All Chapters of Not Worth a Dime—Until It Was His Dad: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"And make sure you book the best private suite," my husband, Bruce Bradford, added. "One with a private bathroom and sitting area. It will be easier for us to take care of Dad, and he'll have some peace."He scrolled through photos of the VIP suites at Syliaeihill Central Hospital on his phone, speaking as though he were discussing the most ordinary thing in the world."Okay." My voice was calm, almost unnaturally so.I turned my attention back to my phone and pulled up the profile of Dr. William Underwood, the nation's leading hepatologist.Beneath his name was a simple status update: [7 patients ahead of you. Please wait.]By now, I had been on that waiting list for seven days.Ever since my dad had quietly left for his hometown, I had refused to give up my place.A week ago, I accompanied him to the hospital to collect the results of his follow-up tests. Inside the small examination room, the doctor pointed to a darkened area on the CT scan."It's early-stage cirrhosis," he

Bruce's phone had practically become a hotline to his mother. He called her at least three times a day, showering her with concern and reassurance."Mom, don't panic. I'm having someone prepare Dad's room right now. It will be the finest VIP suite in the entire hospital.""I bought a ton of imported supplements. Tell Dad not to skimp on them.""Tell Dad not to worry about money at all. I've got plenty. Even if I have to sell everything I own, I'll find a way to get him better."His voice carried across the room. Standing nearby, I felt sickened by the irony.When my dad had left, Bruce hadn't said a single word to stop him. If anything, he'd been relieved that Jack had left his entire life savings behind.But now that his own dad was sick, Bruce was willing to sell everything we owned to save him. Apparently, some lives were simply worth more to him than others....That evening, his sister, Lindsey Bradford, came over carrying a basket of fruit.The moment she walked through

Bruce whipped around, his eyes widening in shock. "What did you just say?""I said," I repeated slowly, making sure he heard every word, "Dr. Underwood's consultation next Monday is registered under my dad's name.""Are you out of your mind?" Bruce grabbed my arm, his fingers digging so hard into my skin that I winced. "How can you be this selfish? My dad needs that appointment to save his life! How could you give it to your dad?""Selfish?" I yanked my arm free and let out a cold, humorless laugh. "Who's the selfish one here, Bruce? When my dad was diagnosed, you called his treatment a bottomless pit that would leave us with nothing."But when your dad got sick, you demanded the best specialist in the country. Did you ever ask how many sleepless nights I spent trying to get that appointment? Did you ask how many people I had to beg for help?"No. You just sat back and waited for me to hand you everything I'd worked for. Then you could turn around and tell your dad what a devoted

For a moment, the entire apartment fell silent.I could already imagine the shock and outrage on Joanne's face as Bruce's accusation sank in.Sure enough, a heartbeat later, the bedroom door flew open.Joanne stormed inside, pointing a finger at me, her whole body shaking with anger. "How could you do something like this? Do you have no conscience?"Bruce treats you like a queen, and this is how you repay him? You took a life-saving appointment and gave it to your own dad? Do you even care about this marriage? Do you care about Thomas and me at all?"Her accusations came one after another, but I didn't respond.I simply looked at her in silence before glancing past her at Thomas, whose expression was equally grim.The three of them stood before me like a jury delivering a verdict. Somehow, I had become a criminal who had committed an unforgivable offense."Joanne, take a breath." I waited until she finally paused to catch her breath. "Yes, Bruce asked me to find a specialist. B

Jack was startled by the sudden commotion and instinctively clutched my hand. I gently patted the back of his hand to reassure him before turning an icy stare on Bruce."Watch your mouth, Bruce! The registration information is right there in the hospital system. If you don't believe me, ask Dr. Underwood to check."William frowned, clearly disgusted by the scene unfolding in his consultation room. He opened the registration details on his computer, scanned the screen, and then looked up at Bruce."The patient registered in our system is Jack Reese," he said evenly. "The Social Security information matches as well."The color drained from Bruce's face. He had probably assumed I was foolish enough to register the appointment under Thomas's name and then try to pull a switch at the last second."That's impossible!" he shouted, losing his mind. "She must have used some underhanded trick!""Sir, please leave," William said, his voice low and stern. "If you continue causing a disturban