My son, Leo, was clinging to life in the hospital bed. He grasped his father’s hand and cried: “Daddy, save me! I don’t want to die!” My husband, David King, averted his gaze, claiming he just hadn't raised the twenty thousand dollars for the emergency surgery yet. But the bank statement proved he had wired a full one hundred thousand dollars this past week to an account saved as "My Baby." Confronted by his family, he tearfully confessed: "She told me her daughter was kidnapped while studying abroad. I was just being charitable..." I wrapped my arms around my husband, offering a soothing whisper: "It’s okay. I’ve already notified the doctor... to sign the DNR for our son." 1 "What did you just say?! That's our own flesh and blood!" My husband, David, was stunned. He yelled at me, disbelief twisting his features: "How could you be so heartless! He's only seven! He’s just a child! You’re just going to let him die?" I looked at his crimson face, my own expression unnervingly calm: "Do we have the money for the surgery? Twenty grand." "You just told me yourself that your bank account is practically empty." David shoved me away, falling to his knees and wailing: "But I can't let Leo die!" "It's just money! I'll borrow it, I'll beg, I'll even kneel and plead with the doctors to save my son! Leo is my only boy!" I let out an internal, cold laugh and reminded him: "Borrow? You’ve already burned every bridge. We have outstanding debt to this hospital. We're on a two-hour clock. If the surgery isn't paid for now, Leo is gone." "We'll both have to watch our son die!" Just then, a nurse from the room shouted: "Patient is crashing! Quick, to the OR!" David stumbled up, following the frantic pace of the gurney. He pleaded desperately: "Why the sudden crash? Please, I'm begging you! Save my son!" The nurse shook her head regretfully: "We will do our best to stabilize Leo." "But... without the surgery, his condition could get worse anytime. If we delay beyond two hours, even if we operate, the child may not survive." On the bed, Leo weakly pulled David's sleeve, crying out: "Daddy, save me! I don't want to die!" Hearing my son's desperate cry tore me up inside. But I forced a cold response: "If it comes down to it, sign the DNR." "Our family simply can't afford it." I watched the nurse push Leo into the emergency room. In the hallway, David went ballistic at my ruthless words. He grabbed my arm, shaking me violently, and demanded: "Sarah! Are you even human?" "Saying you'll pull the plug right in front of him! That's our Leo!" "You're trying to murder him!" Seeing David's tortured, desperate look, I had to admit he was putting on a decent show of fatherly anguish. But I knew it was all a lie. I coldly snatched my arm away from him, looked at his repulsive face, and delivered a wide, stinging slap. I pointed right at him and cursed: "You are the reason Leo is in this state, David!" "No money? Your parents liquidated their assets and gave you a hundred grand. To save Leo." "So, where is that money? I'm asking you, where is it? You couldn't spare twenty grand to save Leo?" David clearly hadn't expected me to know the amount. He was dumbfounded. He covered his cheek, his eyes darting away: "The money... I..." Seeing him trying to cover up, I slapped him again. I scoffed: "Because you wired it all to your mistress, didn't you?" 2 "So, when Leo needed it most, you, his father, couldn't spare twenty thousand. And you have the nerve to say I'm killing him? If anything happens to Leo, you, David King, will be the executioner!" David broke down completely, clutching my legs and wailing: "No! I'm Leo's father! I would never want to hurt him!" "Sarah, you’re an only child. Your parents must have money to save Leo. Our family's only male heir cannot be lost!" I felt sick to my stomach hearing that. He gave his son's rescue fund to his side chick, and now he was plotting to drain my parents. Just as I was about to kick him away, my in-laws arrived. My mother-in-law rushed over, grabbing my hand: "What is this? You texted me that the surgery can't happen?" "Leo's health suddenly crashed, but we already sold the house and got the money! A full hundred thousand! Why can't the surgery happen?" I gently pulled my hand away and showed them the documents: "If there was still a hundred thousand, Leo wouldn't be fighting for his life." "The moment the money hit his account, David wired it all out. Now he only has ninety-three cents left. Enough for what surgery?" "Here's the bank statement. See for yourselves!" David stared at me, eyes wide with shock. He never expected me to be this prepared. My in-laws