Chapter 2

I tore through the hospital and caught up with the visiting surgeon by the elevators.

She had her suitcase with her, and she didn’t look happy.

“Sir, it’s not that I don’t want to save your grandson. The hospital says you haven’t paid. I can’t exactly perform the surgery for free.”

I grabbed the handle of her suitcase and refused to let go, tears streaming down my face.

“Doctor, please. Give us one more chance. I’ll pay right now. This time I’ll transfer the money directly so there’s a record of it.”

She hesitated, then glanced at her watch.

“My flight leaves in an hour and a half. If you can get everything sorted out before then, I’ll cancel it and stay.”

I thanked her over and over, then turned and ran for the hospital cashier’s desk.

On the way, I called Ryan.

“Ryan, send me your bank information. I’ll transfer the money straight to you, and you can pay the hospital yourself.”

His voice shook.

“Dad, I thought there was no money on your card.”

“There is! Something’s wrong with the hospital’s system. I’m transferring it to you now. As soon as you get it, go pay the hospital. I’m heading there too.”

I hung up, opened my banking app, and transferred everything I had left.

I had a little over sixteen thousand dollars in my account. I borrowed another four thousand from relatives and sent the full twenty thousand to Ryan.

I took screenshots and saved the transaction confirmation.

This time, I had proof.

By the time I reached the cashier’s desk, I was gasping for breath.

I slapped a hand against the counter.

“My son’s coming to pay right now. Please don’t cancel the surgery!”

The billing clerk looked up.

It was the same man from yesterday.

He sighed helplessly.

“Sir, there’s still no payment showing on your grandson’s account. Our system…”

“I know, I know. We’re not using my card this time. My son is going to pay with his own.”

Just then, Ryan called.

“Dad, how much did you send?”

“Twenty thousand. Did you get it?”

I heard him checking his phone.

Then he let out a breath of relief.

“Yeah. I got it.

“I’m coming to pay right now.”

Even the billing clerk seemed relieved.

“Good. Have him come over as soon as possible.”

Ten minutes later, Ryan arrived.

I hurried him to the counter.

He handed over his card.

The billing clerk ran it.

A second later, he frowned.

“The card was declined. Do you have another one?”

Ryan froze.

Then his face twisted with anger as he turned on me.

“Dad, how long are you going to keep this up? You’re the one who said you transferred the money, and now you’re lying to me too?”

I stared at him.

“But you just said you received it.”

Ryan’s anger only grew.

“That money came from Lina’s old unit! It was death benefits meant for the family of one of their fallen service members. It had nothing to do with you!”

With that, he shoved past me and hurried back toward Ben’s room.

Panic surged through me.

I grabbed the billing clerk by the arm.

“There has to be something wrong!

“You just watched me transfer the money to my son. How can his card be declined when I just sent him twenty thousand dollars?”

His expression hardened as he stood.

“Sir, if you keep causing trouble, I’m calling the police.”

“Good! Call them! Let them see what kind of hospital loses money that’s supposed to save a child’s life!”

The police arrived quickly.

First, they tried to calm me down.

Then they checked the hospital’s payment records. With my permission, they also contacted the bank to verify my recent transactions.

It didn’t take long for them to reach a conclusion.

“Sir, you must be mistaken. There are no recent transfers from your account.”

I stared at them.

That was impossible.

One of the officers continued, “The hospital isn’t pressing charges over the disturbance, but you need to stop causing problems here. Right now, you should focus on getting the money together for your grandson’s surgery.”

My legs gave out beneath me.

How could that be?

Where had my money gone?

Ryan came rushing over when he heard what had happened.

The second he saw me, his expression darkened.

“Dad! Can you please stop making things worse?

“Ben is sick. I already can’t eat or sleep, and now I have to deal with this too?

“If I hadn’t donated all my savings, I wouldn’t even need you to help pay for the surgery! If you keep acting like this, I don’t even want you as my dad anymore!”

In a panic, I grabbed his hand.

“Ryan, I’m not making this up!

“I really transferred that money! When have I ever lied to you?”

For a split second, he hesitated.

Then the anger returned.

“Who am I supposed to believe, you or the system?

“Forget it. Ever since Mom died, you’ve been acting stranger and stranger. I’ll figure this out myself. I don’t need your help anymore.”

Ryan was the son I’d treasured more than anything my entire life.

Hearing him say he didn’t need me anymore shattered something inside me.

I grabbed him and pulled him toward the exit.

“Cash.

“We’ll withdraw cash and pay with that. There’s no way anything can go wrong this time!”