Chapter 4

The pain in my stomach felt like a knife twisting inside.

I clutched my abdomen, trembling even as I breathed.

My stomach problems came from long-term starvation.

These past few years, refusing to bow to them, I'd worked multiple jobs and often ate only one meal a day.

I leaned against a bus stop sign, shaking as I dialed my father's number.

The phone rang for a long time before someone answered. I could hear the TV in the background.

"David..." My voice was so weak I could barely hear it myself. "My stomach hurts really bad. I might not make it. Tell me the password. I need to go to the hospital..."

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

Then my dad's impatient cursing came through.

"Summer, will you ever stop! Pretending to be poor at school during the day, pretending to be sick at night! Do you have to push us to death before you're satisfied!"

My throat tightened, tears instantly streaming down.

"I'm not pretending... it really hurts..."

"Then deal with it!"

My dad cut me off mercilessly.

"Linda said you just want to scam money to go out and party. I'm warning you, don't even think about touching a cent of that money!"

With that, he hung up directly.

Listening to the dial tone on my phone, I felt a chill shoot from my feet to my head, my entire body going cold.

These were my biological parents.

I writhed on the ground in pain, my vision growing increasingly blurred.

I don't know how much time passed before a taxi stopped in front of me.

The driver saw my condition and quickly helped me into the car, rushing me to a nearby hospital.

In the emergency room, the doctor did a preliminary examination, his expression grave.

"Acute gastric perforation. You need surgery immediately. Go pay the five-thousand-dollar deposit first."

Five thousand dollars.

I lay on the hospital bed, in too much pain to even straighten my back.

I grabbed my phone and went through every lending app.

Because I was a student with no stable income, all my credit limits were zero.

I bit my lip and dialed home again.

This time Chloe answered.

"Summer, what's wrong at this late hour? Linda and David are already asleep."

Her voice was sweet and dripping with smugness.

I bit my lip hard, quickly tasting blood in my mouth.

"Put Ethan on the phone."

There was rustling on the other end, then Ethan's voice came through.

"Middle of the night, what are you freaking out about now?"

I took a deep breath, my voice hoarse.

"Ethan, I'm in the hospital. Acute gastric perforation requiring surgery. Tell me the password. I'll pay you back."

Ethan laughed mockingly.

"Gastric perforation? Who are you trying to fool? You were standing in the cafeteria yelling at me this afternoon."

"I'm not lying!"

I got agitated, trembling all over from the pain.

"The doctor says they can't operate without payment. I'm really dying!"

Silence on the other end.

Then my mom's voice came through, thick with annoyance.

"Just tell her! Isn't she just trying to scam money? Tell her the password is Chloe's birthday!"

"Take the money and get lost. Don't call here bothering us again!"

The phone was slammed down.

I stared at the darkened screen, tears silently streaming down.