Chapter 7 Before they dragged me away I kept shouting , " You have to induce vomiting ! Wait any longer and it'll be too late ! Let go of me - let go Vanessa's eyes were rimmed with red . " Lillian , would you throw a life away just to become Mrs. Graves ? You're a doctor ... " Juliette was still groggy from the relapse ; she had no idea who had pulled her back from brink of death time and again . Seeing Vanessa sobbing , Juliette frowned and shot me a glare . " Nathaniel ! Why is this doctor so cruel ? Does she only feel satisfied if I die ? " Nathaniel's expression darkened at his sister's frown . " What are you waiting for ? Throw her in . " " No ! Please - no ! " I have always been terrified of snakes . Nathaniel's private collection of grotesque serpents slithered in the pit before me as the guards shoved me forward without hesitation I fell into a writhing mass of color - flashing scales and tangled bodies - and the wet , cloying stink closed over me . My chest wound hadn't healed . I had no strength to struggle . Sharp fangs found skin ; the bites stung but the snakes were nonvenomous . They just loved to bite . By the time they hauled me out again , I was numb to pain . Nathaniel grabbed me hard . " Juliette is coughing blood go save her , go ! " he barked . They dropped me beside the bed . Juliette had already vomited so much blood the sheets were soaked in crimson . I closed my eyes for a moment . " It's useless . " " No way it's useless ! " Nathaniel pressed , ging my shoulder . " You're the best doctor we have . if you can't fix this , who can ? " I managed a bitter smile . " Dr. Quinn is more skilled than I am - why don't you call her ? " His look turned poisonous , and beneath it was raw regret . " That bitch ... she and your ex ran off together . " I wasn't surprised . When Vanessa dosed Juliette , she'd probably already planned her exit strategy , Nathaniel had lavished Vanessa with enough rewards that a few slipped fingers of cash could set two people up for life . She'd likely cleared out and fled overseas . eyes pleading for help . I glanced at Juliette - she couldn't speak ; she coughed blood in raggs , I shook my head . " If we'd made her vomit right after the dose , there might have been hope . But too much time has passed - nothing , not even miracles , can fix this now . " I swayed and fell ; Nathaniel caught me before I hit the floor . He noticed the bite marks covering me and his voice went into a tremor . " Dr. Hayes ! " " Get someone in here - stop the bleeding ! " he choked . His grip tightened on my hand , his voice broke into a sob , " I promised you I'd make you Mrs. Graves - save Juliette , please , I beg you , save her ... 11 A bitter laugh curled at my mouth " Why would I want to be Mrs. Graves ? I don't like you , Mr. Graves . " Dreame - Read Romance Storles When he malized his foetings , he had lost her forever i Novels reading at night 4.4 FREE Installed Open Shock and regret flashed across his face . He let go of my wrist and sank to his knees beside me , eyes hollow with despair . Once my hands were bandaged I stood at Juliette's bedside . Nathaniel dropped to the floor before me , stripped of all pride . " Dr. Hayes , what will it take for you to save her ? I'll give you my life . I'll give you the whole Graves empire - anything . " Then , with a trembling , desperate motion , he drew a dagger and drove it toward his own throat . I clamped his wrist with everything I had . He looked at me with starving hope . I sighed . " Doctors are guided by compassion - we save what we can . But we are not gods . " His eyes filled with tears . " You still blame me , don't you ? " I exhaled shakily . " Think what you like , Mr. Graves - I'm done defending myself . " I let his hand go and turned away . Behind me came a sound like a man breaking - an animalistic scream of despair .