Realizing there was no hope of borrowing money from his mother-in-law, Kayson pulled out his phone and called a classmate.
"Hello? Hello? Is that Leo? It's me, Kayson."
"My mom's unconscious. I need money badly. Can you lend me some?"
"I'll pay you back ten times over. If you ever need anything from me, I'll move heaven and earth to help you. Please."
Kayson spoke hoarsely into the phone, tears streaming down his face.
Men only cry when their hearts are truly broken.
At an Audi dealership:
Leo stood next to a brand-new red Audi, holding his phone.
"What? Your mom's in the hospital again? When did this happen?"
Kayson urged him anxiously, "Do you have the money? I need it right now. She needs surgery."
"I'll give you ten times the interest! I swear I will."
"Anything you need in the future, I'll do it no matter what!"
Leo laughed coldly.
"Need help from you? You're so broke you can't even feed yourself, running around begging for money. You think I need help from you?"
"You're the one begging me. Get that straight."
"I have money, but I'm not lending a cent to a loser like you."
"You're not worth it."
Leo hung up and finalized his new car purchase.
He smirked to himself.
The class reunion was coming up, and he didn't want to look poor in front of the others.
Kayson then called his uncle.
"Hello?" his uncle answered roughly.
Through tears, Kayson said, "Mom's dying! Can you lend me $20,000 first?"
He didn't dare ask for too much.
If he asked for $50,000, he'd scare the man off. Better start small.
His uncle snarled, "She's that old. What's the point in treating her? You're an idiot."
"You're just throwing money down the drain. Just plan her funeral. Why bother?"
Click!
The line went dead.
Kayson gritted his teeth in rage.
His mother was still alive in the hospital. How could they just give up?
I won't accept this! I won't!
He called his aunt next. "Aunt, Mom's in the hospital —"
"What's that got to do with me? Every time you call, it's nothing but bad news!"
"You're useless, and you're ruining everyone's life! Don't call me again!"
Click!
Kayson tried calling back to beg, but only got a busy signal.
He'd been blocked.
Trembling, he dialed the last number he could think of — his wife.
He hoped she would lend him the money.
The call connected. Kayson opened his mouth:
"Sophia, I —"
Click!
She didn't even listen.
She hung up immediately.
Every door was closed to him.
Earlier, Kayson had already taken out every loan he could with his ID, maxed out every line of credit.
He had nowhere left to turn.
The tears on his face turned cold, like frost.
Just as Kayson sank into despair, his phone rang.
His face lit up.
Surely someone had taken pity on him.
Whoever lends me the money, he thought, I will repay them for the rest of my life.
He answered excitedly. A cold female voice came from the other end:
"This is Aster City General Hospital. Pay the bill immediately."
"Don't say we didn't warn you. If you don't pay, you take full responsibility."
Click!
Kayson smiled bitterly.
Sweating heavily, he ran toward the hospital.
His mother was dying, alone, with no one to care for her.
And he still had no money.
She wasn't his birth mother, but his adoptive mother — and she had raised him with all her love.
She was on the brink of death.
Time was running out.
Kayson ran faster, his mind filled with the image of his mother's pained, suffering face.
Bam!
He crashed straight into something.
"Sorry!" Stunned, his forehead bleeding, Kayson apologized immediately.
"Sorry? A sorry isn't enough," a cold voice hissed.
"Huh?"
Kayson slowly looked up.
He hadn't run into a person — he'd hit a car parked by the road.
Luckily, only his forehead was cut open; the car was unharmed.
He pressed the bleeding wound and quickly wiped the car clean, ready to leave.
Then a man stepped around from the side of the vehicle.
Kayson knew him.
His name was Ryan.
Ryan was the young master of the powerful Lee family in Aster City.
The family had held contracts with Skyline Group for years, with assets over $30 million.
Not huge, but comfortably wealthy.
"Kayson?" Ryan lit a cigarette slowly, took a drag, and looked at him with contempt.
"You pathetic loser. How much does your mom need in the hospital?"
Kayson knew Ryan had been chasing Sophia for a long time.
But he didn't care about pride anymore. He held up five fingers.
"I need $50,000."
His voice was loud, desperate.
"Fifty thousand. I'll give it to you." Ryan exhaled a cloud of smoke directly into Kayson's face.
He opened his bag, pulled out five stacks of cash, and tossed them carelessly onto the ground.
Kayson trembled with relief and knelt to pick up the money.
A shiny leather shoe stomped down on the bills.
Kayson looked up.
"You said you'd give it to me. Why —"
Ryan flipped his styled hair back.
"I'll be honest. This $50,000 is for you to leave Sophia."
"Divorce her, and the money is yours."
"Plus, I'll give you more. Enough for your mom's surgery and good aftercare. Total of $500,000."
"Someone like you will never earn that much in your whole life. It's a fortune."
"Besides, the Sullivans will kick you out tomorrow anyway. Divorcing now costs you nothing."
"Know your place. You're not good enough for Sophia."
"Take the money. I'm recording this. Say it. Say you'll divorce Sophia. Say it!" Ryan demanded.
Kayson's hand froze mid-reach.
He was still clutching two stacks of cash.
He knew this money could save his mother.
He needed it more than anything.
And yet…
He stood up and threw the money directly at Ryan's face.
"Go to hell! I'm not that desperate! You think this can break me?"
"I'll sell my kidney! Keep your dirty money!"
The cash slapped Ryan across the face.
Furious, Ryan punched Kayson hard in the face.
Blood gushed from his nose.
Kayson fell to the ground, his face swelling badly.
He struggled to his feet, ready to fight.
Just then, his phone rang again — the hospital, urging him over and over.
Mom!
Kayson ran toward Aster City General Hospital like a madman.
Ryan stared at the money on the ground, grinding his teeth.
"Kayson! You loser! You worthless trash!"
"You don't deserve to live! I'll make you regret this!"
He picked up the cash and got into his car.
At Aster City General Hospital:
"Doctor! Doctor!" Kayson burst into the ward.
The doctor glanced at him coldly.
"What is wrong with you? The patient needs emergency surgery. Where have you been running?"
Kayson wiped the blood from his mouth.
"Doctor, please operate on my mom first. The money will be here, I promise."
The doctor rolled his eyes.
"I can't approve that. Talk to the hospital director."
"I'm just a surgeon. I handle operations, nothing else."
Kayson looked at his unconscious mother on the bed.
He knew he had no way to reach the director.
And time was already too late.
He shouted, "I'll sell my kidney! My kidney is worth $50,000, right?!"
The doctor turned to him. "Sell your kidney?"
"Yes! I'll sell my kidney!" Kayson said urgently.
The doctor called the director on his phone, then turned back to Kayson.
"Prepare for surgery in the internal medicine operating room."
Sweating profusely, Kayson ran to the unit, pounding his chest.
"I'm selling my kidney! And I want my mother's surgery done at the same time!"