Chapter 3

Just then, Harry dropped a message in the family group chat, asking everyone to come to Mercy Memorial Hospital to help out. Gerald's blood type was too rare, though, so no one in the family had a matching type.

Everyone came rushing to the hospital the moment they found out Gerald had been hospitalized after the car accident.

Upon seeing just a few of us standing outside the ER, Jessie Dawson, Harry's sister, asked, "Where's Gemma?"

I looked distressed as I replied, "Gemma went off to watch a play with Brian. She thinks I'm lying and insists I made all this up to trick her into coming back, so she refuses to come to the hospital…"

Jessie flew into a rage upon hearing that. "Has she lost her mind? Does she not know what's more important right now?"

"Don't bring up that worthless child!" Harry was shaking with rage as he took out his blood pressure medication and swallowed a pill. "We're disowning Gemma!"

Our immediate priority at that moment was to save Gerald, so everyone quickly posted the emergency appeal online.

It was then that the nurse rushed over and exclaimed, "We're running out of time! The patient is in critical condition! Do we have the blood yet?"

I instantly panicked. Doreen suddenly passed out after struggling to catch her breath, causing everyone on the scene to become frantic again.

Tricia kept calling people nonstop, while someone from the community group chat was making his way over. "Hang on! I'm coming!"

Just then, the doctor walked out of the ER and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we weren't able to save the patient. We did everything we could."

The man who had just arrived to donate blood went limp and fell to the ground when he heard the news.

Doreen let out a piercing scream, while Harry staggered back a couple of steps before collapsing too.

Everyone in the family was thrown into chaos again.

I stared at my phone, a sense of dread settling over me.

Gerald's face was deathly pale as he lay on the hospital bed, the white sheet covering his abdomen completely soaked in blood.

Doreen lunged forward and hugged his body tightly the moment the sheet was pulled over his face, refusing to let go.

Everyone around broke down in tears as well.

Tricia walked toward me with a deathly pale face, her lips quivering as she managed to whisper, "I'm sorry..."

"You can save your apology, Tricia. I'll be filing a complaint and following it through to the end!" I barked.

Tricia looked utterly pale with distress, while I led the family in pulling Doreen to the side.

Harry finally broke down in tears as the doctor filled out the death certificate for Gerald.

Isaac Dawson, Harry's brother, put his arm around Harry's shoulders and snarled with bloodshot eyes. "We should just throw Gemma out of the family and never let her back in! She actually ignored Gerald's situation and caused this mess!"

I shook my head, feeling defeated. "It's all my fault. I warned her to stay away from Brian, but she brushed me off and thought I was being a nuisance."

Jessie walked up to me and said, "It's not your fault, Simon. Gemma's judgment is totally clouded at the moment! We've always known what Brian is like, which is why we didn't agree to their marriage back then, and look at him now—he's actively being the homewrecker!"

Everyone in the family was fuming with rage, while I knew with absolute clarity that I didn't want Gemma in my life anymore.

It wasn't until two hours later that Gemma called me, seemingly having unblocked me. She sounded insufferably smug as she asked, "What's the matter, Simon? Did your little performance run its course?"

I calmly put the call on speaker and said, "If you have the time, come home and say your final goodbye to Gerald."

"Cut the crap and stop saying that about Gerald!"

"I'm not making this up! You'd better remember that you're the one who caused his death, Gemma!"

Isaac roared, "You ungrateful wretch! You'd better come back right now; otherwise, I'll bring people over to break your damn legs!"

Gemma was caught off guard after hearing that harsh reprimand, leaving her silent for a few seconds.

She reined in her irritation and snapped, "You guys are clearly ganging up on me! What's the point of me going back even if Gerald dies? I'm not a doctor; I can't save him! I'm telling you, Simon—I'm not going back today!"

Gemma hung up again, leaving me feeling totally numb inside.

I inwardly said to myself, "I had already given you a chance, Gemma…"

I saw to it that Gerald was properly dressed for his final rest, then sent a message to Gemma. "Gerald's funeral is in three days. It's up to you whether you show up or not, Gemma."