Chapter 2

The queue at the hospital payment counter was very long. I held my bank card, my palm covered with cold sweat.

"Miss, there's insufficient balance in your account. It's still short of 12,000 dollars. Why don't you try another card?" I stood still, looking at my debit card. This was the supplementary card of our joint account. There was still over 30,000 dollars when I checked the account yesterday.

"Did you make a mistake when swiping? There should still be money in it."

"The machine won't make a mistake. There's only 200 dollars left." The cashier impatiently tapped the glass. "There are still people queuing up behind you. Do you want to pay or not?"

"Please wait a moment." I moved aside and took out my phone to check the bank app.

[Your account password has been changed. Please log in again.]

My blood immediately ran cold.

Jeremy had changed the password and transferred the remaining money.

I leaned against the wall of the hospital corridor and called Jeremy. It took a long time for him to answer.

"What is it? "

"Where's the money in the account? "

"I transferred it to my personal account."

"Ariel, since you insist on divorce, we'll have to freeze our finances first."

"My dad's targeted therapy drug needs to be paid for today. Transfer 12,000 dollars to me. I don't want the rest."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Jeremy sneered. "You're pulling this trick again. Ariel, do you think that I'll give in as long as you bring up your dad?"

"I'm not lying." I closed my eyes. "The doctor said his indicators have worsened, and they need to up his medication dosage today."

Jeremy interrupted me, "Enough. You can't keep using your dad's illness to blackmail me. Yesterday, it was about the home in the school district. Today, it's about targeted therapy drugs. You'll even tell lies like this to force me to give in."

Just then, Celia's voice came through the phone. "Jeremy, the investors are all here, come quickly."

"Coming." Then, his voice turned colder when he spoke to me. "Celia's investor roadshow was a success today, and I'm celebrating with her. Don't add to my troubles at a time like this. If you've really come to your senses, come home tomorrow and apologize."

With that said, he hung up.

I stared at the dimmed screen and slowly knelt.

Three years ago, my father had his first surgery. I knelt on the carpet in the study, begging him. He looked condescendingly at me like that too, saying my family was a bottomless pit. That night, clutching the jewelry box my mother had left me, I ran to three jewelry stores and sold all the gold jewelry my parents had given me as part of my dowry.

I thought that would be the last time, but I was still in the same situation three years later.

"Is Jacob Shaw's family here?" A nurse called for me from the end of the corridor.

"Yes." I jumped up and ran over.

"The patient isn't doing so well. The doctor wants to see you in his office."

I followed the nurse into the doctor's office.

The attending physician looked at the report in his hand with a grave expression.

"Ms. Shaw, your father's condition is worse than we expected. The cancer cells show signs of spreading. The current targeted therapy drugs may not be enough. We need to adjust the treatment plan; he may need to be observed in the ICU for a few days."

"Approximately how much will it cost?" I heard my voice grow hoarse.

"Fifty grand as a deposit." The doctor sighed. "Complete the formalities as soon as possible. The patient can't wait."

Fifty grand.

I walked out of the office, looking at the lights in the hospital corridor.

I had no savings left. Every month, my salary was deposited into that joint account as Jeremy requested.

He said married couples should be financially transparent. I believed him, but I was the only one financially transparent in the end; he could withdraw all the money at any time.

I looked down at my left ring finger. Jeremy bought the ring for me when he proposed—a one-carat ring that cost 80,000 dollars.

I walked out of the hospital and found a pawn shop that was still open on the street corner.

The owner examined the ring with a magnifying glass. "The quality is so-so. If you need the money urgently, I can only give you 25,000 dollars at most."

"Okay."

"Aren't you going to discuss this with your family? This is your wedding ring."

"I have no family." I signed the papers, took the cash, and stuffed the pawn ticket into the innermost part of my bag.