To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 36

The attending physician pulled up his chart, his expression grave.

"His heart failure is severe. Without a transplant, he won't make it through the month. But even if we try surgery, there's an eighty percent chance he won't survive the operating table."

It was a death sentence, plain and simple.

Elara's heart clenched painfully in her chest.

"Isn't the imported medication working anymore?" she asked, her voice thin.

The doctor shook his head. "He's developed a resistance. It's no longer effective."

Elara felt her nose sting as tears threatened.

Rose, clearly panicking, jumped in. "Please, doctor, there has to be something else you can do! My dad's never had an easy life—he's only just started to catch a break. Let us do our part as children. Please, help us."

The doctor tapped his mouse thoughtfully, mulling over their options.

"There's a newly approved drug called CardioStitch. Early trials have shown promising results, but it requires a monthly injection to sustain the patient's life. The problem is, it's in high demand and only one lab in the country manufactures it. You'll have to apply, wait for a slot, and pay upfront before they even start production."

Rose's voice was barely above a whisper. "How much is each injection?"

"One hundred and twenty thousand dollars."

Rose nearly fainted. She clung to Elara's hand, her own shaking.

"What are we supposed to do? If you divorce Brian, who's going to help pay for Grandpa's treatment? We're being forced out of our house—where will we even live? The compensation is only five grand, not even enough to cover this hospital stay…"

Elara's body was still frail, and now reality slammed into her once again, knocking the breath from her lungs.

In her marriage to Brian, she'd always felt powerless. Either she played the obedient wife, meek and compliant, or she fought back and ended up shattered and bruised.

A flood of emotions crashed over her, threatening to drown her.

Before Rose could finish, Elara collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.

When she came to, Charles's stern voice was echoing in her ears.

"I'm telling you for the last time: if you keep running your wife's health into the ground like this, even if you dig up Hippocrates himself, he'd just shake his head and crawl right back into his grave!"

She opened her eyes and met Charles's gaze.

A flicker of something cold passed through Brian's eyes, and he abandoned the idea of sitting beside her for a heart-to-heart.

"You're still running a fever and soaked in sweat. Do you want to change into fresh clothes?" he asked.

Elara hugged her knees tighter and shook her head.

Brian hesitated, the gentle words he'd prepared catching in his throat.

"There's some Everboil Tonic here—you always liked it. It's still warm. Want some now?"

Elara shook her head again.

Brian ran out of things to say.

The room fell so silent, it was as if even the air had frozen.

"Elara…" His patience snapped. He gripped her shoulders, a little too firmly.

"Can we stop fighting, please?"