My blood type was rare—so rare that I was the only one in this generation who could bear a child for the cursed Jimmerson family and ensure their peace and prosperity.

Eric Jimmerson treated me like I was everything to him. Before I gave birth, he even hired a college student named Karen Harlan, who shared my blood type, just in case something happened to me.

But after I delivered our baby safely, he brought Karen—already newly pregnant—to me.

"There's no curse," he said. "I can have children with anyone I want.

"Karen needs me now. She's moving in today. But don't worry. I won't divorce you."

To nourish Karen's frail body, he even arranged for my blood to be drawn every day and used as medicine for her treatment.

What he didn't know was that consuming my blood came with dire consequences.

-

With red-rimmed eyes, I sat holding Caleb Jimmerson, our one-month-old son, in my arms, as Eric carefully helped Karen sit across from me.

Karen glanced at me, then wrapped her arms around Eric's waist, and choked up.

"Eric, is Olivia not happy about me staying here?"

He gently patted her back and then gave me a cold stare.

"Olivia Ackrea, don't look at me like that. I'm not asking for your opinion—I'm telling you.

"This is my house. What I say goes. You don't get to refuse."

His raised voice startled Caleb, who burst into loud wails.

I quickly lowered my head to soothe him, whispering softly.

Karen blinked, pretending to be innocent. "Eric, will our baby cry and fuss like this, too?"

Eric was amused. "Silly girl, all babies cry. If it's too much for you, just let Olivia take care of them."

I snapped my head up, furious.

"Eric, I'm your lawfully wedded wife, not your mistress's maid.

"Have you forgotten your wedding vows already?"

The Jimmerson family once offended a powerful mystic and was cursed. Their bloodline was destined to die out, their family to meet untimely ends.

Only women with the Oracle's Blood could bear children for the Jimmerson family and ensure their peace and prosperity.

But such women were extremely rare. In this generation, I was the only one they found.

I'd been raised in their household from a young age. Eric knew I was destined to be his wife, and he treated me with extra care from day one.

On our wedding day, he held my hand and trembled with emotion.

"Olivia, I finally married you. I swear—if I ever betray you, may I die a horrible death."

His eyes were sincere and full of love. I couldn't help but be moved.

But now, he was looking at another woman with those same eyes.

Eric scoffed, completely unbothered.

"Olivia, you are still holding onto that nonsense?

"There's no curse! Karen told me everything—your family made it all up just to latch onto mine.

"Say a lie often enough, and I guess even you started believing it."

Karen stroked her belly, chuckling.

"Exactly, Olivia. If there really were a curse, how could I be pregnant with Eric's child?

"Let's face it—I'm younger, more fertile, and frankly, less worn than you."

Eric said nothing as Karen insulted me.

But back then, he'd fly into a rage simply because the housekeeper hadn't prepared one of my favorite dishes for dinner.

"Olivia, I am also the father of Karen's child. If you love me, you should love them, too.

"I already said—no matter what, you'll always be my wife. Isn't that enough?"

Karen bit her lip and nodded. "Olivia, don't worry. I..."

Before she could finish, her knees buckled and she collapsed onto the sofa.

Eric panicked and rushed to call the family doctor.

After examining her, the doctor said it was nothing serious—just mild anemia, common in early pregnancy.

"Anemia? Then give her a transfusion!

"Olivia, you and Karen have the same blood type. From now on, you'll give her some of your blood every day," Eric said.

He had no idea that my blood was connected to my special descent.

Anyone else who received it would experience intense burning pain—some would even develop infections and die.

And besides, anemia isn't even treated with blood transfusions.

"Eric, are you out of your mind?!"

He stared at me coldly. "Olivia! When you were in labor, Karen was afraid you'd bleed out and waited outside the operating room, ready to give her blood.

"But now that it's your turn, you act like it's unthinkable!

"You selfish woman—are you trying to kill her and the baby she's carrying?"

Then he snatched Caleb from my arms.

"Since you aren't cooperating, I'll lock the baby in the car.

"You can get him back when you finally come to your senses."

"Eric! That's your son!

"How can you be so heartless?!"

Eric had someone pin me down. He didn't care about my fighting and begging, and he still put Caleb in the car.

It was the middle of summer. Even a grown-up would have a hard time breathing in a hot, closed-up car, not to mention such a baby.

I broke free from whoever was holding me and ran into the yard.

Eric had locked the car, and he was waving the keys.

He asked, "Olivia, I'm asking you one more time. Will you let them take your blood or not?"

I pounded on the car window while Caleb screamed inside, the heat turning the car into a sauna.

The intense heat had made his cheeks bright red, while dehydration left his lips pale and chapped.

"Karen can't handle my blood!

"Eric! Let Caleb out right now!"

Eric let out a cold snort. "Still not willing, huh?

"Olivia, do you really think you're some kind of goddess? What, does your blood have magical powers or something?"

Eric tossed the car keys into the swimming pool.

"Since that's the case, you can figure out a way to get Caleb out yourself!"

