A Night of Desire

Clara was at a loss. She wondered if Sarah might be at the Shelby residence and was just about to hail a cab to go check when her phone rang. It was Sarah. She answered at once.

"Sarah, where are you? I heard from your classmates you haven’t been to a single class since school started. What’s going on?"

"Clara..." Sarah’s voice sounded strained. "I’m at the hospital right now."

Clara’s heart skipped a beat. "Are you okay? Which hospital? I’ll be right over."

"It’s not me. It’s my mom..." Sarah said, glancing at the unconscious Cherie Rhodes. After a sniffle, she added, "We’re at XX Hospital. Come over."

"Wait for me. I’ll be right there." Clara hung up, hailed a taxi, and got in.

...

When Clara arrived at Cherie Rhodes’s hospital room, she pushed open the door and saw Sarah sitting dazedly by the bed. Cherie Rhodes lay quietly in it, her face haggard and pale.

Clara froze for a moment, then quickly walked toward Sarah, calling out worriedly, "Sarah."

Sarah saw her too. She stood up, but before she could say a word, tears began to stream down her face. She threw her arms around Clara. "Clara..."

"Sarah, what happened? What’s wrong with your mom?" Clara asked anxiously, gently patting her on the back.

Sarah pulled away, wiping at her tears. "My mom... she slit her wrists... They just saved her, but she’s still in a coma..."

"Your mom attempted suicide?" Clara’s eyes widened in shock. "How is that possible?"

’Cherie Rhodes endured endless humiliation from the Shelby Family, all so Sarah could be officially recognized and written into their family tree. Why would she try to kill herself? Something terrible must have happened.’

Clara pressed again, "What on earth happened?"

Sarah’s emotions gradually settled, and she said with a blank expression, "Clara, I’m getting married too."

"Married? Who are you marrying?" For some reason, Clara had a terrible premonition.

Sarah looked at her, her lips barely moving. "The eldest son of the Stratton family. Ewan Stratton."

Clara was completely stunned. ’Ewan Stratton? So that news I saw the other day about his wedding... the bride is Sarah!’

’Back then, she had actually felt sorry for the bride-to-be. How could it be Sarah? How could Sarah marry Ewan Stratton? The man was disabled in a car wreck, and now he’s volatile, violent, and bizarre!’

As if in disbelief, she pressed, "You mean *that* Ewan Stratton? The eldest son of the Stratton family, the one who was disabled in a car accident two years ago?"

"That’s him," Sarah confirmed, her expression flat, as if she were speaking of a matter that had nothing to do with her.

"How can you marry him? Everyone says he became bizarre and cruel after his car accident. Marrying him is like jumping into a pit of fire!"

"I don’t want to marry him either, but what choice do I have? In the end, I’ve become just a pawn for the Shelby Family. And a pawn doesn’t get to choose." In contrast to Clara’s agitation, Sarah’s tone was utterly flat.

"No way. I have to figure something out. I can’t let you marry Ewan Stratton!" Clara said, turning to leave.

Sarah grabbed her arm. "Clara, don’t go!"

She went on, glancing at Cherie Rhodes on the hospital bed, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. "My mom... she slit her wrists to stop me from marrying Ewan Stratton, threatening them with her life. But for what? Evan Shelby... hah... the man I once called my dearest father... He said that if she lives, I have to marry him. And if she dies, I *still* have to marry him!"