Chapter 4The Money for My Grandson’s Surgery Disappeared

I stood frozen in place, cold all over.

Ryan’s words cut deep, but I didn’t have time to fall apart.

There was only one thing I could do.

I immediately called the visiting surgeon.

“Doctor, please give us one more chance. I’ll sell the house. Once it sells, I’ll have the money. I swear I’ll pay the surgical fee.”

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

“Sir, do you know how many times I’ve changed my flight because of you?

“Four.

“I have other patients who need me too. You keep putting this off over and over again. Do you really want your grandson treated or not?”

I knew exactly what she was implying.

I begged her desperately.

“Doctor, I swear I mean it this time. I’ll sell the house right away. The second I get the money, I’ll pay.

“Just give me one more day. Please. That’s all I’m asking.”

She sighed.

“All right. One last day.”

I didn’t even have time to grieve.

I told Ryan to give me one final day, then rushed to the police station.

But after going through everything, the police couldn’t find anything wrong.

By the time I left the station, it was already dark.

I thought of all the relatives I’d borrowed money from before and started calling them one by one.

“Look, we’ve all heard what’s been going on. Just focus on taking care of that child instead of stirring up all this trouble.

“Ryan already told me everything. There was no money on your card, but you kept insisting the hospital stole it. Then you even went to the police. Are you starting to lose it in your old age?

“I’m telling you this for your own good. Treat your family better. Otherwise, when you get old, you might not have anyone left to take care of you.”

Every single one of them turned me down.

I crouched there and cried for a long time.

When I finally stood up, I swayed and nearly collapsed.

It was well past midnight by the time I made it back to my small subsidized apartment.

I lived there alone.

Ryan and Ben lived in the little house I’d bought for them.

I’d spent my entire life saving up for the down payment and had put the house in Ryan’s name.

By morning, I finally thought of another solution.

I washed my face and went back to the hospital.

Ryan was sitting beside Ben’s bed, staring blankly ahead.

His eyes were completely lifeless, as if everything inside him had been hollowed out.

But I barely noticed.

I was too excited about the solution I’d come up with.

“Ryan, I figured it out.”

He looked up at me, but there was no light in his eyes.

I kept talking.

“We can take out a loan against your house. Once I find out what happened to my money, I’ll pay it back.”

Ryan stared at me.

“There’s no need.”

I hadn’t expected him to say that.

“What are you talking about? If we keep trying, we can still save Ben!

“Come on. We don’t have time to waste. I already talked to the surgeon. She agreed to wait one more day.”

Ryan remained sitting beside the bed without moving.

Seeing him like that made my frustration boil over.

I pulled out the deed and tossed it onto his lap.

“Stop sitting there like that. Come on!”

Ryan mechanically opened it and glanced down.

One look was all it took.

He tore the document in half and threw it back at me.

“Dad, how many years have you been lying to me?”

I froze.

“What are you talking about?”

“The house!”

He held up the torn document.

“The name on this deed isn’t mine. It isn’t yours either!

“Dad, you told me you spent your entire life saving to buy that house for me! But this deed is fake!

“How much else have you been hiding from me?”

His voice grew louder and louder, drawing nurses and other patients over to watch.

“You told me to take out a loan against the house. Were you deliberately trying to humiliate me?

“Did you never actually want Ben to get treatment?”

“No, Ryan. I swear, I didn’t know.”

“Enough!”

Ryan covered his face, his whole body shaking as he sobbed.

“None of it matters anymore!

“It’s too late!”

Before I could react, he yanked the blanket off Ben.

“He’s dead!

“He couldn’t wait for your money!

“Dad, just go. I never want to see you again.

“Nothing that comes out of your mouth is ever true. If it weren’t for you, Ben wouldn’t have died!”

My knees gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.

How?

I’d been given another chance.

So why had Ben still died?

What had gone wrong?

Ryan completely broke down.

He suddenly rushed to the window and threw it open.

“Ben’s gone. I don’t want to live anymore!”

At that moment, something suddenly clicked.

I remembered.

“Stop!

“I know where the money went!”