Chapter 4

The pain in my stomach felt like a knife stirring inside me.

I clutched my belly, hurting so badly that even my breathing trembled.

My stomach illness had come from years of going hungry.

Over the past few years, in order not to bow my head to them, I worked part-time jobs desperately and often ate only one meal a day.

I leaned against a bus stop sign and dialed my dad’s number with shaking hands.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered, and the sound of the TV came through.

“Dad...” My voice was so weak it was almost inaudible. “My stomach hurts so badly, and I might not make it, so tell me the PIN because I need to go to the hospital...”

The other end of the line went quiet for two seconds.

Then my dad’s impatient scolding came through.

“Emma, are you done or not? You pretended to be poor at school during the day, and now you’re pretending to be sick at night! Will you only be satisfied if you drive us to death?”

My throat tightened, and my tears fell instantly.

“I’m not pretending to be sick... It really hurts...”

“If it hurts, then endure it!”

My dad cut me off without mercy.

“Your mom said you’re just trying to scam money so you can fool around outside. I’m warning you, don’t even think about touching a single cent on that card!”

After saying that, he hung up directly.

Listening to the beeping from my phone, I felt a chill rush from the soles of my feet to the top of my head, and all the blood in my body went cold.

These were my biological parents.

I was in so much pain that I rolled on the ground, and my vision grew more and more blurry.

I did not know how long passed before a taxi stopped in front of me.

The driver saw something was wrong with me, quickly helped me into the car, and took me to a nearby hospital.

In the emergency room, the doctor gave me a preliminary exam, and his face looked very grave.

“Acute gastric perforation, so you need surgery immediately. Go pay a five-thousand-dollar deposit first.”

Five thousand.

I lay on the hospital bed, in so much pain that I could not even straighten my back.

I held my phone and searched through every loan app I had.

Because I was a student without stable income, every credit limit was zero.

I gritted my teeth and dialed the home number again.

This time, Chloe answered.

“Emma, what is it this late? Mom and Dad are already asleep.”

Her voice was sweet and delicate, with an indescribable smugness.

I bit my lip hard, and soon tasted blood in my mouth.

“Put Tyler on the phone.”

There was a rustling sound from the other end, then Tyler’s voice rang out.

“It’s the middle of the night, so what are you freaking out about now?”

I took a deep breath, my voice hoarse.

“Tyler, I’m at the hospital, and I need surgery for an acute gastric perforation. Tell me the PIN, and count it as me borrowing it from you.”

Tyler scoffed.

“Gastric perforation? Who are you trying to fool? Weren’t you still standing and yelling at me in the cafeteria this afternoon?”

“I’m not lying to you!”

I panicked all at once, trembling from the pain.

“The doctor said they can’t operate if I don’t pay, and I’m really about to die!”

The other end of the phone went silent for a moment.

Then my mom’s voice came through, thick with impatience.

“Give it to her, give it to her! Isn’t she just trying to scam money? Tell her the PIN is Chloe’s birthday!”

“Take the money and get lost, and don’t call back to bother us again!”

The call was hung up violently.

I stared at the dark screen, and tears silently streamed down my face.