Cousin
“What else?” Leonard frowned. “Do you wish to host a wedding ceremony before registering for the
marriage certificate?”
Kelly was stunned.
“Stop dreaming! There’s not going to be a wedding ceremony. We are only doing this for your mother’s
sake in the first place,” he said coldly.
With that, he strode away.
Tears streamed down Kelly’s cheeks. She covered her mouth and wept in silence. Why is this
happening? I do not wish for Leonard to harbor so much hatred toward me, but we still ended up like
this. What do I do?
Leonard went over to Samuel’s ward to look for Kathleen.
“Kathleen, how is Felicia?” Leonard frowned.
Kathleen had just entered the room.
Samuel poured her a cup of water before staring at Leonard in displeasure. “Why are you in such a
hurry? Let her take a sip of water first.”
Leonard flushed.
She received the glass of water and said, “As I mentioned earlier, she has leukemia and requires a
bone marrow transplant, similar to the condition Nicolette had in the past.”
Samuel lowered his gaze.
Leonard glanced at him. It seems like Kathleen’s tactless remark is not only directed at me.
“When can we proceed with the operation, then?” Leonard was anxious.
“We’ll have to wait for further updates. The operation can be done any time if a compatible bone
marrow is available in the bone marrow bank. However, if there isn’t, then we can only wait,” she
explained.
“What should we do if no compatible bone marrow is available? Can Felicia’s body condition allow her
to wait?” Leonard asked worryingly.
“You’ve asked the crucial question. Felicia’s condition is terrible. I figure she does not have much time
left to wait, three months, tops.” Kathleen looked sideways.
Leonard was astounded.
“If there is no compatible bone marrow in the bone marrow bank, then we’ll need to check if there are
any suitable donors among her relatives. I think Kelly must have asked around, but things are not
looking hopeful for her,” she elaborated.
“What if there still isn’t any suitable bone marrow available in the end?” Leonard pressed on.
“In that case, we can ask Kelly to give birth to another child and use the umbilical cord’s blood to save
Felicia. I can try to slow the disease’s progression and allow Felicia to survive longer,” Kathleen replied.
Leonard fell silent as his mind raced.
If Kelly needs to give birth to another child, does that mean she needs to find that man? What if the
bone marrow is still not compatible? If that happens…
A distressed look filled Leonard’s handsome face.
“Kathleen, I’ll be counting on you regarding Felicia’s issue,” Leonard uttered in a hoarse voice.
“Don’t worry. I’ll do my best. Anyway, the Hoover family’s blood flows in me. I’ll visit the bone marrow
transplant center to do a compatibility test later,” Kathleen said.
Leonard gazed at her in astonishment. “In that case, I’ll join you.”
She nodded. “All right.”
Kathleen and Leonard went to the bone marrow transplant center together and had their bone marrow
samples aspirated.
Kathleen exited that place while holding a test report.
She was about say something when Kelly ran over.
“Dr. Johnson.” Kelly looked at Kathleen and was hesitant to speak.
Then, she turned to gaze at Leonard. “I heard you’re here to take a bone marrow compatibility test?”
“Is there a problem?” he asked indifferently.
“No.” Kelly panicked. “Thank you.”
Leonard gave her the cold shoulder.
Kelly eyed Kathleen uneasily. “Dr. Johnson, may I have a word with you?”
“Sure.” Kathleen nodded.
“Kathleen, I’ll be leaving first. Let me know if there are any updates.” Leonard was dissatisfied after
realizing Kelly was not there to look for him.
With that, he left.
Kathleen regarded Kelly with an impassive look. “Shouldn’t you be thrilled knowing that Leonard came
to do the bone marrow compatibility test? Why the long face?”
Kelly was stunned.
“Dr. Johnson. Y- You knew?” Kelly’s expression stiffened.
Kathleen nodded. “It is very obvious to me. Although I don’t know what happened between you two,
your daughter’s blood type is the same as his. They both have Rh-negative blood.”
“Dr. Johnson, Leonard doesn’t know anything, so please don’t say anything to him,” Kelly pleaded with
her.
“It’s no wonder it’s so difficult to find a compatible bone marrow for your daughter.” Kathleen sighed.
Kelly took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“Why do you still intend to keep him in the dark even at this time?” Kathleen was puzzled.
Kelly replied with a hint of bitterness, “Kathleen, you’ll understand my rationale if you did not lose your
memories. However, you cannot fathom my decision now, right?”
“I think I may be unable to understand even if I do not lose my memories.” Kathleen shrugged. “Is the
grudge between you two more important than your daughter’s life?”
“Kathleen, are you faking your amnesia?” Kelly gave her a meaningful look.
Kathleen uttered nonchalantly, “I’m not faking my amnesia, but I’ve recalled some things.
Coincidentally, you are included in this part of my memory.”
“Is it memories from Samuel’s twentieth birthday banquet?” Kelly asked.
Kathleen nodded.
Kelly said, “I knew Samuel liked you since then. The way he looked at you was different from how he
looked at Nicolette.”
“Is that so? I do not recall all those things.”
“Kathleen, Leonard and I actually ended our relationship on bad terms.” Kelly bit her lip. “I broke up
with him because he caught me cheating on him with another man in bed.”
“Why did you cheat on him when you liked him so much?”
“Leonard did not know I was the Hoover family’s daughter when I first started dating him. He regarded
me like I was an ordinary girl and treated me very well. He loved me a lot and had never looked down
on me because of my unremarkable origin. I liked him. I really did.”
“But?”
“I believe you know that my uncle has a son, right? In the past, they treated us inhumanely to save that
child. At that time, my physique was more suitable than Zion’s. However, I heard that I would become
infertile after taking the medication, so I did not want to burden Leonard. That’s why I resorted to that
method,” Kelly explained in a hoarse voice.
After saying that, she took a deep breath. Tears brimmed in her reddened eyes.
“That news was fake. However, I did not anticipate that I was already pregnant with his child then. I was
terrified. I fear the Hoover family would force me to abort my child to save my uncle’s son.” Kelly
sniffled. “Luckily, because of my suspicion and the Rh-negative blood type of the child I was carrying,
my blood had undergone mutation. Therefore, they’ve selected someone else.”
Kathleen knitted her brows. “Then, why didn’t you meet with Leonard?”
“I’ve lost the courage to do so. Can you understand my stance?” Kelly croaked.
Kathleen nodded. “What happened afterward?”
Kelly continued, “I left the Hoover family at once after that. However, my mother found me and forced
me to return to the Hoover family for the sake of the family’s assets. She even took Felicia away. It was
also only then did I know Felicia had leukemia. I begged the other members of the Hoover family to do
the compatibility test, but all of them refused.”
Kathleen uttered coolly, “The members of the Hoover family sure are heartless.”
“They’re all like that. Leonard told me earlier that he’s only marrying me because that is part of the
plan. That’s why I don’t want to tell him. We will part ways peacefully after this. No one will feel happy if
we force ourselves to be together simply because of the child. And so, Dr. Johnson, I hope you will not
divulge any unnecessary information to him, okay?”
Kathleen remained unfazed. “It’s your call. I’ll respect whatever decision you make as long as you think
it is the right thing to do.”
“Thank you.” Kelly held Kathleen’s hand. “Come to think of it. I’m considered your cousin, right?”
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