Chapter 415 Cruel Truth


    ''Sorry!


    You trusted us so much, and we only came here for your heart and your life!


    If there''s a next life, I would do anything for you, Bob. But in this life, I am sorry, '' Anne said in her


    heart.


    Eddy drew his lips in and bit down anxiously as he gazed at Bob''s smiling face. He knew that his


    survival depended all on Bob''s heart.


    Especially since time was a factor.


    Once Bob''s terrible blood disease spread through his body, there would be massive organ failure. So


    far, only his liver and kidney had been affected. While Eddy''s only failing organ was his heart.


    No one knew if one day Bob''s heart would deteriorate. They had to put Bob''s heart into Eddy''s body


    before that happened!


    It was a race against time.


    "Eddy, Aunt Anne! You are finally here. I''ve been waiting for you for a long time. Where are we going


    today?" Bob held Eddy''s hand as he asked so happily, his innocent eyes sparkling.


    The little boy''s sincerity struck at Anne''s conscious causing her eyes to darken briefly from the


    inescapable guilt. She made sure to hide the emotion, stering a smile on her face. "Bob, have you


    had breakfast?" she asked casually.


    Bob bit his lips instead of answering. Anne felt a genuine smile softly pull at her lips. She already knew.


    The hospital didn''t give out meals at this time of day. She quickly whisked Bob and Eddy out to the


    closest restaurant for breakfast.


    While some children might have been disappointed to see only healthy food and nothing greasy on the


    table, Bob spared it no thought and treated it as if precious gold.


    He gulped down the food and Anne felt the stirrings of guilt and sadness once more, her eyes briefly


    darkening. They were determined to have Bob''s heart. So while he could still eat, run and dance, the


    least she could do was to help him enjoy these final happy moments!


    Early that evening, Bob''s mother ran into Anne while visiting. She couldn''t take her eyes off Bob''s


    smiling face. "He''s been so happy since he met you and Eddy. Thank you." She expressed her


    gratitude. It meant everything to her to see him happy so much so that she was willing to overlook the


    other woman''s odd behavior. The elegant woman had brushed aside her appreciation with a shake of


    her head, refusing to ept her gratitude. Even though she found it more than a little strange.


    ''Everyone have their own secrets, stories they couldn''t tell, but it doesn''t mean that it is necessarily a


    bad thing, '' Bob''s mother optimistically thought.


    The mother and son kept up their visits, arriving daily just to see Bob. It was no wonder he soon grew


    attached to the pair and ran around calling them cheerfully. On a few asions, they were


    apanied by another friend, Emily who was great with the boys.


    The day the medical fees were due, Anne went to see Jayson. It was a surprise to Anne when he told


    her that Bob''s family were struggling and had only been able to pay for half of their medical fees!


    Since they had first met Bob, she had yet to see his father. Bob''s mother had always told Anne that he


    was working. Once she had admitted that he didn''t dare to take time off. Still, after all of that effort they


    had only been able to pay half of the medical expenses of this month!


    Anne sighed and pulled out her card to pay the rest of the medical fees. The money might be an


    exorbitant sum for some, but not for her and Kevin. It wasn''t even a drop in the bucket.


    Everyone knew that the Fu Family was extremely rich!


    Bob''s parents were shocked when they were given the good news. The unexpected generosity gave


    them much-needed financial breathing room. They would never be able to show the depths of their


    gratitude but, at the very least they could promise to pay it all back. Anne and Kevin shared a


    meaningful smile. The chances were slim that the parents would ever be able to pay back the amount.


    It didn''t matter though, they didn''tck money.


    However, they worried if the couple would still believe it was out of kindness when they found out they


    needed Bob''s heart.


    Before they knew it, a week had flown by with them in M City. Selma had religiously called them every


    day anxious for news. Kevin had assured her they were working on it but he had been too vague for


    Selma''sfort. She could only helplessly waited as she had to take care of the other two children at


    home.


    However, as quickly as Anne''s and Eddy''s routine with Bob started, it came to an end. One day while


    looking for Bob, Anne unexpectedly came face to face with his parents. The usually warm couple were


    stone cold.


    They had fallen into silence when they saw her and the atmosphere had thickened with tension.


    Anne stared at the couple in confusion. "What''s wrong with you two? What happened? If there''s


    anything, just tell me. I will help you as much as I can."


