Chapter 8

Chloe rushed to the hospital room but hesitated at the entrance. Inside, her mother lay with closed eyes, hooked up to a breathing machine. Henry, with his back turned to her, was adjusting the IV drip. Chloe could hardly believe the figure in the room was her own father. The last time they met, he was still vibrant. Despite being deceived by friends and plummeting into a deep abyss overnight due to bankruptcy, he remained indomitable. However, the current sight of her father, with a head full of silver hair and shoulders weakened as if on the verge of collapse, was a stark contrast. Hunched over in a chair, he held his wife's hand tightly, his face filled with reluctance. As a breeze came through the window, Henry gently brushed away the stray strands of hair from his wife's forehead, displaying a tender touch. Chloe didn't know how she managed to enter the room. She gazed at her father's frail figure, called out, "Dad." Her voice was soft, tinged with a hint of tremor. Henry turned his head, his movements sluggish. The moment he saw Chloe, his face registered astonishment. "How is mom?" Chloe forced herself to speak through the sorrow as she approached her mother's bedside. Henry recovered from the shock of Chloe's sudden appearance. "She's fine, just too tired." Hearing her father's reassurance, tears welled up in Chloe's eyes. Afraid of waking Lucy, the father and daughter went outside. Henry raised his hand to wipe away the tears on Chloe's face, his own face displaying a smile. "Your mom is really fine; it's just a matter of lacking money," he assured. Chloe's heart tightened, thinking about the phrase she overheard at the nurse's station – 'one million." She said, "Dad, don't worry. I'll figure out a way with the money." Back in the hospital room, Chloe began calculating how much money she could gather. Even with the funds intended for debt repayment, she only had tens of thousands in hand. Suddenly, she remembered the extra fifty thousand she added to the mural design fee for Ethan while working on the bar project. She took out her phone and opened the chat with Elijah. His reply came quickly, "You can transfer the money anytime, but I need to get approval from the boss." "Okay, thanks." Ten minutes later, Elijah sent a Snapchat contact, saying, "The boss said after you add him, speak to him directly." Chloe stared at the contact for a while before finally adding it. The request was swiftly approved. "So, is Aiden not giving you any money to spend?" came Ethan's voice message, sounding light, mocking, and malicious. "This is the money I deserve." Chloe wasn't provoked and calmly typed her response. "Your job isn't finished yet, so you won't get the money," Ethan coldly sneered. "Ethan, don't go too far!" Unable to hold back, Chloe sent a voice message. "Are you in the hospital?" Ethan asked. Chloe froze; how did he know? She replayed her voice message and discovered someone in the background calling for a doctor. Gathering her composure, she began typing, "It's none of your business. The draft has already been given to you. What more do you want?" "There are still modifications needed. Come to the bar, and I'll tell you," said Ethan. Chloe was getting impatient. Ethan could make any excuses if he wanted. It was clear he didn't want to transfer the money now! "I have urgent matters and need this money," Chloe said, suppressing her anger. She sent the messages, but Ethan's reply never came. She sent a few more messages, but it seemed like Ethan had vanished, not bothering to respond to her at all. In the evening, Chloe insisted on escorting her father back home. After ensuring her mother had fallen asleep, she stood up and left the hospital room. As she opened the door, she was momentarily stunned by the sight of the person in front of her. Before she could fully process the situation, Ethan suddenly embraced her tightly!