Love My Friends with Benefits

"I was just here this afternoon! She was fine when I left a few hours ago. How can this be?"

I could hear my voice quavering.

The doctor was a little puzzled. "We're not too sure of the exact reason. In fact, the patient's condition has been rather stable over the past few days. What would've caused this sudden deterioration?" The nurse who recognised me came over. "Did you or your family say anything to her?"

"Say something to her? No, of course not!"

I'd just subconsciously denied it when a slender figure suddenly flashed in my mind.

Phoebe!

Could it be that she hadn't just been making an empty threat?

The nurse wrote something down in her notebook and looked at me doubtfully. "Really? That's really odd, then."

I grabbed her. "Did a young lady come here this afternoon?"

"Yeah." The nurse looked bemused and pointed me. "It was you, wasn't it?"

"Someone other than myself!"

I gritted my teeth and yelled.

I probably looked monstrous. The nurse staggered back a few steps, looking shocked. "I don't know either. I haven't been here after making my rounds..."

The doctor said, "We normally have surveillance cameras on in the ICU. You can check with security."

"Got it!"

I glanced at Grandma, who was unconscious and had several tubes plugged into her. I wiped my face and ran towards the elevator.

The elevator door was made of stainless steel and its surface was as flat and shiny as a mirror.

I looked at the door and saw a woman with snot and tears all over her face looking back at me.

It was my reflection.

I wiped my sleeve over my face.

I couldn't cry. At the very least, I couldn't cry in such a dishevelled manner.

When I was still staying with the Jones family, Grandma had always taught me that it was of utmost importance for someone to ensure that they maintained their appearance. I couldn't embarrass myself by crying. It would only make my enemies that much happier.

I pursed my lips and steeled myself, not allowing myself to cry.

On my way to the security room, Aunt Nancy suddenly called me.

I answered and she said, "Queena, come back! There's not enough money to foot your grandmother's bill!"

My world was spinning.

I leaned against the wall, trying my best to stay upright.

Everything was happening at the same time. I grimaced and hung up, heading back upstairs.

Back on the 13th floor, Aunt Nancy threw her arms around me and burst into tears.

"Queena, what are we going to do? What on earth are we going to do?"

I could feel the tears welling up.

However, I couldn't cry. I had to stay strong and handle this.

I calmed down and patted Aunt Nancy on the shoulder. "Let's not panic. Aunt Nancy, do you have your bank card with you?"

"I don't have any money in my account!" She sobbed. "All my money's locked down by a batch of inventory that was delivered two days ago!"

This news made my head spin again.

The doctor stood next to us and took his gloves off, looking awkward. "Your grandmother needs to undergo a coronary bypass operation now and it costs four hundred thousand dollars. If there's not enough money to cover the costs, we can't operate on her."

Four hundred thousand?

This was an astronomical number!

In that instant, I regretted not accepting Leonard's card. However, there was no use in regret.

"Can't we get the operation done first?" I asked anxiously. "I'll go get some money and we'll pay up by tomorrow. Can we do that?"

The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't do anything about it. This is the hospital's policy."

Aunt Nancy wailed.

I gritted my teeth. "Try giving Bell a call!"

I knew that it was highly likely that Bell would not be willing to help. To him, his bond with Grandma was nothing but another business deal.

If it weren't for the fact that we had no other choice, I never would've brought this up.

"Alright!" Aunt Nancy pulled her phone out and called Bell.

"Hello?"

The phone rang for a long while before Bell answered it impatiently.

Aunt Nancy had him on speaker. I could hear that he was somewhere noisy. There was a lot of boisterous laughter and the sounds of people playing poker.

Aunt Nancy wiped her tears. "Bell,

Mum's condition's worsened and et

she needs to undergo an operation. You need to bring four hundred thousand to the hospital now."

"Four hundred thousand dollars?" Bell was displeased. "Do you think I'm made of money? Don't you know that I've already spent tens of thousands on her?"

It was clear from his attitude that he didn't want to cough up.

Aunt Nancy shouted angrily, "Don't think that I don't know how much you lose when you play poker. If you're willing to part with that money, why can't you pay for your mother's hospital bill? Don't you have a conscience?"

"Do it yourself then, since you have one!" Bell snorted, then laughed and said, "Yes, a full house!"

Aunt Nancy's face twisted with rage.

I tugged on her sleeve, reminding her to stay calm.

She took a deep breath and said in a much calmer tone, "Bell, it's only four hundred thousand. I'm sure Mum's life means a lot more to you than that, right?" She'd already gone to such lengths, but Bell didn't bite. "I don't have the time for that! Have you gone deaf, Nancy? Can't you hear that I'm busy with work?" After that, he hung up.

Aunt Nancy swore violently at the busy tone.

The doctor shook his head. "I never would've expected someone to act like this."

Out of options, I asked the doctor, "Doctor, is there really no way for my grandmother to undergo the operation first?"

"I'm sorry, but no." The doctor said, "Maybe you can borrow some from a friend?"

A friend? Where would I find such a rich and powerful friend?

I grimaced and recalled the card that May had stuffed into my hand.

I'd already checked it and knew that it had less than ten thousand dollars.

Every inch of this city was worth something. Each step we took would cost us money.

We were nothing but ordinary, working-class people. There was no way we could save up under such circumstances

The doctor asked, "Don't you have any friends that are especially well-off?"

"No, I..."

I was just about to say no when I suddenly thought of someone.

Leonard!

He lived in such a lavish villa and could afford to throw a million dollars at me without blinking an eye. I was sure that he could afford four hundred thousand!

My heart raced. I hurried off to one end of the corridor and called Leonard.

"What's wrong? Do you miss me?"

After ringing twice, Leonard answered the phone lazily.

I couldn't help bursting into tears. "Leonard, can you come to the hospital now, please? I'm begging you..."

"What's the matter?" His tone changed instantly.

"My grandmother needs to undergo an operation, but we don't have the money for it." I was sobbing so hard that I could barely catch my breath. "Leonard, please, I beg you. Hurry up and come here. She can't hold on for much longer..."