah clenches his chin. Davide shoved him off.

The man wasn't gentle, and neither was he as classy as his outfit. 

"I've warned you, stay away from Avery." Noah's dark short further darkened his expression as his hands squeezed Davide's shirt.

"You only make a living by selling your blood to your mother in law, that's so low of you. A man like you, shouldn't be married to Avery." He snickered, staring at Davide like he was some thrash to be tossed in the bin. 

Davide wanted to punch Noah's arrogant face, the lips he was using to spill such nonsense. Every words that came out of Noah's lips fueled Davide's anger, but instead of punching him, Davide pushed Noah away from him. 

"What?" Noah laughed, "Is that the best you can do?" Noah kept laughing.

Davide's eyes wells up, the muscles of his heart clenching tight and he was finding it difficult to breathe. 

When tears trickled down his cheeks, he turned towards the gate and walked away.