snatched the statement. After two seconds, my mother-in-law was livid. She grabbed David's collar: "Who did you wire it to? Who is more important than my grandson!" David's eyes darted away, stammering: "A college friend." "She said her family ran into trouble with an overseas business deal and needed a loan. I just lent her the hundred thousand." I sneered and jammed my phone into David's chest: "Lent? Then call it back." "That's your son's life savings. The doctor said if he doesn't have the surgery in two hours, Leo dies." David took the phone, his hand trembling, but he wouldn't unlock it. He just stared at me, pleading silently. My father-in-law kicked David in the shoulder and roared: "Call her! What are you paralyzed for? Leo is coding in there! Why are you hesitating! Screw that 'friend,' I want my grandson!" Just as the chaos peaked, the nurse pushed open the ER door. "Patient's family! Patient's family!" We rushed her. The nurse's face was grim: "The prognosis is not good." "His vitals are very poor. The family needs to prepare. If he doesn't have the surgery in the next hour, we won't be able to sustain Leo." My in-laws collapsed. David was paper white. Only I remained lucid. I signed the consent form for the prognosis: "When the time is up, you can remove the mask." "We can't afford the surgery. We have to let Leo go." My mother-in-law lunged at me: "That's my grandson! How could you be so cruel!" "Are you even his mother? How can you talk about pulling the plug? The King family relies on a single male line! You're destroying our heritage!" I didn't waste time on her. I tilted my chin toward David on the floor: "Me?" "Your son wired the medical fund to some pathetic friend, and now he refuses to call it back. He's the father who is personally killing his son!" My in-laws turned their fury back on David. Just then, a woman jogged down the corridor: Vivian May. The woman David had saved in his phone as 'Baby.' She looked frantic, exquisitely dressed, clutching a high-end designer bag. She rushed up to David, crying: "David, the kidnappers raised the price!" "The hundred thousand wasn't enough, send me another twenty thousand! Quick!" 3 David instinctively tried to hide, frantically pushing Vivian away: "What hundred thousand? I don't know you!" "Don't shout that! Get lost, or I'm calling security!" Vivian refused to leave. She grabbed David and hugged him publicly, declaring her love: "David, I'm not leaving!" "Nicole and I are waiting for your money. We can't live without you!" My in-laws finally understood everything. They grabbed Vivian's arm, demanding the money back: "David, who is this woman?" "This is the slut who stole my grandson's life money, right? Give it back! You stole my grandson's money! Pay it back now, or I swear I'll kill you!" Vivian staggered back but didn't look angry. She drew herself up, pulled a photo from her bag, and played the victim: "Ma'am, I'm Vivian May. David only loves me. I'm no slut." "My daughter, Nicole, and David's child, was kidnapped while studying abroad. The local gang wants a ransom. I had no choice but to ask David for money. We thought a hundred grand was enough, but they suddenly raised the price by twenty thousand." "You don't just have Leo. You have Nicole, too! Look at the picture. Isn't Nicole adorable?" Vivian shot a triumphant look at me. I barely blinked. Vivian was a fool. She didn't understand what truly mattered to my mother-in-law! Vivian held her chin high, intending to use Nicole to force the Kings to accept her. Suddenly, my mother-in-law slapped the photo across Vivian's face. She spat, then slapped her again, cursing mercilessly: "You piece of trash! Claiming that picture is my son's baby!" "Even if she is, a girl! Can she compare to my grandson? Shameless! Seducing a married man and having a cheap daughter! And now you hijack my grandson's medical funds! Pay it back, or I'll end you!" Vivian covered her face, horrified that David's mother was such a rigid traditionalist. She knelt down, begging David to take her side: "David, say something!" "You promised me! Nicole is the most important! We only need twenty thousand more! Give me the money!" My father-in-law kicked David in the back again: "You bastard! If you dare save that illegitimate child, I'll disown you!" "Get the money back! Leo is your only son!" While David was paralyzed by indecision, Vivian's phone rang. She looked at the number, panicked, and tried to stand up to take the call. I snatched her phone and put it on speaker. On the other end, a frantic man's voice spoke: "Vivian, it's a disaster." "Nicole really has been taken. The