I beat at the window with my hands and kicked at it with my feet, but even when my hands and feet were bloodied and raw, I couldn't shatter the glass.

"Stop wasting your energy," he said. "It's bulletproof glass. You'll never break it."

Inside the car, Caleb had gradually stopped struggling, his breathing growing faint.

I threw myself at Eric's feet.

"I'll do it! I'll give Karen my blood, okay?

"Just please, save Caleb!"

Eric gently stroked my head and pulled another car key out of his pocket.

"If you had been this obedient earlier, things would've been easier.

"The key I threw away was a fake. I could never hurt my own son."

Eric unlocked the car door and had someone take Caleb out.

He picked up a needle himself and stuck it into the vein in my arm.

"Olivia, it's just a hundred milliliters a day. It won't affect you at all.

"Once the baby in Karen's belly is born safely, I'll let him call you 'mom' too."

My eyes were vacant as I stared at the bright red blood being drawn from my body.

"I don't need her child to call me mom."

Eric took out the needle. He wiped away the little bit of blood that was coming out and smeared it on my lips.

"Olivia, don't be ungrateful!

"I can let go of the lies you made up, but you gotta pay a price.

"Don't worry. Once I calm down, I'll send Karen away so she doesn't bother you."

A housekeeper took the fresh blood away to give it to Karen.

"But Olivia, you're too sneaky. To make sure you behave, you'll only get to see Caleb if you give blood on time these days."

I just stared at Eric and didn't say anything.

The weather was super hot, but all I felt was a deep, heavy sadness.

Women with the Oracle's Blood were just a mercy left by that powerful figure from the past, who didn't want to wipe out the family completely.

If a Jimmerson descendant ever turned ungrateful and betrayed his wife, there would be consequences.

Our rare blood type was the proof.

If we went through all sorts of suffering because of the Jimmerson family, the curse from that powerful figure would pop up in our minds.

Then, everything the Jimmerson family got from the Oracle's Blood would be taken back, doubled.

Because of the family rules, no one in the Jimmerson family for generations had dared to betray their wife.

Eric didn't believe in fate and hurt me for Karen, and didn't even care about his own son's life.

I wondered if he could handle the future consequences.

The housekeeper ran out in a hurry, covered in blood—it was a terrifying sight.

"Something's wrong, Mr. Jimmerson! You gotta go see Ms. Harlan right away!"

Eric slapped me across the face.

"Olivia! What kind of trick are you pulling now?

"Did you mess with the blood?

"You heartless woman! You won't even let a pregnant woman be!"

He grabbed my neck tightly and dragged me into the villa.

Eric was totally clueless. He'd taken the blood himself. I never had a chance to do anything to it.

But he still blamed me for everything.

He didn't even let me explain myself.

Eric threw me onto the floor, its surface glaring bright red.

The blood that had just been taken from me was now all over the ground, splattered by Karen.

Karen threw herself into Eric's arms, her face streaked with tears.

"Eric, I'm so scared!

"The transfusion needle was so thick, and just looking at the blood makes me feel dizzy and sick."

Eric held Karen close in his arms, looking really worried, and covered her eyes.

"Silly girl, you're going to be a mom soon, and you have to be tough.

"It's okay. We'll use Olivia's blood for your pregnancy medicine."

Karen buried her head in Eric's chest. She nodded in a cute way, then looked up at him with adoring eyes.

"Okay. For the health of our baby, I'll drink it even if I have to hold my nose."

A housekeeper brought a rag, but Eric grabbed it and threw it in my face.

He picked Karen up in his arms and left without looking back, leaving me with just one sentence.

"It's your blood. So, clean up your own mess."

Everyone in the villa got Eric's order. They'd only let me see Caleb, even just for a second, after they took my blood.

While I was strapped to the chair for the blood draw, Karen walked in holding a bowl.

She said, "Olivia, you must be so tired.

"I brought you a bowl of medicinal broth to help you out. Drink it quick."

The strong smell of blood hit my nose, making me gag.

"Get lost!"

Karen stumbled at my shout, then pretended to accidentally drop the bowl on the floor.

"Olivia," she said, "I just had sex with Eric three times. I'm sore all over, but I still went to the trouble of bringing you something nutritious. How can you be so ungrateful?"

The hundred milliliters of blood were taken out fast. Just as the doctor was about to take out the needle, Karen suddenly pushed it back in hard.

She swapped it with a new blood bag and kept watching my blood flow out.

"Ms. Harlan, taking too much will kill her."

Ignoring the doctor's warning, Karen held the needle firmly in place.

"Shut up! I'm carrying Mr. Jimmerson's baby, so I'm in charge here.

"A hundred milliliters is too little. It's not enough for the medicine. From now on, take 1,000 milliliters from her every day.

"Anyone who upsets me will die along with Olivia!"

The doctor pursed his lips and didn't dare say another word.

"Karen! How dare you drink my blood? Aren't you scared of karma?"

