Chapter 3

"Blood! He's coughing up blood!"

The ER doctor heard the commotion and came rushing out with a gurney.

"Move! Get him up!"

"Prep the trauma room!"

"Call the head of nephrology down for a consult, now!"

Hands grabbed me from every side and lifted me onto the gurney.

Blood had already soaked through my hospital gown.

The sight of it stopped Nadia cold, that spreading pool of red.

She took half a step back.

But there wasn't a trace of worry on her face.

Only disgust.

"Warren, you're really something."

"You'd cut yourself open just to squeeze money out of me."

"Did you hide a blood packet in your mouth beforehand?"

"You think a cheap trick like that could fool me?"

She jabbed a finger at the doctor and let loose.

"And your hospital, playing along with his little act. Do you get a cut of it?"

"An hour ago he was fit enough to run home and steal from me."

"Now he's dying?"

"Tell it to someone who'll believe you!"

The doctor pushed the gurney toward the trauma room.

He had no time for Nadia's ranting.

"Heart failure's worsening!"

"O2 sat is dropping!"

"Prep for emergency dialysis!"

The doctor slapped a consent form against Nadia's chest.

"You're the family, right?"

"Sign it. Now!"

"The patient is hemorrhaging. He needs dialysis and a transfusion immediately."

"One minute late and he's dead!"

Nadia held the form and glanced at the estimated cost printed on it.

She let out a cold laugh.

"Dialysis? A transfusion?"

"And imported clotting medication on top of that?"

"Your hospital's just robbing people!"

"Regular dialysis won't do? It has to be emergency dialysis?"

"Other people's husbands get treated for a couple hundred bucks."

"His treatment costs tens of thousands?"

"Does he think he's some rich little prince?"

The doctor was practically hopping with frustration.

"Do you not understand plain words?"

"He's in heart failure! Regular dialysis will kill him!"

"Is money more important right now, or his life?"

Nadia threw the consent form down on the triage desk.

"Money, obviously."

"My money doesn't fall out of the sky either."

"Ivor's anti-rejection meds cost thousands every month."

"And he takes the cheapest domestic ones there are."

"What makes Warren think he deserves imported drugs?"

"Is he even worth it?"

"Let me be clear. I won't pay a single cent."

"If you're going to treat him, treat him with the cheapest option."

"If he dies from it, that's just his bad luck."

Ivor stood off to the side wiping his eyes, then walked over and picked up the form.

"Nadia, don't be like this."

"Money's gone, we can make more."

"Warren only gets one life."

"I know he's always been harsh with me, and he's gone around telling everyone I'm the other man."

"But I can't just stand here and watch him die. Let me pay for it."

He took out his phone, pulled up his account balance, and held it out to the doctor.

"Doctor, I've got fifty thousand and change here. It's money I won on a bet today."

"That should be enough to cover Warren's dialysis, right?"

The doctor snatched the phone.

"Enough, that's enough!"

"Get to the payment window, fast!"

"Family, sign the form!"

"I'd like to see anyone dare."

Nadia snatched Ivor's phone right back.

She shot the doctor a vicious look.

"This money is for Ivor's care. Nobody touches it."

"Didn't Warren steal my gold necklace?"

"That necklace would've pawned for at least twenty thousand."

"Let him use that money to get treated!"

The policewoman was shaking with rage.

"The money from pawning that necklace has already been seized by us as evidence!"

"Nadia, you're not even human!"

"Your husband is in there fighting for his life."

"And you're standing out here haggling over a few thousand?"

Nadia squared her shoulders, completely unbothered.

"I'm a person of principle. One thing at a time."

"He stole. That's a fact. He wants me to sign to save him? Fine."

"Have him sign a confession first."

"He admits to breaking and entering, admits to extortion."

"The moment he signs, I'll sign his consent for dialysis."

"Otherwise, he can lie in there and wait to die."

The trauma room door swung open, and a nurse ran out with blood all over her hands.

"The patient's gone into shock!"

"We're losing his blood pressure!"

"No consent from the family yet? It'll be too late if you don't sign!"

Nadia crossed her arms over her chest.

"What's the rush."

"Take this confession in and have him put his thumbprint on it."

"He prints it, I sign."

The nurse stared at the paper Nadia was holding out.