Psychopath

Ashley’s POV

I almost ignored the call.

Honestly, the last thing I wanted was to speak to anyone. I didn’t have the energy to explain why I was crying, and I certainly wasn’t in the mood to pretend that everything was fine.

I pulled it out of my bag and answered without checking the caller ID.

“Hello, it’s Ashley here.”

“Good afternoon. This is Dr. Hart calling from the hospital.”

I straightened instinctively.

The hospital.

My brother.

Every other thought in my head immediately took a back seat.

“Good afternoon, Doctor.”

“We have some good news. Your brother has finally gotten a bone marrow donor.”

I stopped walking.

“What?”

“A donor has been found, Ashley. We can proceed with the next stage of the process, but there are some financial requirements we need to discuss.”

Hope.

After five years of appointments, tests, waiting, and conversations that seemed to lead nowhere, a donor had finally been found.

My eyes filled with tears again, but this time, they weren’t entirely from sadness.

“Okay, Doctor. That’s good news. That’s really good news.”

“The total cost of the treatment is approximately fifty million dollars . We require a forty per cent deposit before we can begin.”

I stopped breathing.

“Sorry, Doctor. How much?”

“The initial deposit is twenty million.”

Twenty million.

I stood by the roadside, staring at a spot on the pavement as though the answer to all my problems might suddenly appear there.

Where on earth was I supposed to find that kind of money?

I could barely scrape together two thousand five hundred dollars in my account, and even that wasn’t entirely mine. Two thousand dollars belonged to Amy. She had asked me to keep it for her, and I’d agreed because, at the time, I had no reason to imagine that my best friend would be climbing into bed with my boyfriend.

Well, that was a lovely little plot twist life had decided to throw at me.

“Ashley? Are you still there?”

I blinked.

“Yes, Doctor. I’m here.”

“I understand this is a lot to take in.”

“So, the deposit is twenty million dollars?” I asked, just to make sure my ears hadn’t decided to betray me along with everyone else in my life.

“That’s correct. We need the payment within two weeks to retain the donor arrangement and secure the next stage of treatment.”

Two weeks.

Of course.

Because apparently, having a financial crisis wasn’t sufficiently stressful unless there was a deadline attached.

“Okay,” I managed. “I’ll come to the hospital shortly. I’d like to discuss the payment options with you.”

“Of course. I’ll see you when you arrive.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

The call ended.

I lowered my phone and stared at the screen.

Twenty million dollars.

Two weeks.

My brother.

I shut my eyes.

Okay, Ashley. Think.

My mind offered absolutely nothing useful.

Just twenty million dollars repeating itself until it stopped sounding like money and started sounding like a cruel joke.

Josh had helped with my brother’s medical expenses before. Not every time, but enough that I’d grown accustomed to turning to him when things became particularly difficult.

But he helped.

And now?

Now, I had nobody to turn to.

But raising twenty million dollars was not the same as borrowing money to buy lunch.

I could call Josh.

The thought appeared in my mind so quickly that I almost laughed.

Call Josh.

After what had just happened?

What was I supposed to say?

Hi, Josh. Sorry to interrupt your afternoon with my former best friend. Remember how you just told me I’m not good enough to marry? Well, my brother needs twenty million dollars for treatment, and I was wondering if you could help me out financially.

Absolutely not.

I would rather swallow glass.

I couldn’t bear the thought of standing in front of that man and begging him to help save my brother after he’d spent the afternoon making it painfully clear how little he thought of me.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I’m not doing that.”

I flagged down a bus heading towards St. Mike Hospital.

It was about fifteen minutes from Josh’s estate, and I needed to get there before I allowed myself to spiral into a complete breakdown.

First, I would speak to Dr. Hart. Surely, there had to be another option. Instalments, a payment plan, insurance, something. Perhaps the hospital could give us more time.

I climbed into the bus and settled into a seat by the window.

Unfortunately, my mind had decided that a bus ride was the perfect time to hold an emergency meeting.

So, what are you going to do, Ashley?

I stared at the road ahead.

I pressed my lips together.

Are you going to sit around feeling sorry for yourself because your boyfriend cheated on you?

I flinched.

My feelings?

He hadn’t merely hurt my feelings. He’d humiliated me, betrayed me, and treated five years of my life as though they were an embarrassing inconvenience.

Fine. He cheated on you. He said terrible things. Does any of that change what your brother needs?

“No,” I muttered.

The woman sitting beside me turned to look at me.

I glanced back at her.

Fair enough. I probably looked like a psychopath, arguing with myself on public transport.

I lowered my voice.

Exactly. So, what are you going to do?