"Carter, I'm so dizzy... Am I dying?"

Leila's face went ashen, her voice sharp with panic. "Nora has a heart condition—she could have an episode at any moment! Get her out of here, now!"

"This new drug we've been developing targets exactly her type of congenital heart disease. Why do you think her father and I have been bending over backward to secure this partnership?"

"Nora is supposed to join the project team. She absolutely cannot have a setback right now."

In that instant, whatever sympathy had flickered in Carter's eyes vanished. He whipped around and glared at me with pure venom.

"Amanda, you knew damn well Nora was sick, and you deliberately provoked her. If anything happens to her, I will bury you. Do you understand me? I will make sure there's nothing left."

He scooped Nora into his arms and tore down the hallway like a man possessed, searching for a doctor.

The man who once swore he'd protect me for the rest of his life now wanted to destroy me.

I smiled faintly. Calmly wiped the tears from my face.

Then I pulled out my phone.

"If you still want to marry me, be at City Hall in thirty minutes."

On the other end of the line, I heard a voice tight with restraint.

"Done."

Carter Gilbert, this time I'm the one walking away from you.

After we registered at City Hall, I went straight into the sealed lab for the new drug trial. Carter called repeatedly. I didn't answer a single one.

It wasn't until the first phase of testing was complete that I finally stepped out of the laboratory.

And found the Hensons and Carter standing in the lobby of DM Biotech's research center, every one of their faces dark as a storm cloud.

I'd made myself clear—neither the Henson family nor the Gilberts would ever receive our cooperation again. So why the hell were they here?

I swallowed my irritation and was about to call security to have them thrown out.

But Carter spotted me from across the lobby.

"Amanda Henson!" He ground the words through clenched teeth. "I knew it was you hogging Nora's spot!"

I had no interest in getting tangled up with any of them. I turned and headed for the elevator bank on the opposite side.

I wasn't fast enough.

Carter seized my arm and slammed me against the wall. The back of my skull cracked against the surface, and a sharp ringing flooded my ears.

"The Hensons already wired you a million dollars. What more do you want? Why are you still stealing Nora's chance?"