Chapter 7 - The Catskills Sanctuary
Dominic stood by the window of a state-of-the-art medical cabin hidden deep within a private hundred-acre estate in the Catskill Mountains. The air here was clean, crisp, and completely free of the city’s pollution. Inside, Evelyn lay in a specialized positive-pressure isolation room designed to protect her from any airborne pathogens.
Dr. Reed walked out of the clean room, removing his sterile gown. "Her fever has broke, Dominic. The transport went smoothly, and the environment here is far better for her than the Greenwich house. But her white blood cell count is near absolute zero. We have less than forty-eight hours to initiate the transplant process."
The door to the cabin opened, and Marcus entered, followed by Reyes and Natalia. The young Russian girl looked exhausted, but she was wrapped in a clean woolen blanket and holding a hot cup of tea.
Dominic stepped forward, his imposing frame causing her to flinch slightly. He noticed her reaction and immediately slowed his pace, softening his expression—a lesson he had learned bitterly from his wife.
"Natalia," Dominic said gently. "Thank you for coming. I am Dominic Vale."
"You are the man who stole me from Victor," she said, her voice steadying. "Your man said you want my blood. My inside bones."
"Yes," Dominic nodded, gesturing toward Marcus, who laid a legal folder and a tablet on the table. "My wife is dying of leukemia. You are the only match we have found in the world. But I will not force you. In that folder is a legal contract for a non-profit foundation based in Switzerland. It guarantees you a new identity, housing in Zurich, and five million dollars paid in full tomorrow morning. Whether you help my wife or not, that money is yours for surviving Victor. But I am begging you to save her."
Natalia looked at the contract, then walked over to the glass partition of the isolation room. She looked inside and saw Evelyn—a woman she had never met, looking incredibly frail, fighting for every breath, yet possessing a quiet dignity that was visible even in her sleep.
Natalia turned back to Dominic. She saw the desperation in the eyes of a man who looked like he could kill a army, yet was currently waiting for her permission like a servant.
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"Victor told me I am nothing but a dog for the family," Natalia said softly. "He wanted to sell my organs when he was done with me. You treat me like a person who has a choice. I will give your wife my bones, Mr. Vale. Not for the money, but because I know what it feels like to be trapped in the dark."
Dominic felt a massive lump form in his throat. He bowed his head deeply to her. "Thank you."