    Anne immediately thought that the couple''s radical transformation was due to medical expenses.


    Bob''s father gave her a cold look andughed sarcastically. Anne frowned and looked to Bob''s mother


    for an answer only to be met by another cold stare.


    They acted as if she were the enemy!


    Bob sat alone on the bed. He was nervous and was slightly biting his lips as he did when he didn''t


    know what to do. He helplessly stared at Anne at a loss.


    "What''s wrong with you? Did something happen?" Anne tried once again.


    Nothing she said seemed to reach through their imprable cold hearts. The face of Bob''s mother


    hardened further. "Anne, the first time I met you, you took Bob to y. I was anxious but grateful to you.


    You also paid for our medical expenses. Both Bob''s father and I thought that we had been lucky


    enough to meet such a good person like you. But yesterday, we found out that you have other


    intentions!" She spoke the words as if they were acid.


    Anne felt the floor give way beneath her. Suddenly, she realized that everything had gone very wrong.


    She quickly gestured to Emily to take Eddy away. There was no reason for either of them to witness the


    scene that was sure toe. Emily ushered a struggling Eddy out of the ward to safety.


    "Let''s make it clear." Anne soothed trying to cate the upset couple.


    Bob''s mother sneered in answer, "Anne, at this moment, do you dare to say that you have no purpose


    in approaching us? Are you not after Bob''s heart?"


    Anne''s face turned pale at the question. What could she say? There was no reasonable defense for


    what she had done. She had approached the child for the sake of his heart. Anne could never excuse


    that fact but as a mother, there was nothing she would not do to save her child!


    Anne blinked. She had been so careful not to let anything slip that they were interested in Bob''s heart.


    Both, Kevin and her had agreed to gently approach the family about the possibility. ''How did Bob''s


    mother know about it?'' The question popped unwanted into her mind.


    "Anne, what is done by night appears by day. I was so blind that I thought you were a good person. You


    have a big group, and you are rich and powerful. We are just ordinary citizens and can''t defeat you. But


    don''t forget that in the legal society, you can''t control the whole world!


    Let me tell you now. Bob is everything to us. If we have to sell our organs, we will definitely do it to save


    Bob. Even if anything happens to him, we would never donate his heart to your son. Just give up!"


    Bob''s mother emotionally threw at Anne.


    The belief that she had met a good person had shattered only for her to find out it had all been a cruel


    trick!


    It was not something she could easily ept.


    Emotion overwhelmed her until she thought she would never be able to bear it, then came the anger.


    Furious, she picked up the cloth bag on the floor and threw it across the room to Anne. Itnded


    heavily on her shoes. Pain radiated up from Anne''s lower limbs but her brain barely registered the


    sensation. She was numb. The mother''s expression of hurt and betrayal took away all thought.


    "The medical fees you paid for us, here, I am giving it back to you. Treat the rest as payment anything


    else you spent on my son. We never want to see you again. If you dare appear here again, we will call


    the police!" She grew more and more agitated with every word until her once calm voice ended in a


    roar.


    Anne willed herself to look down at the bag to discover that the cloth bag was indeed full of money.


    There was no point in fighting as Anne was bodily pushed out of the ward. The bag of cash followed


    her closely as the door was shut with a m of finality.


    An eternity had passed since Eddy and Emily had left the room to wait for Anne. Neither was happy to


    hear the shouting from inside the room and then to see Anne shoved out the room with no


    consideration. Eddy flung himself at his mother wrapping his small arms tightly around her. Anne felt


    some warmth return to her limbs. Not caring how it might look, she sank to the floor and returned


    Eddy''s embrace.


    Emily gritted her teeth and walked over. She frowned when she saw Anne''s red eyes. The bag caught


    her attention. She knew it didn''t belong to Anne. Curiously, she walked over to see what could be


    inside. She couldn''t hide her gasp at the sight of the money. Surprise gave way to confusion and she


    turned to Anne for answers. "Bob''s parents had run out of money. There shouldn''t have been anything


    left to take out. Where did they get this?"


    That was exactly what Anne wanted to know.


    Hadn''t she heard from Jayson that Bob''s parents had borrowed all the money they could get for Bob''s


    treatment? ''How could they get so much money overnight?'' she mused. It wasn''t a pleasant line of


    thought but, Anne could only conclude that someone had manipted the family.


