Chapter 8

Elena pressed on, "I already contacted the insurance agent. They confirmed that up to 70% of Dad's operation costs can be reimbursed, so you don't need to stress about the expenses."

"Elena... your father and I never actually bought that policy," her mother admitted, staring at the floor in shame.

"What? Why didn't you?" Elena asked, panic rising in her voice. "You specifically told me it was taken care of."

Her mother squeezed her hands gently, her eyes filled with regret. "Once we both lost our jobs, money became too tight. We canceled it to cut down on living expenses."

"Mom... was it because of my graduate tuition? Did you sacrifice your insurance just to pay for my studies?" Elena asked, her voice trembling.

"No, no. Elena, don't blame yourself for this," her mother insisted frantically.

Looking at her mother's aged, anxious face, Elena forced herself to snap out of her spiral. I can't collapse now, she told herself. I need to remain calm. "It's alright, Mom. I was just overly anxious a moment ago. Don't worry about the medical bills; I'll figure out a way to cover them."

After comforting her mother, Elena sat down alone on a cold bench in the corridor, her mind racing. The combined costs of hospitalization, the surgery itself, and post-operative recovery added up to a daunting sum—one she was almost terrified to calculate. How was she going to raise that kind of money?

By the next morning, when her father woke up, Elena put on a cheerful front, reassuring her parents that everything was under control. She lied, claiming she had already borrowed the necessary funds from close friends, and urged them to focus solely on his upcoming operation.

Around noon, Mateo hurried into the hospital wing, still looking flushed from rushing over immediately after his shift. "Elena. How is your dad doing?" he asked breathlessly the moment he spotted her.

"Stage two liver cancer," Elena whispered, her eyes brimming with fresh tears.

The moment she saw her friend, her composure crumbled completely. She threw her arms around Mateo and wept uncontrollably.

Understanding how utterly fragile she felt, Mateo gently wrapped his arms around her, patting her back soothingly. "Let it out, Elena. I'm right here with you. You don't have to face this alone."

Releasing all that pent-up anguish made Elena feel noticeably lighter. However, noticing that her tears had left damp marks on Mateo's shirt—knowing full well how much of a germaphobe he was—she offered a sheepish apology: "Mateo, I'm so sorry... I ruined your clothes."

"Don't worry about it. I can easily change when I get home," Mateo dismissed casually.

He then pulled a bank card out of his pocket and pressed it toward her. "This account holds every bit of savings I've built over the past few years. Take it and use it for your father's treatment first."

Elena stared at the card, hesitating to accept it. While her father desperately needed the financial lifeline, taking Mateo's hard-earned life savings felt like a heavy burden.

Noticing her hesitation, Mateo grabbed her hand and firmly closed her fingers around the card. "Take it. We're best friends, and I won't take no for an answer."

"Mateo... thank you so much," Elena said, overwhelmed with gratitude. "I promise I'll pay you back every single cent."

Mateo offered a gentle smile without saying a word. I don't need you to repay me, he thought silently to himself. I just want you to realize that I'm always standing right beside you.

Even with Mateo's generous contribution, the total cost of the surgery remained overwhelming. With the operation scheduled in just a week, Elena spent every waking moment trying to raise additional funds.

Despite her desperate efforts, the money she gathered fell far short of what was needed. As the deadline approached, an overwhelming sense of hopelessness washed over her.

By that afternoon, after a full week of fruitless attempts to secure the remaining funds, Elena felt on the verge of a total mental breakdown. Unable to face her parents in the ward without crying, she sat alone in the long, quiet hospital corridor, utterly consumed by despair.

Just as she was drowning in distress, her phone began to ring. Spotting an unknown number on the screen, Elena clung to the hope that it was one of the financial agencies confirming a loan approval.

Over the past few days, she had reached out to numerous lenders, only to be repeatedly turned down because she possessed no valuable collateral. With a glimmer of expectation, she quickly tapped the screen to answer. "Hello?"

"Good day, Miss," a cheerful voice answered from the line.

"This is Alejandro. Do you remember me? You saved my wife's life back in Chiang Mai. I haven't had the chance to properly express my gratitude," Alejandro explained with evident excitement.

"Oh, hello. Please don't worry about it; it was nothing. I'm just relieved to hear your wife is doing well," Elena replied, genuinely glad to know her past action had borne good fruit, feeling a brief moment of comfort amid her troubles.

"She's recovering wonderfully, but she keeps insisting that we host you. Do you happen to have any free time tonight? We'd love to have you over for dinner at our place," Alejandro offered warmly.

Elena hesitated. She appreciated their sincere gratitude, but given her current predicament, attending a social dinner was out of the question. "I'm deeply honored by your invitation, Mr. Alejandro, but my father is currently hospitalized with a serious illness. I'm afraid I don't have the time or peace of mind to join you right now."

Hearing that her father was in the hospital, Alejandro inquired attentively, "Your father is ill? What seems to be the problem? Please forgive my curiosity, but I have several contacts in the medical field who might be of assistance."

"Thank you so much. His surgery is already scheduled, so the medical arrangements are taken care of," Elena replied politely.

"What about the surgical costs? Are you facing any financial strain? Please don't hesitate to tell me—let us assist you as a small token of gratitude for saving my wife," Alejandro offered gently, anticipating her reluctance to ask for help.