Chapter 2The Heartless Family

This hospital was horribly familiar to me—Mom was a celebrity doctor here, a leading authority in neurosurgery. The operating room doors were already surrounded by family: grandparents on both sides were present. Grandma Grace wiped tears from her eyes, pointing at me, her voice choked. "You have the nerve to show your face! James is in such a bad state, where were you?!" Grandpa Frank, though silent, looked at me with immense disappointment and condemnation. Grandpa Robert, supporting Grandma Rose, also cast a blaming glance. "Exactly! Why weren't you with your brother at the library? How dangerous for him to be out alone!" Dad stood beside them, his eyes full of accusation. I felt like a target, pierced by countless gazes. In this life, I chose to stand by, to avoid involvement, yet I still became the scapegoat—it seemed no matter what I did, in their eyes, it was always wrong.

I lowered my head, murmuring defensively, "I didn't know James would get into trouble. I'll go call Mom, she's working overtime at the hospital anyway…" Hearing the words "call Mom," Dad's eyes instantly panicked. He grabbed me. "Your mom's busy. Don't disturb her." Busy doing what? Probably with Chloe, pearl diving and making necklaces in Seaside City. In my previous life, it was at this point that I found out Mom had taken time off to vacation with Chloe. The entire family knew she wasn't in town, but they'd hidden it from me.

Grandma Rose looked at Dad disapprovingly. "No matter how busy she is, can it be more important than James's surgery? Call Dr. Elena Hayes immediately! Tell her to come here at once!" "That's right, that's right," Grandpa Frank chimed in. "Such a big thing. What could be more important than this? Call her now!" I pretended to frantically pull out my phone and dial. I called over a dozen times, but no one picked up. "What's wrong with Elena?! James is like this, and she won't even answer her phone!" Grandma Rose grew more frantic, her voice laced with dissatisfaction towards Mom. Dad quickly tried to smooth things over. "Mom, she might be in surgery. You know, once she's in the operating room, she can't pay attention to anything else."

However, just as he finished speaking, the call connected. "Didn't I tell you? Don't disturb me unless it's important! Sophia Hayes, are you insane?! Don't you know I'm busy here?!" I gripped my phone, my voice small and shaky. "Mom, James was shot. He's at your hospital, outside the operating room. Please come quickly…" I hadn't finished speaking when she cut me off with a scoff. "Ha, shot? Don't curse James like that!" Her voice was sharp. "James is perfectly fine, studying for his exams at the library. How could he be shot?! If he doesn't do well, it's all because of your jinx!" She didn't believe me. It was exactly the same as in my previous life. "Mom, it's true! James really was shot! Right outside the operating room here! So much blood…" My voice cracked. "It's true, Elena, please come!" My anxious grandmother, standing beside me, also shouted into the phone.

Mom's voice instantly turned cold, tinged with obvious displeasure. "Mom, Sophia Hayes is being childish and talking nonsense, and you're joining in the commotion?" Her voice was dismissive. "Forget it, I don't have time for this with you all. I'm busy with work. I'm hanging up." The call was abruptly ended. "What could be more important than James's life?! She's completely insane!" Grandma Rose clutched her chest, her voice trembling. Dad tried to explain, "Mom, Elena really might have something extremely important…" Just then, a nurse rushed out of the operating room, her face anxious. "Are you Dr. Hayes's family?" She cried urgently. "Quickly, call her back! The patient has severe cranial bleeding; the situation is critical! Only she can perform the surgery!" She wrung her hands. "But she's off duty today and not at the hospital."

Dad instantly panicked, looking helplessly at Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank. Grandpa Frank stomped his foot, yelling, "What are you standing there for?! Call your wife back at once!" His voice was filled with righteous indignation. "She even dared to lie about working!" This time, the call connected quickly. Noisy background sounds filtered through the phone. Chloe's happy shouts were heard. "Mom, we only need 10 more pearls for a necklace! Keep diving!" Mom's voice was filled with doting affection. "Okay, Mom will keep diving for you." Dad frantically spoke into the phone. "Elena, please come back! James was shot! He has cranial bleeding and needs your surgery!"

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end, then Mom's displeased voice came through. "Are you messing around too? Is that ungrateful Sophia Hayes talking nonsense again? She can't go a day without causing trouble!" She scoffed. "How many times have I told you, don't believe a word she says!" I stood by, listening to their conversation, feeling a chilling coldness spread through me. It was Chloe who was habitually lying, always framing me, and I was always speechless. Dad's voice was pleading. "Elena, I'm begging you, this time it's real! James is really dying, please come back and see him!" Mom's voice showed hesitation. "Robert, then I…" Just then, Chloe's voice came through the phone again, tinged with a hint of a whine. "Oh, I just wanted a pearl necklace! Sis is bringing the whole family to mess things up." Her voice turned dramatic. "Never mind, Mom, I don't want it anymore. After all, I'm just an adopted daughter, not as important as my sister." Mom's attitude instantly hardened. "Alright, stop it. I'll be back tonight. Stop trying to trick me using James!" She snapped. "He's tough as nails, what could possibly happen to him!" Grandma Rose couldn't take it anymore and roared into the phone. "Elena, do you have any conscience?! James is fighting for his life, and you're still thinking about that adopted daughter!" She shrieked. "Are you saying all of us are lying to you?! Is James's life less important than a string of pearls?!" Mom's voice was now full of impatience. "Alright, Mom, Chloe is my darling, no less important than James. I'll be back soon, don't push me!" She added, viciously. "Sophia Hayes is selfish and a liar, don't believe her!" She hung up again, leaving behind a group of anxiously waiting family members outside the operating room.

This time, Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank were clearly furious. They couldn't believe Mom was so reckless. For an adopted daughter, she disregarded her own son's life. And I stood by, watching their anxious and angry expressions, feeling surprisingly calm. In my previous life, I had done everything I could to save James's life, only to be met with my family's blame and Mom's coldness. In this life, I chose to watch, wondering what they would do about Mom's choice for Chloe.

The nurse rushed out of the operating room again, her voice frantic. "Have you found Dr. Hayes?! The patient's vital signs are dropping!" She cried. "If we don't operate now, it will be too late!" Dad frantically tried to call Mom again, only to find he'd been blocked. Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank also fumbled for their phones, shakily dialing. A moment later, both their faces turned ashen. "Can't get through! She blocked me too!" Grandma Rose's voice was filled with unbelievable pain. "Me too… that heartless woman! How could she do this?!" Grandpa Frank clutched his phone, tears and snot blurring his face. Despair instantly spread. Everyone knew that this time, James was truly gone. We could only stand helplessly outside the operating room, listening to the hurried sounds of resuscitation inside, watching James's life slowly ebb away. The operating room door opened again. The doctor emerged, looking exhausted, and gently shook his head. "I'm sorry… we did our best."

Grandma Rose let out a desperate wail, collapsing onto James's body, sobbing heartbrokenly. "My James! My grandson!" Grandpa Frank stumbled in, clutching James's cold body, howling, "James! My grandson! How could this happen?!" Dad stood frozen, his body swaying, his face etched with extreme pain and regret. He looked at his lifeless son on the operating table and let out a raw, unrestrained roar.