Chapter 3

I rushed into the emergency room and saw Megan standing outside the resuscitation room, scrolling on her phone.

"Where's Oliver?"

She looked up. Her expression first flashed with panic, then she immediately raised her eyebrows. "And you still have the nerve to show up?"

"I asked where Oliver is!"

"He's inside being resuscitated!" She shoved me and said sharply, "You only give me $2,000 a month, the mortgage is $3,500, kindergarten is $1,500, and with what's left, I don't even dare walk into a mall! Oliver's starving every day, so how could he not faint?"

Several family members turned to look.

"Two thousand?" I stared at her. "I send $12,000 every month."

"$12,000?" Megan sneered, shoving her phone almost into my face. "Look for yourself!"

On the screen were her transfer records: March 15, received 2000.00. April 15, received 2000.00. Every single month was two thousand.

"I sent $12,000," I repeated.

"Luke, are you even human?" Her voice suddenly cracked with tears. "Our son is in there, life or death unknown, and you're not thinking about raising money, you're standing here settling accounts with me?

Yes, I'm poor, yes, I'm useless, but every bite I saved went to the child! And you? You're out there living it up, tossing me $2,000 a month, and now you want to deny it?"

Someone raised their phone.

I held back my anger. This was exactly how it had been in my previous life. The video went online, and I was cursed as a piece of trash.

"Let's talk after Oliver comes out."

"Talk about what?" She wiped her face. "The doctor said he needs to stay at least half a month, and that's $50,000. Transfer the money now."

"I'll pay. But I want to know first why $12,000 turns into $2,000 when it gets to you."

"You're still making excuses—"

The doors to the resuscitation room opened. A doctor came out with a grave expression.

"The child is temporarily stable, but the malnutrition is severe, and there is heart muscle damage. He must be hospitalized for treatment." He looked at Megan. "Has the child often been dizzy and weak before? You parents have been far too careless."

Tears instantly welled up in Megan's eyes. "I have to work and take care of him all by myself... His father only gives me $2,000 a month, so I don't even dare buy much meat..."

The doctor glanced at me with a look as if he were looking at something filthy. He said nothing and turned to leave.

A nurse wheeled Oliver out. The child was so thin he looked unrecognizable, and when he saw me, he called out softly, "Daddy."

"Yeah, Daddy's here."

"I'm hungry." He blinked, then added in an even softer voice, "Mom says meat is too expensive, so we can't eat it every day."

I turned to look at Megan.

She was bending over to tuck the blanket around Oliver, her fingers clenched white, and she did not dare look at me.