She immediately reached for her heart.


    Thump, thump-


    “Indeed, it’s beating so fast.”


    “What happened? What’s going on?”


    As her father’s anxious voice sounded, the room lights turned on.


    The sudden brightness dispelled the suffocating darkness of her dream.


    Seeing him for the first time, Pearl’s mind shed back to scenes in the dungeon, filling her with immense fear.


    “Stay away from me!”


    She backed away repeatedly, unable to look Den in the eye.


    Seeing her reaction, Den was puzzled. What was wrong with his daughter?


    “Pearl, don’t be afraid. Look closely, it’s me, your father.”


    “Dad.”


    Looking at the kind smile of the middle-aged man in front of her-her biological father-Pearl couldn’t reconcile him with the beast she had seen before. But they looked exactly the same. Could it all have been just a dream?


    Den sat on the edge of the bed, his voice gentle with concern. “Yes, it’s me, your father. Pearl, are you feeling better? The doctor said you fainted due to emotional distress. Can you tell me what happened?”


    He had no idea what was going on. Aftering out of the secret room, he received a call from the butler, Brody, saying that Pearl had fainted. The family doctor, who rushed over, said it was an old problem and that she just needed to rest more. Before leaving, he warned, “She must not get too emotional again, or she might not wake up next time.”


    “Yes.”


    Pearl was born with congenital heart disease. Originally, it could have been resolved with a heart transnt. However, she also had O-type Rh-null blood, known as “universal blood,” which could be given to any patient. The downside was that if someone with this blood type had an ident, they could only receive the same type of blood. Unfortunately, this blood type was rarer than Rh-negative blood.


    This was one reason Den sent his daughter abroad. For families practicing magic, Pearl’s blood was the best material for cultivating mother parasites. If the Cunningham family discovered her existence, it would surely lead to conflict! They might drain her blood before her heart stopped beating, and he would never allow that to happen!


    Faced with her father’s questions, Pearl chose to hide the truth to avoid worrying him.


    “Nothing much, just tired froming back from the hospital.”


    “Really? But I heard from the servants that you fainted after arguing with Cami. Did she say something?”


    Cami was hiding outside Pearl’s room, nearly scratching her nails off in anxiety.


    [Oh no, given Den’s love for Miss Pearl, if she says it was me…]


    Pearl noticed Cami immediately upon waking up and saw her reaction clearly. As a stranger and someone she disliked, Pearl felt no obligation to hide the truth for her.


    Without hesitation and under Cami’s desperate gaze, Pearl said, “Yes.”


    [It’s over! It’s over!] Cami’s face turned pale as she stood frozen in ce.


    As expected, Den was furious upon learning the truth. His sharp gaze was like a de.


    “Get in here!”


    Terrified, Cami walked slowly from the door to the bed.


    Finally, she stood before them.


    Den raised his hand and pped her hard. The force quickly swelled her delicate face. Her head turned to one side, catching a glimpse of Miss Pearl’s gloating expression, filling her with resentment.


    On the other side, Pearl pretended to be aggrieved and said nothing. Her demeanor only made Den feel more sorry for her and angrier at himself.


    Cami knew she had to save herself and urgently exined in a trembling voice, “Mr. Gilliam, I know I was wrong. I didn’t mean it. I just mentioned something about the two families’ marriage alliance without knowing Miss Pearl had a congenital heart condition.”


    Since she mentioned the marriage alliance, Pearl took the opportunity to voice her doubts.


    “Dad, is it true? Are you really going to marry me off to Lord Parker? You know he…”


    She couldn’t bring herself to say those words.


    Den didn’t answer directly but turned to question Cami.


    “Who told you this?”


    Only a few close people knew about the marriage alliance besides him. Where did this woman get the information?


    Could someone have betrayed him?


    It seemed unlikely; those few were his most trusted subordinates.


    Cami realized she had misspoken again. She couldn’t say she heard it from Miss Libby; otherwise, even if Mr. Gilliam spared her, Miss Libby wouldn’t.


    “I heard it from a servant at Crete Mansion. I have a friend working there.”


    Even the Duke’s residence knew!


    Pearl looked at her father with wide eyes. Even if there was only a one-in-a-thousand chance, she wanted to hear Den say it wasn’t true.


    But reality was destined to disappoint her. After several seconds of silence under her gaze, her father nodded.


    “Yes.”


    “What!”


    This answer was more despairing than death.


    Tears of disappointment streamed down her face as she breathed heavily in agitation, worsening her condition again.


    “Why? Dad, am I really your biological daughter? What kind of father pushes his daughter into a fire pit?”


    “I won’t marry him! I’d rather die now than marry him!”


    She pulled out the IV from her hand and tried to get out of bed but was stopped by Den just in time.


    He knew he owed Pearl in this matter.


    “Don’t get agitated; let’s talk after you recover.”


    The doctor said if she fainted again, she might not wake up.


    Den regretted telling her the truth just now.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    “How can I not be agitated? You’re marrying me off to a spoiled rich kid who’s not even a real man!”


    “Let go of me; I want to go back to Metshire.”


    “If I had known you’d treat me like this, I’d rather not have you as my father! Even if I die alone in Metshire, that’s my business!”


    Her angry words were like knives stabbing into Den’s heart.


    He didn’t me her because everything she said was true; he had failed to protect her as a father.


    “Pearl, calm down first.”


    “Cami, leave us; I need to talk to Pearl alone.”


    “Yes.”