Chapter 2

The surgery was a success, and Grandma flew to Europe to finalize the documents for my succession.

But three days later, my incision began bleeding without warning, and I was moved to intensive care.

The hospital called Dad and asked him to come stay with me.

When he answered, I could faintly hear airport announcements in the background.

So they were already back in the country.

“Mr. Lowell, Stella has just undergone surgery, and her condition is unstable. She needs a close relative to remain with her.”

“She really had surgery? She wasn't pretending?” Surprise flickered in his voice.

Autumn cut in at once. “Dad, I looked it up. All they do for a vascular defect is put in a stent. It doesn't cause bleeding. Stella's just trying to get your attention again.”

Dad's surprise quickly turned to contempt. “I knew it couldn't be that serious.”

The nurse's tone sharpened. “Mr. Lowell, the patient's defect involves an artery. She has lost a great deal of blood and is in critical condition.”

“Enough. Stop trying to make her sound pitiful,” he interrupted. “I have work at the company. I don't have time to sit through another one of her performances.”

“If you cannot come, we need you to sign a liability waiver. That will allow us to administer emergency transfusions and arrange a volunteer caregiver if necessary.”

Autumn's delicate voice floated through the phone. “Dad, you can't sign something like that casually. What if the hospital gives her an unqualified caregiver, something happens, and they use the waiver to escape responsibility? Stella is so delicate. How could she possibly manage with a volunteer?”

Then her voice turned wounded.

“If Stella needs blood, I couldn't bear to let you give yours. I can go. She can have all of mine.”

Dad immediately softened. “I won't let you suffer, sweetheart.”

His tone hardened again as he addressed the nurse. “Listen carefully. I will not sign the waiver. I do not consent to any caregiver you assign. If she needs blood, I'll arrange for one of my employees to donate later.”

Beep. Beep. Beep.

He hung up again.

The nurse looked at me helplessly.

Without his signature, the hospital couldn't authorize invasive treatment or even assign me a regular caregiver.

Most of the time, I couldn't sit up on my own to get a drink of water.

When the anesthesia wore off, the incision in my chest hurt so badly that cold sweat drenched my skin.

I gritted my teeth and called Dad again.

“Dad, please... All you have to do is authorize it... Grandma will be back in three days...” The pain made it almost impossible to speak.

Autumn answered.

“Stella, I know you too well. You might be able to fool Dad, but you can't fool me. Stop pretending. Dad's in a meeting.”

“Autumn, I really need someone to look after me...”

“Look after you? You think you deserve that?” Her voice dropped, thick with vicious amusement. “Don't you understand yet? You could die in that hospital and Dad wouldn't care.”

“You idiot. Do you really think he hates you only because of Mom?”

“He's said it himself. You're nothing but garbage taking up space.”

I shook with rage. My vision went black, and the phone slipped from my hand.

I pressed the call button and asked the nurse to contact Grandma's private attorney immediately. “If anything happens to me, sue them for triple damages.”

Autumn wasn't my mother's biological daughter.

Dad had brought her home from an orphanage shortly after he and Mom married.

If the two of them wanted to cling to each other, I had no reason to keep paying for it.