Finally, the divorce was happening. After all these years of being trapped in this situation, both in this life and the last, I was finally going to break free. I was about to pull out my phone to question Yvette about her delay when my phone rang.

“Athlete Yates?” A shaky voice came through. “The condition of the patient in bed 11 suddenly worsened, and he’s going into surgery. You need to come to the hospital right away.”

My heart clenched, my mind spinning. “Okay, I’m on my way.”

I rushed to the hospital, my thoughts a jumble. I couldn’t help but send a quick message to Kenny.

When I arrived at the hospital, the Eights were still in the operating room, and Uncle Benjamin was just a door away. Soon after, Kenny showed up and put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Oven, don’t jump to conclusions. Heart disease isn’t as scary as it seems, and medical technology has come a long way,” he reassured me.

“Kenny, he’s the best family I have left. I just started feeling what it’s like to have one. I don’t want to lose my uncle,” I hugged him to hold back my tears, but the memory of his death in my past life flooded back. I knew how he had passed, but it was shortly after my wedding anniversary. It won’t happen again. Betheshook his head. “You’re here with him now, so he’s going to pull through. Heaven won’t let good people…”

No, Tate had been especially cruel to me. In my past life, every person who showed me kindness ended up dying. I didn’t have medical skills; I couldn’t save Uncle Benjamin.

The overwhelming feeling of helplessness surrounded me. I felt like I was trapped in a small, dark box, suffocating. Suddenly, my phone rang. I looked at the screen—Yvette.

I stepped into the stairwell to take the call. Her voice, seething with barely contained fury, echoed through the phone. “Wen, are you playing games with me?”

I could imagine her barely contained rage. “Did you go to city hall? I have something urgent… on my end. Sorry, but—”

Before I could finish, Yvette cut me off, her voice sharp. “What urgent business could you possibly have? You’re the one who wanted the divorce, and I agreed. Now you’re making excuses, trying to play games. What game are you trying to pull?”

I opened my mouth to explain, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about Uncle Benjamin. Yvette never trusted me; if I told her, she’d think I was making excuses. Plus, since I married Bell, I had cut off contact with my mom’s family. She had no idea I even had an uncle. My voice was hollow as I said, “Let’s reschedule. I really can’t today. I’m sorry.” She snapped dismissively and hung up without saying anything about rescheduling.

I dragged myself back to the waiting area outside the operating room, slumping into a chair. Kenny had messaged me earlier, offering to get me some food, but I’d turned him down. Turning off my phone, I stared blankly at the red light above the surgery doors, my defenses slowly crumbling.

A doctor from the operating room approached. “The patient’s condition is still critical. Please be prepared for the worst. You’ll need to sign the notice of critical condition first. But don’t worry, we’ll do everything we can to save him.”

Critical condition?

My heart stopped for a second. Trembling, I signed the paper. “Okay, I’ll go pay. Please, save him.”

The doctor kindly reminded me, “The surgery costs are quite high. You’ll need to come up with at least 120 thousand dollars. Be prepared.”

“Okay, thank you.” I cursed myself for not divorcing Yvette sooner. If I had, I could’ve had the money to pay for Uncle Benjamin’s treatment.

I had 20 thousand, but I still needed another 100 thousand. I immediately called Kenny, who transferred a thousand without hesitation, but I needed 10 thousand more.

I opened my phone’s contacts and scrolled through. I didn’t have many people to call; moving here, I hadn’t contacted many in ages, and those with whom I had a mere superficial connection. I was left with two choices—my dad and Yvette, the two people I wanted to avoid most.

I leaned against the wall, weighing the options. Calling my dad would mean a lecture, and there was a very real chance he wouldn’t give me any money. Yvette, who I had just been arguing with about the divorce, would definitely ridicule me, making it even harder to reconcile things with her later.

I decided to call my dad.

The phone rang for a while before he answered, sounding annoyed. “What is it?”

“Dad, I need to borrow some money—just 100 thousand, please. It’s urgent. It’s a life-or-death situation.”

“No, I don’t have any,” he snapped and was about to hang up.

“Dad,” I tried to stop him. “Please, if it’s really for something urgent, I’ll pay you back. Just please lend it to me.”

“Quit making noise. You’ve already married that girl, Yvette! Why call me? You’re just a waste. All you do is ask for money. What are you good for?” He hung up.

The line went dead, and I stood there, stunned, as the phone beeped with the busy signal. He’d just rejected a request for money without even asking who it was for. He didn’t care. It was for Uncle Benjamin, and he was in danger. He just coldly hung up.

I felt a wave of despair. Why did I still expect anything from blood relatives? I had seen it coming, but the spur of hopelessness overwhelmed me. I clenched my fist and was about to call Yvette when I suddenly felt someone grab my arm.

I turned—Lila, wearing a simple dress, her features delicate, her skin fair. Her eyes sparkled with a gentle smile. As soon as she saw me, there was a knowing, reassuring calmness in her gaze. “Ligthiense, OuZIL.”

Lila, wanting to help immediately and silently, stated, “Ment, l’es hack.” Lila, and the power she possessed, took care of the entire surgery bill. “Haury? That’s noble of…”

My throat tightened as I looked at the receipt in my hand—sufficient funds, more than I’d asked her for. Tears instantly filled my eyes as I clutched the receipt, looking up at her. “Why did you come back so quickly?”

Lila, as always, swooped in like a savior, pulling me into a hug. “I just decided to come back. How would I know you’d be in need of my help? And besides, weren’t you going to welcome me back!”

I was glad to see her, of course, but I didn’t want to get caught up in an entanglement with her. Unlike Yvette, I owed a lot to Lila.