Episode 125
And don’t forget about the old woman in the hospital. If her health deteriorates, the medical costs alone could ruin Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth attempted to rise, but her legs refused to cooperate, leaving her feeling utterly helpless.
The weighty shadows of her family’s expectations stretched over her like a dark cloud, chasing her relentlessly. No matter how far she fled, she couldn’t shake them off, couldn’t truly break free.
With a heavy heart, she collapsed back onto the floor and relayed the circumstances to her lawyer.
The lawyer affirmed that the amount of nine hundred thousand dollars was justified, under the circumstances.
Yet, all Elizabeth had was an advance of eight hundred thousand from her recent acting gig, an exception made by Soren who, knowing of her recent divorce, wished to ease her financial strain.
Pushing for more would risk making her come across as greedy.
The possibility of borrowing crossed her mind, yet the only potential lender was Camille, who, amid her own familial turmoil, was unlikely to have funds to spare.
After a long, hard thought, Elizabeth resolved to depend solely on herself. With a gritty determination, she hoisted herself up, changed into her most empowering outfit, and ventured outside.
She navigated the process of obtaining a credit card with swift precision, withdrew a substantial sum of cash, and merged it with her advance payment, just reaching the amount needed to appease Oliver’s demands.
Anxious to avoid any hitches, she contacted her lawyer immediately upon exiting the bank, urging him to expedite the transfer process of the old apartment.
Oliver, perhaps sensing her urgency, cooperated without fuss, facilitating the legalities swiftly.
Yet, it was only when she firmly grasped the deed to the property, her name freshly inked across the document, that Elizabeth allowed herself a moment of hard-earned peace.
Life had a way of dumping everything at her feet all at the same time.
Just as she was unlocking her front door, Elizabeth’s phone rang sharply with a call from the hospital where Gracie was being treated.
“Ms. Elizabeth, I’m afraid your grandmother’s condition has deteriorated significantly. We need to transfer her to the ICU immediately and revise her treatment protocol. Unfortunately, this will also mean an increase in costs. Could you please come to the hospital as soon as possible to discuss these changes and arrange for the payment?”
For Elizabeth, it felt like a cruel reminder that life’s unforeseen challenges could easily outstrip her every effort to stay ahead.
Without wasting a moment, Elizabeth hurriedly changed her outfit and rushed to the hospital.
She found Gracie lying in her hospital bed, a mere shadow of her former self, surrounded by a maze of tubes and beeping monitors.
Having been raised by her grandmother, Elizabeth’s bond with Gracie was deeper than any other.
Memories flooded back to her of simpler times—times when Gracie would treat her to ice cream outings. As they enjoyed their sweet treats, a young Elizabeth would promise, with earnest eyes, to one day take her grandmother to lavish restaurants and beautiful, far-off places.
Now, standing by her bed, Elizabeth clutched at those cherished memories of them together—Gracie’s warm hand in hers, their shadows stretching behind them under a golden sunset.
Yet here they were; her promises unfulfilled as Gracie lay confined to a hospital bed, far from the joyous days Elizabeth had once envisioned for them.
