Rachel’s trembling hand tapped Isabella’s shoulder, snapping her back into the blindingly white hospital corridor.
"Bella... what’s happening? What’s going on? We need to save mom." Her voice was small, but the fear in it was suffocating.
Isabella opened her mouth, ready to explain, to tell her sister her world was collapsing, when her phone buzzed in her hand, startling her. She glanced at the screen to see that it was Mrs. Turner.
Her stomach knotted in guilt. She almost let it go to voicemail, but after the way she left, she knew she needed to answer and explain things to her.
Who knows, she might even pay her ahead so she could use it to sort out things first before thinking of a way to get the full hospital bills.
Inhaling, she answered. "Mrs. Turner, please, I’m—"
"Isabella," her manager’s clipped voice cut her off, "don’t bother coming back. You walked out in the middle of a shift without permission and without soone to oversee things. I can’t have unreliable staff. You’re done here."
"Please, Mrs Turner you don’t understand—my mother—"
"I’m not running a charity, Isabella. Good luck." Without another word, the line went dead.
Isabella’s fingers tightened around her phone until her knuckles ached. She stood frozen, the words you’re done here echoing in her head.
Now she wasn’t just without money but also without her job. What was going on? How could everything be happening so fast and today?
Rachel’s wide, tear-filled eyes searched her face.
"That was your boss, wasn’t it? You... you lost your job?"
Isabella forced her lips into sothing that wasn’t quite a smile. "Don’t worry about that right now."
Rachel shook her head, her voice breaking. "Is this it? Is this how we lose her?" She glanced toward the closed ergency room doors where their mother was being stabilized, her body trembling. "They won’t even do any treatnt on her if we don’t pay. Are we really going to lose her after everything?"
"No." Isabella’s voice was firm, sharper than she intended. "We’re not losing her. Not today. I’ll find a way."
But the truth was pounding in her chest—her job was gone, her savings had vanished, and Ethan... God, Ethan. The betrayal in even thinking his na burned her. How could he do this to her?
Was there perhaps an explanation? What explanation could there be? She’d been to his place two days ago, yet he hadn’t ntioned any of his difficulty to her. He’d even asked her how the wedding plans were going.
She needed to see him. She needed to get answers as soon as possible. She needed to know what it was all about and more than anything, she needed to get her money back.
She stepped aside, dialing Ethan’s number with shaky fingers. The call rang once, then went straight to voicemail. She tried again. And again but the sa result.
Her breathing quickened. She switched to text. [Ethan, call now. It’s urgent.] ssage sent. But seconds passed and there was no reply.
She stared at the phone as if she could will him to answer or even return her call. But nothing.
Her jaw clenched. She needed money now. There was only one person she could think to call.
She scrolled to Chloe’s contact and pressed the green button.
The mont her best friend picked up, Chloe’s warm, familiar voice spilled through. "What’s up babes? Thought you’re not allowed to make calls at work."
Hearing that, a sob escaped Bella’s mouth. "Chloe...." she called weakly as she wiped her tears, telling herself she had to be strong.
Chloe frowned. "Bella? What’s wrong? You sound—"
"Chloe, I need your help." Isabella’s voice cracked despite her effort to stay composed. "It’s Mom. She collapsed. They won’t start surgery without a down paynt. My account... it’s empty. I just need—" She swallowed hard. "I just need enough to get them to operate."
There was a pause, the sound of Chloe inhaling. Isabella knew she wanted to ask about her savings—why they weren’t enough for an initial deposit but Chloe didn’t.
"How much?"
Isabella gave her the figure, sha prickling her skin. She knew Chloe didn’t have enough since she was equally managing but she had no choice.
"Give a few minutes," Chloe said. "I’ll transfer it now."
"Chloe... thank you." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Within minutes, the bank alert ca through. Relief surged through Isabella so fiercely her knees nearly gave out. She hurried to the billing desk and handed over the paynt. The clerk processed it without a flicker of emotion, but when he nodded and called it in, Isabella felt sothing inside her loosen.
She turned to Rachel, who was wiping her face with the cuff of her sweater. "Stay here with Mom. I need to go find Ethan."
Rachel’s brow furrowed. "Bella—"
"I won’t be long, don’t worry." She squeezed her sister’s hand before rushing out of the hospital.
The cab ride to Ethan’s apartnt was silent except for the frantic rhythm of her heart. Every scenario ran through her head—maybe there was an explanation, maybe this was all so insane mistake. She kept telling herself.
But when she reached his building, climbed the three flights of stairs, and knocked, the hallway was quiet. She knocked again. But there was nothing. She tried his line again and when it still went straight to voicemail, she continued knocking.
Was he inside and ignoring her? Was this all a kind of ga to him? Why was he ignoring her? She thought as she kept knocking.
A neighbor stepped out of the next apartnt, glancing at her as though she was insane.
"Looking for Ethan?" he asked.
"Yes, do you know if—"
"He’s gone. Moved out yesterday morning. Said he was traveling. Seed in a hurry. I would mind my business but the way you’re knocking.... so other lady had knocked that way few hours earlier."
The words slamd into her like a fist. "What? What do you an? Traveling, so other lady...."
The neighbor shrugged. "Don’t know. Just telling you what I know."
Her legs felt unsteady as she stumbled back. She pulled out her phone again, dialed him, but it went straight to voicemail. This ti, she didn’t try again. She didn’t need to.
It hit her then—Ethan hadn’t just left. He’d taken everything. Her savings. The house she’d grown up in. The life she thought she was building and he probably did sa to the lady this guy was talking about.
How couldn’t she have seen this? How could she be so blind? What was she going to do now?
In one day, she had lost her job, her money, her ho, and the man she was supposed to marry.
Even if she were to magically find a way to pay in full for her mother’s dical bills, where were they going to return to? What about her sister?
All this had to be one sickening abd terrifying nightmare.
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