    "I''m afraid someone did this deliberately." Anne sounded exhausted.


    The sound of footsteps turned their attention to the figures of Kevin and Sam hurrying towards them.


    Kevin slowed down as he reached his wife. It pained him to see her look so defeated. Gently he helped


    Anne to her feet.


    She weakly smiled at him, "I''m fine." she tried tofort him.


    It was clearly a lie. Kevin frowned and looked at the door that was firmly shut behind them.


    Before he got a chance to say anything his phone rang loudly. He briefly considered ignoring it but


    afraid it was important, he apologetically looked at his wife before pulling out his phone. A nce at the


    name on the screen made him wish he had ignored it. Thest thing he wanted to do was answer the


    call but there was no other choice. Kevin felt the beginning of a headache. Reluctantly he answered,


    "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    "I''ve arrived at the hospital in M City. Where can I find the ward? I''ll be right there." Selma''s voice


    carried across the line was strong and sure as ever.


    It was thest thing he expected to hear today. Not once had he thought Selma would actuallye all


    the way to M City.


    It was already a mess. And with Selma''s arrival, there was no telling what would happen.


    Anne''s reaction to the news mirrored his own but she kept quiet. There was nothing to be said that


    could change the situation. Kevin sighed. Selma was already here. Silentmunication passed


    between the husband and wife before Kevin stooped to pick up Eddy and lead his family out to meet up


    with his mother. Emily followed closely behind them. Sam watched them leave in a daze until he


    realized they had left him on his own with a bag full of money! Snatching the bag, he raced to catch up


    with others.


    ''Anne and Kevin might be filthy rich but they still couldn''t just waste money like this. Could they?'' He


    panted to keep up.


    Selma tapped her high-heeled foot in impatience as she waited in the hospital lobby. A wave of anger


    washed over her as she realized Kevin had just hung up on her. It was enough to make her curse. She


    hade all this way just for him. And did she get any gratitude? No, instead he had the audacity to


    hang up on her.


    ''What the hell was Kevin doing? How could he just cut me off?''


    Selma fumed. It was not like she wanted to be here! But, they had been here a week and still they


    hadn''t convinced the boy''s family to donate the heart. So it had be clear to her that she would


    have to sort the matter out for them. Never had she thought that Kevin would treat her with such


    indignity. Just wait, she would set him straight.


    Selma pulled up her son''s contact with every intention of giving him a piece of her mind when she


    spotted him. Selma''s self-righteous indignation deted. She decided to rather let the matter slide for


    now. She speedily made her way towards them leaving a trail of dust in her wake.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "You could have just told me where the ward was. Why did you have toe out to wee me?"


    Selma chided Kevin, not missing a beat as she took her grandson into her arms. She pinched his cute


    little cheek with a smile. "Dear grandson, have you missed me these days?"


    Worryingly, Eddy didn''t answer. His eyes welled up with unshed tears and he buried himself in Selma''s


    arms clinging to her forfort.


    Anxious for answers, Selma looked around their small group and stopped by her daughter-inw


    silently asking her what had happened. Anne gave an awkward smile and pathetically tried to distract


    her, "Mom, why are you here?"


    Selma sighed at the question. The answer was obvious. She wanted the couple to know how


    disappointed she was in their actions this past week. "It''s just to buy a heart, but you dyed it for too


    long. I was anxious, so now I am here to help."


    The corners of Emily''s mouth twitched at Selma''s words. When she realized she could not fight it, she


    helplessly lowered her head to hide it. Emily had a suspicion that Selma''s presence would not help


    their current predicament. If anything it would only exasperate it.


    Not that Emily would ever say it out loud.


    "Now tell me about that child. Have his parents agreed yet? Do they want money or shares? And how


    much?" There was no time to answer as Selma pelted question after question. In her opinion, there


    was nothing in the world that money could not buy. Even a child''s heart. Life was a business


    transaction to her. She believed that sess in anything was only a matter of naming the right price.


    ''How could she so casually discuss a child''s life?'' Kevin stared at his mother in disbelief. The


    realization that only the blunt and honest truth would break through to her, gave him no joy. "Mom, they


    have given everything they have to fight this disease." But they still won''t give up!


    His heart is his life. This is not something that money can buy!"


    Selma''s face visibly tightened as she dug out the point of Kevin''s words. The child''s parents wouldn''t


    sell the child''s heart!