kidnappers are demanding twenty thousand now, or they're going to send her home in a box!" The color drained from Vivian's face. She collapsed against the corridor wall. Coincidentally, the nurse opened the ER door again. "It's worse! Leo's condition has worsened again!" "He needs surgery immediately! Do you have the money or not? It's just twenty thousand! It's the child's life!" The family dissolved into complete chaos. David was at his breaking point, torn between his son and his mistress’s daughter. I let out a cold laugh, looking at the weeping David: "My parents just texted me. They wired twenty thousand into your account." "They sold off the family land for that. Go pay for Leo's surgery! Your son is waiting!" As David reached for the card, Vivian grabbed his hand, clutching the photo, and wailed: "David, save Nicole!" "We were living abroad with no status for you! You promised to protect us! This money has to save Nicole!" I pulled out my phone and played a recording of Leo. The tiny, painful voice: "Daddy, save me! Daddy, save me!" David looked devastated. My in-laws screamed: "Save Leo! He's a boy! Our only heir!" The nurse urged him to pay. David looked at Vivian's red eyes and Nicole's sweet smile in the photo. He made his choice: "Save... Nicole first." Even though I knew what was coming, hearing my husband choose his illegitimate daughter over his own son's life choked me. The vows, the promises—they were all worthless! But before anyone could react, the ER door opened. A miraculously stable Leo stood safely in the doorway: "Daddy, you don't want me anymore." 4 Leo's face was cold, his eyes fixed on David, utterly calm: "Daddy, you don't want me anymore." "I don't want you either." David froze. He couldn't believe Leo was standing there, having heard everything. He stumbled forward, trying to hug Leo. Leo dodged him instantly, hiding behind me: "Go away! I don't want you as my dad!" "Don't you have Nicole now? Leo isn't your only baby anymore. Daddy, you abandoned me!" Leo was still small. He started crying sadly. David was helpless, stammering an explanation: "I... Daddy was desperate." "Daddy didn't know you were okay. I..." Leo buried himself deeper into my arms. I shielded him and snapped: "Stop it!" "Whether Leo was okay or not, you weren't going to save him! You chose to save your mistress’s daughter instead of your son. David King, do you still think you qualify as a father?" "David, I gave you two chances! There won't be a third!" My in-laws breathed a huge sigh of relief. My mother-in-law reached out to touch Leo's head. Leo quickly avoided her and shouted: "No Grandma and Grandpa! I only want Mom!" "Mommy..." My father-in-law pleaded: "Leo, I'm Grandpa! Give Grandpa a hug!" Leo ignored them. When my father-in-law tried to force a hug, I blocked him: "Do you really think Leo is so naive he doesn't understand? You talk about loving him. Do you love Leo the person, or do you love the male heir? You know the answer." "And you two were right here when I put the card in David's hand. Did you stop him? Did you try to prevent his decision? You had the strength to slap him, but when it mattered, you just stood there?" Leo, who had been silent, acted again. He struggled out of my arms, grabbed the transforming toy David had given him, and hurled it at David. He sobbed: "Go away, you bad guy!" "I don't want your presents anymore. You said Mom and I were your most important. Only bad guys lie! I never want to see you again! Why didn't you save me, Dad?" "Leo called for you so many times, why didn't you save me?" David stood there, taking the hit to his forehead without flinching. He managed a pathetic, resentful smile and looked at me: "Sarah, you orchestrated this whole elaborate trap to fool our family." "Are you satisfied now? You got what you wanted?" I scoffed. David had the nerve to ask that? "Fooled? You started it, David King!" "When I was pregnant, you claimed 'business trips.' Weren't you secretly seeing Vivian overseas every day? When our son had a fever, you claimed 'working late.' Weren't you celebrating your illegitimate daughter's birthday?" "David, how dare you speak to me in that tone?" David looked disgraced but tried to defend himself: "But still, you shouldn't have used Leo's safety in such an elaborate scheme!" I almost burst out laughing at David's delusional attempt to shift blame. I tilted my head and waved at the group of people walking toward us: "You're right. It was a great idea. I should thank Vivian for the inspiration." "After all, you gave me the inspiration, didn't you?"
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