Karen let out a sneer and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Olivia, you're really dumber than I thought.

"Why would I drink something gross like that?

"Your blood—all of it went to feed stray dogs!

"Too bad even the strays thought your blood smelled bad. They ran off as soon as they smelled it, and I had to pour it down the drain!"

Losing so much blood at once made my vision go dark. In the end, I couldn't hold on and passed out.

While I was out, Karen kept taking 1,000 milliliters of blood from me every day, no exceptions.

When I finally came to, the housekeepers were already there, holding Caleb who was crying from hunger.

Caleb tried to suckle for a long time, but no milk came out.

"What do we do? Mrs. Jimmerson isn't producing enough milk.

"And Caleb's allergic to formula. And he refuses to have donor human milk. At this rate, he'll starve to death soon!"

I forced myself to my feet and searched the entire villa for Eric.

"Eric, I'm begging you. Stop taking my blood."

Before I could finish, Karen clutched her belly and started crying.

"Eric! Olivia's baby is so greedy. Why does he have to eat so much? Now, she's too weak, and her body is just exhausted. I'm afraid I'll be short on medicine soon.

"Our baby won't get enough nutrition. What should we do?"

"That's not true, Eric!

"Karen's lying! She almost took all my blood! She wants Caleb to starve."

Eric kicked me away.

"Olivia! Have you caused enough trouble?

"I give you good food and drink every day! I only take 100 milliliters of your blood. Who are you trying to fool?

"If you won't breastfeed Caleb, then don't see him again. He can grow up on formula. I don't think my son will starve."

I knelt on the ground, holding onto Eric's legs and begging.

"It's not possible! Caleb is allergic to formula. He'll die."

Karen helped me up, saying, "Olivia, kids aren't that fragile.

"I was allergic to a lot of things when I was little. You just need to feed him a little at a time, and he'll get used to it."

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head hard. "No..."

Karen quickly pushed me away and ended up on the ground herself.

"Olivia. I was just telling the truth. You didn't have to push me like that.

"I'm pregnant with Eric's baby.

"It hurts! My belly hurts so much!"

Eric slapped me hard, knocking me to the side. "Olivia! You've gone too far!"

He rushed to pick Karen up and drove her to the hospital.

Before leaving, he had someone lock me in the room to wait for his punishment when he got back.

I collapsed weakly to the ground, but the faint sound of Caleb crying outside the door forced me to keep going.

"Mrs. Jimmerson! Mrs. Jimerson, something's wrong!

"Caleb is having an allergic reaction! Please help him!"

I frantically tried to unlock the door, but it stayed firmly shut.

Just then, the nanny shouted outside the room, "Who are you? Let go of him!"

I sprinted to the window and saw a man take my baby away.

Terrified, I screamed, "No! Don't do anything to him. He's just a baby!"

The man ignored me, walked into the guest house, and put Caleb on the bed.

Suddenly, the buzz of a drone filled the air outside the window. Hanging from it was a phone, and through the speaker came Karen's triumphant laughter—along with the sound of Caleb's cries.

"Olivia, what's with the tears?" Karen mocked. "Relax. Your baby will be fine. He's going to have a great time."

I dropped to my knees, pleading desperately, "Karen! Please let him go! I'll divorce Eric, I swear! I'll give you anything! Just please, don't hurt my son!"

Karen scoffed and flipped the phone to show surveillance footage of the room.

On the screen, Caleb was crying, flailing his tiny arms. His allergic reaction had clearly worsened—he was struggling to breathe, his face flushed deep red.

My heart shattered. I rushed to the window, trying to climb out. My hands tore against the frame, bleeding.

Finally, I forced it open and threw myself out from the second floor. I landed hard—my legs snapped beneath me.

But I didn't stop. With bloodied hands and shattered legs, I crawled into the room inch by inch. Then I scooped Caleb into my arms and found he wasn't breathing anymore.

"Help! Someone, please help my son!" I shouted.

The housekeepers were all scared of Karen. Nobody came to help me.

I grabbed my phone, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get anyone on the line.

I had no other choice but to bite my lip, hold Caleb tight, and limp toward the hospital.

There was a trail of blood behind me as I walked.

I didn't know how long it took, but I finally got to the hospital.

"Doctor! Doctor!"

No matter how loud I yelled, nobody came to help.

Two nurses passing by stopped to tell me off.

"Stop yelling! The wife of the Jimmerson Group's CEO fell. Every doctor in town's been called to help Mrs. Jimmerson."

"Lucky Mrs. Jimmerson. She got married into a rich family when she was super young, and her husband totally loves her!"

I was holding my baby, who was getting colder, with no tears left to cry.

Then, that curse popped into my head.

A curse that no woman with the Oracle's Blood had spoken aloud in a thousand years slipped from my lips in a whisper.

My phone rang.

"Olivia, there's a Jimmerson family get-together. Get yourself and Caleb ready—come with me."

I wiped away the last bit of tears as I thought, "Eric Jimmerson, your days of being on top are done."