Chapter 3

His voice grew even more agitated: “Of course I know! But she's lying in the hospital, isn't she? Doctors always exaggerate to scare families into paying more. Genevieve's situation is different. The red carpet is about to start, hundreds of media cameras are on her, there can't be a single mistake!”

Genevieve's soft voice cooed from beside him: “Ethan, don't argue with Olivia. If Eleanor were awake, she'd surely want you to seize this opportunity first, right? After all, when my commercial value rises, I'll be in a better position to 'take care' of Eleanor, won't I?”

Seize this opportunity.

I looked down at the glaring red words “CRITICAL CONDITION” on the payment slip and suddenly felt utterly absurd.

My mother-in-law had been so frugal her entire life, almost to the point of being harsh. She'd price-compare at several grocery stores just to save a few bucks. Her air conditioner broke last summer, but she wouldn't replace it, saving every penny so Ethan could buy a new house.

Last year, when I suffered a severe hemorrhage from an ectopic pregnancy, Ethan sat in the hospital corridor for just ten minutes before excusing himself for a company meeting and leaving. It was Eleanor who stayed by my side for half a month, never leaving, barely sleeping.

She'd grumble about my poor health, but she'd wake up countless times in the middle of the night, checking my forehead for a fever. If I so much as shifted in bed, she reacted faster than the nurses.

She wasn't highly educated, and sometimes her words were rough. But when my life was on the line, she protected me with her own.

Now she lay charred black in a sterile unit, close to death. Yet her biological son was using her life-saving money to rent a diamond necklace for another woman to walk the red carpet.

Dr. Miller, seeing my pale, swaying face, walked over and sternly reminded me: “Family, it's best not to delay any longer. The patient's blood volume is critically low; if we don't start CRRT immediately, her kidney function will fail.”

I snapped back to reality, abruptly hanging up the phone.

“Doctor, I'll find a way, right away!”

I transferred all the money from my bank accounts and maxed out three credit cards, barely scraping together $80,000.

The cashier looked at the system and reminded me coldly: “You're still short $420,000.”

I turned, clutching the thin receipt, and saw the massive digital screen in the hospital lobby, broadcasting the international film festival red carpet live.

[Rising star Genevieve stuns with a multi-million dollar pink diamond, escorted by a mysterious male companion who never leaves her side.]

On the screen, Ethan wore a tailored tuxedo, his hair immaculately groomed, a charming, polite smile on his face. There wasn't a hint of a son worried about his dying mother.

Genevieve wore a shimmering mermaid gown, clinging to his arm, the huge pink diamond on her neck refracting blinding light under the spotlights.

She flashed a captivating smile at the cameras, like a queen on her throne.

I stared intently at the screen, then suddenly tightened my grip on the payment slip and turned to leave.

I'd see how much luxury and glamour he was paving for Genevieve with Eleanor's skin and blood.