Ethan knew that already. It was one of the reasons he had considered expanding his business here.
The opportunities were endless.
"Well, whatever business it is you're interested in, you better have deep pockets," the driver said with a laugh. "Real estate prices here are brutal. You could buy a whole neighborhood in so smaller city for the price of a single penthouse here."
Ethan knew that, too. But he wasn't worried. If he decided to expand to Silicon City, he'd make sure it was worth every penny.
Riley, however, wasn't focused on business. Her eyes flickered between the view outside and her phone, waiting for another ssage from Oliver.
The closer they got to the hospital, the tighter her grip on her phone beca.
Ethan noticed. He reached over and gently squeezed her hand.
"Hey," he said softly. "It'll be okay."
She looked at him, her lips parting as if to say sothing, but no words ca out. Instead, she simply nodded, her fingers curling around his.
The taxi continued weaving through the city streets, passing high-end boutiques, five-star restaurants, and sleek office buildings.
Despite its overwhelming size, there was a strange familiarity to it for Riley.
But right now, none of that mattered.
The only thing on her mind was her mother.
"We're almost there," the driver announced, turning onto a street lined with trees and modern-looking buildings.
In the distance, a large white building ca into view.
Trinity Hospital.
Riley's breath hitched.
She straightened in her seat, her fingers tightening around her phone. Ethan felt the shift in her posture and gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.
The taxi pulled up to the hospital's entrance, and before Ethan could even reach for the door to open it, Riley had already unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door.
"Thanks," she called to the driver over her shoulder before stepping out.
He sighed.
As he stepped out of the taxi, he saw Riley already walking toward the entrance, her pace quick, her shoulders tense.
Ethan didn't say anything. He simply caught up to her, walking beside her in silence.
The hospital slled of antiseptic and freshly cleaned floors, the air cold with the kind of sterility that always made people uneasy.
As soon as Riley and Ethan stepped inside, she wasted no ti heading toward the front desk.
The receptionist, a woman in her mid-thirties with glasses perched on her nose, glanced up from her computer.
"How can I help you?" she asked politely.
Riley took a sharp breath before speaking. "I'm looking for my mother, Miriam Cliff. My brother, Oliver, is already here."
The receptionist typed sothing into her computer, her expression neutral as she scanned the information on the screen.
Then, she picked up the phone on her desk and dialed a number.
"Hello, Oliver? Your sister is here to see your mother." She pressed a button, putting the call on speaker.
"Riley?" Oliver's voice ca through, sounding both relieved and exhausted.
"Yeah, I'm here," she answered quickly. "We're at the front desk. What room is she in?"
"Room 407," Oliver replied. "Dad and I are here with the doctor. Just co up."
The receptionist nodded, confirming the room number, and gestured toward the elevators. "Fourth floor. Take a left when you exit the elevator, and it'll be down the hall."
Riley didn't wait for anything else. She turned on her heel and hurried toward the stairs instead, her urgency making her choose speed over convenience.
Ethan sighed but followed, though at a much more controlled pace.
"Riley, slow down," he called after her, but she was already halfway up.
She barely heard him. Her heart pounded as she climbed, her thoughts racing.
'Please be okay. Please be okay.'
By the ti she reached the fourth floor, her chest was rising and falling rapidly, more from nerves than exertion.
She scanned the hallway quickly until her eyes landed on the door marked 407. Without hesitation, she grasped the handle and pushed it open.
Inside, the first thing she saw was her mother lying on the hospital bed, connected to several tubes and a heart monitor that beeped rhythmically in the background.
The sight of her — so fragile, so still — made Riley freeze in place.
The second thing she noticed was her father and Oliver standing near the bed, speaking with a doctor. When she entered, all eyes turned to her.
Her father, a man in his early fifties with graying hair and tired eyes, took a step forward. "Riley."
"Dad," she breathed, and then her gaze darted to Oliver.
He looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes, his usually neat appearance slightly disheveled.
Ethan finally caught up, stepping in behind her and shutting the door gently. He didn't say anything, rely observing the room, taking in the tension that hung thick in the air.
Riley swallowed the lump in her throat and stepped forward. "What... what's going on? What did the doctors say?"
The doctor, a middle-aged man with glasses and a calm but professional expression, cleared his throat.
"Your mother has been diagnosed with an advanced stage of pulmonary fibrosis. It's a progressive disease, and unfortunately, the only effective treatnt at this point is a lung transplant."
Riley felt her stomach drop. "A transplant?"
"Yes," the doctor confird. "It's an expensive procedure, costing roughly six hundred thousand dollars, including pre-surgery care, the operation itself, and post-surgery recovery."
The number hit Riley like a slap to the face. Six hundred thousand?
"We… we have insurance," she said weakly, looking between her father and Oliver.
Her father shook his head grimly. "Insurance only covers a portion. Nowhere near enough."
"And the hospital — "
"The hospital requires full paynt before they can proceed," Oliver interrupted, his voice bitter. "They have too many patients on waiting lists. They won't prioritize soone who hasn't paid."
Riley felt lightheaded. This wasn't just bad — it was devastating.
Her eyes moved to her mother again.
She was unconscious, her chest rising and falling weakly. She looked so much smaller than Riley rembered.
Ethan, still quiet, finally stepped forward. "Is there a paynt plan?"
The doctor hesitated. "Unfortunately, no. The demand for organ transplants is high, and the hospital needs to ensure funding before proceeding."
Ethan nodded slowly, taking in the information.
Riley felt her knees go weak, and she grabbed onto the edge of the bed for support. "So what are we supposed to do?" she whispered.
Her father sighed heavily, rubbing a hand down his face. "We've been trying to find a way, but the money… it's just too much."
Oliver clenched his fists. " and Dad been reaching out to different places, seeing if there are any charities or grants that could help, but even if we find sothing, it won't cover everything. We don't have that kind of money, Riley."
Riley's vision blurred with tears. Was this really happening? Was she about to lose her mother because of money?
She didn't want to… it was too much, Her mother had been with her since she was young… she couldn't lose her just because she didn't have enough money.
She thought about the foreman, maybe she could ask him to help her, but nobody would lend out that kind of money even if it was for an important reason.
If she asked Ethan, even if he was a multi-millionaire… She didn't want him to think that she was after his money.
A warm hand touched her back, pushing her out of her thoughts.
Ethan.
He didn't say anything at first, just offered quiet support. Then, after a mont, he spoke.
"I'll cover it."
Silence.
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