Can't Win Me Back (Isabella and Nathan)

"Understand you? My foot."

Isabella wanted to scream out in hysterical rage, but her upbringing stopped her from making a scene. Instead, she merely cast a cold glance at him, her eyes full of disgust, then turned to look out the window. Nathan felt inexplicably uneasy. He reached out, intending to take care of the bloodstained needle mark on her arm, but Isabella turned away and stubbornly faced him with her thin back.

Her voice was cold enough to freeze a cow. "Nathan, stay away from me. You disgust me."

Nathan's hand froze in mid-air. The tension in the room became unbearable.

After a long while, the results of Isabella's blood test came back. When Nathan went to get the report, Isabella closed her eyes in despair.

Her blood type was identical to Victoria's. There was no way she could escape being her blood bank.

It was like the previous life when Victoria's platelet count suddenly dropped, Nathan had confined her to the house, forcing her to eat pig liver, which made her gag, and to donate blood to Victoria every week. She had tried to resist, but as a blood donor, her body grew weak and fatigued. She would get dizzy and faint, and before she could escape, Nathan's men would catch her and bring her back to the villa. Eventually, she didn't have the strength to fight back anymore.

She gave Victoria her blood, and as her body failed to produce enough, she became pale and frail, like a zombie.

Nathan eventually realized her condition had become even worse than Victoria's, so he begrudgingly stopped forcing her to donate blood.

That was also the moment she stopped loving him.

History repeated itself, in different times and places.

Isabella thought hopelessly, how could she escape this damned fate?

She pushed open the window, gazing at the six-story drop outside, and slowly climbed onto the windowsill.

Nathan came out, holding the report with excitement. "Great, Bella, your health is fine, you can donate blood to your Sis now—"

But when he looked up, seeing Isabella with her legs dangling outside the window, he froze, unable to speak.

"Nathan, if you force me to donate blood to your mistress, I'll jump out of this window. Right now."

Nathan's mouth hung open. "Bella, it's just donating blood."

"I won't do it."

Isabella shouted in anger.

"But she's your Sis!"

Onlookers gathered, eager for the drama. Some people loudly chimed in, "How selfish. It's just donating blood, not a life-or-death matter. She can't even do this for her Sis? What a heartless woman." Nathan smirked, a sense of satisfaction filling him as he watched Isabella being misunderstood.

But he had no idea how much she had changed. She was no longer the docile, obedient pushover he once knew.

Isabella didn't back down. "I would donate blood to anyone in this world, except her."

"Nathan, I hate her."

"You... how can you hate your own Sis?" Nathan was confused.

"She's my Sis, and yet she seduces her own brother-in-law? Willingly becomes your mistress?"

Isabella's words were like a killing blow.

The crowd's opinion turned sharply. People started to condemn Nathan. "How outrageous! Forcing your wife to donate blood to your mistress? You're worse than an animal!" "Not only is your husband cheating, but now he wants his wife to donate blood to his mistress? That's heartless!"

Nathan's face darkened, his mood turning grim.

"Isabella..."

Isabella spread her arms wide. "Nathan, you forced your wife to jump off a building for your mistress. I want you to live with guilt and self-blame for the rest of your life." "Fine, I take it back," Nathan said hurriedly. "As long as you stop making a scene, I'll allow you not to donate blood to your Sis."

Isabella straightened up from her previously bent position and stared at Nathan with a piercing gaze, feeling a deep breath of relief in her chest.

Kind-hearted onlookers helped her down from the windowsill.

She backed against the wall, sliding to the floor, her heart still racing from the scare. But no matter what, she had won this round.

Nathan shot her a dark, hostile look before turning and walking away.

---

**In the hospital room**:

Victoria lay in bed, her face ashen. The aftereffects of drinking had caused a kidney malfunction. She couldn't urinate, and her whole body had swollen up.

Nathan knelt by her bed, holding her hand with guilt. "Victoria, I'm sorry. Bella refused to donate blood. I'll find another suitable blood donor for you."

Victoria's face was filled with anger and frustration. "It's just blood donation, and she refuses? Nathan, does she hate me?"

Nathan clenched his fists, his face dark with anger. "I don't know what happened to Isabella. It's like she's a completely different person now. She's no longer the gentle, kind girl she once was. I really misjudged her." Victoria sighed helplessly. "It's my fault for being so weak. If she doesn't want to help me, it must be my bad luck."

Nathan's eyes filled with deep sympathy. "Victoria, the doctor says it's just acute mild kidney failure. After treatment and some good care, you'll be fine."

Victoria looked a little relieved. "Nathan, I really feel useless. I tried to stop you from drinking, but instead, I made things worse. Do you resent me for causing you trouble?"

Nathan looked at her with deep affection. "Victoria, you're so understanding. How could I ever blame you?"

---

Outside the room, Isabella stood silently, her expression unreadable as she watched them. Her heart, once still as stagnant water, suddenly rippled with emotion.

She was immensely relieved that she was no longer the foolish Isabella who had once been completely consumed by Nathan. That's why she could face her husband's flirtation with another woman so calmly.

But she also felt a deep pity for her past self-the Isabella who had depended on Nathan so much. To break free from that dependency, she had endured excruciating pain, as if her very flesh and bones were being stripped away. Unconsciously, Victoria noticed Isabella's presence. Her body stiffened, but she didn't pull her hand away from Nathan's.

"Bella, you came to see me?" she asked weakly.

Nathan turned around, his gaze falling on Isabella's cold, lifeless eyes as they fixed on their hands intertwined. An uncomfortable feeling washed over him. Without thinking, he instinctively pulled his hand away from Victoria's. Victoria shuddered, her eyes instantly turning red. Her lips trembled, but she didn't speak.

Her dramatic display was enough to make everyone around her feel sympathy.

Nathan cursed inwardly: *What's wrong with me? Why am I letting this insignificant woman, Isabella, come between me and my true love?*

He quickly grabbed Victoria's hand again, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Victoria looked back at Isabella, her eyes gleaming with smugness.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice laced with satisfaction.

Nathan, clearly irritated, snapped, "Since you don't want to donate blood to your Sis, there's no reason for you to stay in the hospital. Just leave."

Victoria watched with a sense of triumph as Isabella stood there.

But Isabella stepped into the room, her eyes scanning Victoria carefully. "I just came to check on my Sis. Is your condition really as dire as you say? Are you truly in such a hopeless state?"

Victoria's face turned pale again. She choked on her words. "Bella, how can you curse me like that?"

Isabella replied dismissively, "You're overthinking it. I don't care about your life or death. I just came to ask my husband if he wants to come home with me."