Chapter 4

"Can I pay in installments?" Victoria mustered up the courage to ask.

The staff member at the payment window wasn't having it. With a cold expression, as if they'd seen plenty of people like Victoria before. "We're a private hospital, we don't do credit. Either transfer to another hospital or hurry up and get the money."

"Are you paying or not? If not, stop blocking the spot. We're all waiting here."

The people queuing behind her rolled their eyes and complained, "If you don't have money, why even come to the hospital? Wouldn't it be cheaper to just carry him home and wait for him to die?"

Victoria lifted her eyelids slightly, apologized, and stepped away from the payment window.

She had few friends—borrowing money wasn't realistic.

The only person who could help her was Martin.

She called him. He didn't answer.

Victoria sent a message: [Very important matter, please answer the phone, Mr. Collins.]

This was the first time she'd addressed him this way.

First call, no answer. Second, third—still no answer.

Victoria's world was already falling apart inside, but she kept dialing without giving up.

On the 30th call.

Martin suddenly picked up. His first words stabbed straight into Victoria's heart, "Are you dying?"

She froze for half a second. How did he know she was dying?

Had he investigated? Did he still care about her?

"What makes Mr. Collins say that?" Victoria suppressed her joy.

A cold laugh came through the phone, "Your voice sounds pretty strong—looks like you're not dying yet. Call me again when you actually need someone to collect your body."

Victoria's budding joy was instantly extinguished, but now wasn't the time to worry about such nonsense.

"Mr. Collins, lend me five million dollars. My dad was in a car accident and urgently needs money."

"To delay the divorce, you're even making up stories about your dad being in an accident?"

"Mr. Collins can check."

"I'm not that bored. This must be karma for you shamelessly dragging your feet on the divorce!"

Martin's cold, contemptuous voice stabbed into Victoria's heart like a knife.

The call was abruptly disconnected.

Outside the operating room.

Victoria walked over with her thin back straight, looking dazed.

Aria rushed over, asking urgently, "Did you pay?"

Victoria looked at Hayden lying on the gurney, his face aged, his graying hair stained red with blood.

She watched him cry, and he watched her cry.

"What's going on? Say something!"

"I'll figure out the money somehow."

"If there's not enough money, ask your husband. Where's Martin?" Aria was first stunned, then demanded.

Victoria pressed her lips together. Even though Martin had hurt her so much, if she wanted to get money from him, she couldn't let things get too ugly. "He's busy."

Clearly, Aria wasn't buying it. Her face went pale with anger, and she snorted coldly several times, "Your husband is getting more and more full of himself."

Aria pulled out her phone and called Martin herself, saying with a forced smile. "Martin, busy with work?"

"You need something?" Martin's voice on the phone was lazily perfunctory.

The smile on Aria's face stiffened, but for Hayden's medical expenses, she played dumb and asked, "When I was taking your dad for a walk today, he got hit by a big truck. It's pretty serious. Can you spare some time to come see him?"

"I'm an orphan. How would I have a dad?"

Hayden's voice carried mockery beneath a light laugh.

Aria's prejudice, suppressed for so many years, finally exploded, "Martin, what do you mean by that? Isn't your father-in-law your dad? He's been in an accident—shouldn't you show up? The Gonzalez family fed you, housed you, paid for your education, raised you, and married our precious daughter to you. Is this how you repay us? And you want to divorce Victoria—you're completely heartless..."

"I have something to do. Hanging up."

With that casual remark, the call disconnected.

Victoria hadn't expected Martin to refuse even Aria any face. Aria trembled with rage, crying and wiping her tears with her hand.

Just as Victoria was about to comfort her, she received a solid slap from Aria. The slap left her dizzy and disoriented, unable to see clearly around her.