HARPER
I read every label twice, shoving anything nut-related back onto the shelves the moment my fingers brushed them.
Because of Mila, I had to be careful.
Today was her birthday, and I wanted to surprise her. That was why, after leaving the hospital—where the doctor finally called with a diagnosis—I came straight to the mall to shop for everything I needed.
My father had a severe bone marrow disorder linked to leukemia. He needed a transplant. I didn't hesitate to volunteer. Camilla and Elizabeth got tested too, but I didn't tell Dominic because he would've objected. However, it was my choice, and that man he hated was still my father.
Besides, Dominic had been avoiding me ever since I asked him—desperately—to love me. For two days, he'd barely spoken to me. No warmth. No softness. Just cold civility, like I'd broken some unspoken rule. Which, in fact, I had.
So I let him be. I'd counted my losses. Maybe I just wasn't meant to be loved by the people I cared about most.
