CHAPTER 148 THE SECOND TRANSPLANT

Yvonne left the hospital in unease, about to hail a cab t o return home. It was late in the night, however, and cabs were a challenge to find. After over ten minutes o f waiting by the road, not even one had passed. Instead, she was freezing.

"Can't get a ride?" Shane’s airy chortle came from the back.

Rubbing her arms, Yvonne turned around. "Why are you here?"

"My shift is done. I saw you here, so I came to say hello," Shane replied and took off his jacket to pass it t o her.

Yvonne was surprised by his action. "What do you mean?"

"Aren't you cold? Put it on." Shane pushed the jacket over to her.

Yvonne waved dismissively. "No need, I'm not cold."

"Not cold? Your lips are turning purple. Just drape it o n. Don't catch a cold. Your health isn't like how it used to be anymore," Shane advised.

Yvonne did not reject, accepting and putting the jacket on after a two-second hesitation. "Thank you."

Shane was right. Her body was not in its previous state anymore. She would not know what to do if she were to catch a cold. She was pregnant now, and taking medication was not advisable.

Shane smiled when he saw Yvonne putting on the jacket obediently and made his offer, "Let's go. I’ll send you home."

"No thanks, I can head back myself. You must be tired from work. Go home and take a rest." Yvonne refused him.

Palming his forehead helplessly, Shane questioned," How are you going back? It’s not a good time to hail the cab now. Come on."

He went ahead.

Yvonne could only follow him.

In the car, Yvonne shrunk herself in the backseat without saying anything - it wasn't like she knew what to say. This was her first time riding in Shane's car and she was cautious about it.

Shane could see her being high-strung and let out a low chuckle. "I heard that it’s your birthday today?"

"Yesterday now," Yvonne replied softly.

The corner of Shane's mouth twitched. "Ah, look at m e, I’ve forgotten that it's the early morning of the second day now. I’m slightly late but happy birthday."

"Thank you." Yvonne cracked a genuine smile.

Espying her from the rearview mirror, Shane spoke," I’ve been meaning to ask. Did you buy the flowers

you’re holding?” "No." Yvonne shook her head. "A friend gave them to m e."

Elliot gifted them to her. She had taken the flowers with her when she left the hospital but left the cake for the nurses.

"Which friend is it?" Shane probed unnoticeably.

Yvonne averted her gaze. "Someone you don’t know."

"Does Henry know the person?”

"He... knows." Not that she dared tell Henry. He would be mad for sure.

Shane stroked his chin with a hand. "Henry knows the person hmm... Right, it's your birthday today. Did Henry gift you anything?"

"He gave me a cake." Yvonne smiled but it fell soon. She did not even get to cut the cake and he had left.

"That's not too bad. He actually gave you a cake. Anything else other than the cake?" Shane asked.

Yvonne shook her head.

Shane pursed his lips. "That's miserly of him. How could he only give his wife a cake for her birthday? And he doesn’t even care to have someone send you home when it's so late."

"He's still mad." Yvonne chuckled bitterly. "He's adamant that I've caused Miss Conrad's attempted suicide, so he's mad at me.”

"Henry’s the only one who'll get deceived by that Conrad woman," Shane ridiculed.

Leaning her head against the window, Yvonne's gaze was dull. "Henry's actually a brilliant man. Maybe he loves Miss Conrad too much, so he’s a willing believer of her lies."

"Nah, he's stupid.” Shane rolled his eyes.

Yvonne glared at him. "Don't say that about Henry."

Shane blinked in shock. "Holy, Yvonne Frey, I'm siding with you on this. How could you bite back at me!"

"You just can’t say that about Henry,” Yvonne muttered.

Shane was both irked and amused. "Sure, alright, I'll stop it. I really don't know why you're on his side so much when he's treated you like that."

"Because I love him. Of course I stand on his side unconditionally," said Yvonne.

With his gaze dimming, Shane kept the playful smile o n his face and turned serious, "Yvonne, seriously, even when I'm Henry’s friend, I don’t think that he's worthy of your love. It’s not too late if you get yourself out of this now.”

"What are you trying to say?" Yvonne felt a squeeze on her heart.

Shane parted his lips. "I don’t know how I should put i t. Remember what I told you over the phone

previously?" "I remember. You said that whatever Henry tells me, don't ever agree to it." Yvonne straightened herself up.

Shane swallowed. "That's right. I didn't want to tell you but I can't take it. I’m spilling it now. Jacqueline's leukemia isn't fully cured. She..."

"She needs another transplant, right?" Yvonne intercepted.

Shane hit the brakes abruptly before he turned to her i n alarm. "How did you know?"

Yvonne's smile looked more like a grimace. "Someone told me. He said that Miss Conrad’s leukemia is in its late-stage and one surgery won't even cure it. She needs several transplants. So what you wanted me to not agree to donate my bone marrow a second time, right?"

"Yes!" Shane nodded but he avoided meeting her eyes.

Yvonne kept her smile but her tears flowed. "It's true then. Henry is really keeping this from my knowledge. Why didn’t you guys tell me in the beginning? You guys never told me that I needed to donate my bone marrow again during the first transplant!” 1

"Sorry...” Shane apologized, knowing that he was in the wrong. "We didn't tell you because we were afraid that you wouldn't agree to the transplant once we

were honest. After all, anyone would shy away if they knew that the donation had to be continuous."

It was for this reason that Shane had not been honest t o her in the beginning. His perception of her had not changed yet at that time. He was still disdainful of her. When his view of her changed after that and even realized that he might fall for her, Shane regretted his decision in supporting Henry to request for her bone marrow.

To not tell her later on, it was because he was scared o f seeing her heartbroken reaction. There was no way they could keep it from her, however, and she had still found out...

"You guys are despicable!" Yvonne growled lowly, her hands forming tight fists. This belongs to .

Shane wore a self-deprecating smile. He agreed that h e was despicable too.

"Yvonne, I know that this is a huge blow to you but I still hope that you can listen to me. Don’t promise Henry,” he advised.

Yvonne wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "Do you think it's possible? If Henry wants it for Jacqueline, who am I to reject? Even if I do, won’t he send me into the surgery room by force?" 1

"Oh...” Shane had nothing to say. He felt that Henry at least felt something for Yvonne but how deep his feelings were, he was not one to confirm it. Jacqueline was his first love after all. There was no saying that Henry would not do that for her. 2 “When's Jacqueline's second transplant?” Yvonne asked impassively.

Shane answered with a low tone, "It's supposed to be half a month later but with her suicide attempt today, her leukemia's acting up and the surgery has to be carried forward. This week, probably." It was this urgent?