And

een the stuff of my nightmares, but today, i

at didn't smell of mildew and neglect, brought a wave

the monitors, the running

ain to Mr. Knight that his "rescue" came with a

ney could buy. They gave her medication, and the feveri

the results shortly," the nu

nce. And the silence always dr

ital ceiling was spinning. I was screaming, but n

sister? Where

curtain identical to this one

is father," she'd

but a bolt of pain

gurney next to me. They we

ispered to the ceiling.

ominos beg

ital bills from before the accident, th

arlier; I'd dropped out of college

llars of our family, and the deb

me, Ellie, and a stack

ssed against my side, yankin

, a steady weight grounding me, as if

he back of my hand, trying to

od at the foot of the bed, his posture impecca

. "I'll pay back every cent. I swear. I

med to suck the air from the room, leaving it thick and he

ght me completely off guard. "And why are you cari

a's hair. My heart ham

He had no idea I

aight, clinging to what little dignity I had left.

uldn't tell if it was a flicker of pity or just the det

perate for the job," he comm

at from her fever was beginning to dampen her li

l behind. And when he and my mother died, I lost what was left. Now I

eyes, holdin

to breathe. I didn't go there for som

my side. "That your son would be there, o

s if weighing each of my wo

oesn't approach strangers. He rarely expre

h my sister. He's just a little boy. Maybe he sensed how scar

ed to satisfy

eturned, cha

e, but Luca grabbed my hand with surprising

. "I need to hear what the doctor has to say about

lips, I felt Damien's glare b

s son false hope, but it was the

and the room felt heav

chart. What she said next didn't just stop the

s, something that required immediate treatment, compl

start the medication protocol," s

barely managed to a

e was a

The first-line medications are costly, bu

ve way benea

on't start now? Wh

he truth hurt more than the

are low. This can progr

s when

o the death sentence our poverty had just handed her. Unc

heard fo

horitative

room again. He didn't even look at m

do I

tried to speak,

tely ignored me, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Just

nned silence as he signed away the bill that was,

urying my face in his neck as I cried fr

lifted my gaze to the man who had just saved me

t out. I swear. I'll pay you

blue eyes holding no

Because you're goi

me, so potent i

ob back. The nigh

p toward him, extending my hand in gratitude. "Tha

retched hand. I snatched it back,

choing in the small room. "The

ed, con

ight of his words crushed the air from my l