Chapter 341

Chapter 341

A perfectly healthy person, suddenly collapsing and rushed to emergency care.

Paula was my only true family, blood relation or not. Without her, I might never have survived my darkest days. When I heard she'd been hospitalized, my legs nearly gave out beneath me.

I stumbled downstairs and immediately hailed a taxi to the hospital, praying the entire way that she'd be alright.

Only when Paula finally regained consciousness did I breathe freely again. My knees nearly buckled with relief.

Paula looked disoriented when she woke, not even recognizing where she was.

I shot her an exasperated look, though my eyes betrayed my concern. "Paula, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Collapsing without warning like that! You need to take care of yourself, no matter how busy work gets. What if you'd fainted somewhere deserted? Some stranger might have scooped up a beautiful woman like you and made you his wife!"

That news story had just faded from the headlines—a brilliant young woman with mental health issues who'd been "rescued" by someone who never bothered to contact the police about finding her family.

"I'm perfectly healthy. I just had a check-up recently that showed nothing wrong," Paula replied incredulously.

I handed her the medical report so she could see I wasn't making things up.

After reading it, she looked shaken. "How is this possible? It couldn't be him... surely not," she muttered, shaking her head.

I immediately caught the hint. "What do you mean? Do you suspect someone? Who is 'he'?"

Paula backtracked quickly. "It's nothing. I've just been overworking and neglecting my health. My fault entirely—I'll do better. It has nothing to do with anyone else!"

Her defensiveness only deepened my suspicions.

I put on a hurt expression. "So I'm not your favorite person anymore? You're keeping secrets from me now?"

"No, absolutely not," Paula insisted. "It was just an unexpected situation. I take good care of myself—I was only at the hospital visiting a friend."

So fainting at the hospital was purely coincidental.

I couldn't shake the feeling she was hiding something. Despite her queen-like façade with others—cold, distant, unreadable—she never knew how to disguise her feelings with me. I could always tell when she was lying.

Just as I was about to press further, Paula looked ready to change the subject. Considering her condition, I decided to let it go temporarily, though I was determined to investigate later. Her health was too important.

Right then, the doctor entered, reviewing her chart. "Your pre-fainting examination showed no abnormalities."

"What examination? You came here for tests? What's wrong with you? Did you already know something was wrong?" I panicked, fearing there was something serious I didn't know about.

I've always been somewhat pessimistic. My first thought was that she might have some terrible illness that prompted her to seek testing.

Seeing my distress, Paula quickly reassured me, "Don't get worked up. It's nothing bad. I don't have some incurable disease..."

She had always known exactly what I was thinking—that was what best friends were for.

"Full confession is the easy way out," I said, fixing her with an intense gaze as I waited for her explanation.

Paula hesitated uncharacteristically, fidgeting with uncertainty.

Finally, she steeled herself and admitted, "I came to get tested as a potential donor. You know how kind-hearted I am, always trying to be a good person..."

"Stop right there!" I interrupted.

This evasiveness only made me more suspicious. All this build-up meant the recipient was someone I wouldn't approve of.

A thought suddenly struck me, and my eyes widened. "You're not trying to be a match for Marlowe, are you?"

But that didn't make sense either.

"Wait, aren't you type B?" I asked, frowning.

Back in school, everyone had their blood tested, and we'd all discussed our results, feeling an immediate connection with those who shared our type. I distinctly remembered Paula saying she was type B, not one of the rare types.

Paula explained nervously, "You know how dangerous and important these rare blood types can be. When my parents learned about mine, they worried for ages before deciding to keep my true blood type secret. It wasn't difficult for them—they invested heavily in a hospital as shareholders and had my records altered. I've only ever had check-ups at that facility, so no one else knows."

I could understand her parents' protective instinct. Randy had genuinely cared for Paula once. But later, Paula saw that Randy was paying even more attention to Liliana.

Randy had kept this secret well—even Liliana never knew. And despite Paula's rare blood type, none of Liliana's many children shared it.

Knowing Paula, she wouldn't have volunteered to be Marlowe's donor on her own. That left only one possibility.

"Mr. Cook approached you, didn't he? He discovered your special blood type, and you agreed," I said, studying her face carefully. I sensed something had happened between her and Jason that I didn't know about.

Having revealed the truth, Paula seemed more relaxed now, no longer tiptoeing around my reaction. She even managed a smile.

"Yes, he asked me. I figured having a lawyer like him at my beck and call would be worth it. It's just a donation—I can afford the best recovery care afterward. The effects shouldn't be too severe, so I'm not getting the short end of the deal," she said, lifting her chin proudly as if she'd negotiated some great bargain.

I tapped her forehead lightly. "What kind of advantage is that? You're getting the raw deal here. This is your body we're talking about—if you won't worry about it, I will!"

Paula hugged me impulsively. "Melinda, I knew you'd care the most. I promise I won't put myself in danger. Really, it's fine!"

Despite her reassurances, I remained uncomfortable with the situation. Still, it was her body and her decision to make. I just hoped she'd consider her own wellbeing more carefully before committing.

"How did Jason find out about your blood type anyway? Did you tell him?" I asked, wondering if my strong-willed friend had suddenly gone soft over a man.

"I was surprised too. Years ago, I donated blood to help a child who was hemorrhaging badly. I knew my blood type was precious, so I went to the hospital completely disguised. By coincidence, Jason was there with Marlowe for a check-up. He must have developed sharp observation skills from all those criminal cases, because he recognized me just from my eyes."

"It's not just his keen eye—you're simply unforgettable," I said, not holding back my compliment.

She immediately brightened. "True enough! Look who I am, after all," she replied with playful arrogance.

"For Jason to go to such lengths for Marlowe—I have to say, she's fortunate in that respect," I remarked thoughtfully. Jason really had tried everything for Marlowe.

Paula nodded reflectively. "Marlowe became who she is partly because of Jason's unconditional indulgence."

But clearly, when you were in the thick of it, you couldn't see clearly. Jason probably hadn't even realized it himself.