Nocht

"Mr. Erland, your father's operation will cost $50 million, including hospital fees. And I want to inform you that the operation requires payment in advance."

"50 million dollars? Can I pay in installments, Nurse? I promise I'll pay it off soon, just please operate on my father's leg! His leg must not be amputated!"

"Only if you pay in full, Mr. Erland."

"Please, allow me to pay in installments, Nurse."

"I'm sorry, but our hospital does not offer a credit system.” 

One of the hospital visitors rushed forward and became angry.

"Damn you! This is a high-class hospital, you have to pay in advance, there's no negotiation. If you can't afford it, you should check the hospital's background before bringing your father here. If you're poor, you better take him to a county hospital that receives government subsidies. You're just making a fool of yourself!" 

"Knowing that you are poor, why did you bring him to an elite hospital? Are you trying to act like a rich person? You should know your place. Remember, your father needs a major operation, it's urgent, and you want to pay in installments? Damn you! Your stupidity makes me sick!"

They looked at Erland with hate, whispering and sneering at him. The nurse, seeing this, tried to ask the other people to be quiet.

Erland Colvin ignored the insults. He kept pleading with the hospital staff. Erland held the nurse's hand, trembling, begging for mercy. 

His financial situation was dire. He was just a factory worker with a small salary, not even enough to feed and support his wife. But now his father needed surgery urgently. If not operated on, his father’s leg would have to be amputated.

His father was a dry cake vendor at the small market, and his mother was just a laundry worker. His family was very poor.

"Erland, how is your father? Will he be okay? I'm very worried!" A shabby woman in wet, detergent-smelling clothes came running from a distance. Seeing her appearance, it was clear she had just finished washing clothes. She was his mother. 

"Ma’am, tell your son! He's causing a scene at this hospital by begging the Nurse for mercy. If your family doesn't have the money, it’s better not to get sick at all!"

Windy was silent, looking at the group of women who were staring at her and her son with disdain. Fortunately, the hospital security staff soon arrived and helped calm the situation. 

Erland looked into his mother's eyes, "I'm sorry, Mom, because I'm not a son you can rely on. I can't even help pay for Dad's surgery. The doctor said Dad's leg will be amputated if it's not operated on soon."

Windy closed her lips tightly, holding back her tears. She didn't want to look sad in front of her son. As a parent, Windy felt she had to stay strong to support her son. 

While Windy was busy washing customers' clothes at the laundry, she received news from the hospital that her husband had been in a traffic accident. The driver who hit her husband had fled and refused to take responsibility. 

"Why are you apologizing, Erland? It's not your fault. Let's find another way. I will find a loan."

Erland held his mother's hand to stop her from leaving.

"Where will you find a loan, Mom? From your employer? They won’t help. Or will you borrow from a loan shark? I won’t allow you to do that. Let me handle this. You stay here and take care of Dad."

Without wasting time, Erland left the hospital, taking his scooter from the parking lot. He was going to the Thompson residence, one of the richest families in Sinker City, who were also relatives of his wife.

*** 

A line of Lamborghini cars was parked luxuriously in the yard of the grand house. Many foreign guests kept arriving. The atmosphere was very lively, with bright lights illuminating the scene.

Erland could see the dazzling lights because they were too festive.

It seemed the Thompson family was hosting a big party, and Erland remembered it was his mother-in-law, Mrs. Brenda's birthday.

"Hey, wait! Who allowed you to enter? Mrs. and Mr. Thompson have instructed us to kick you out if we see you coming."

Four security guards stationed at the main entrance blocked Erland's path. They glared at him, their disgust and hatred evident as they looked him up and down. 

Erland's brown shoes were covered in mud. The front of the shoes had been patched with cloth he had sewn himself because they were already damaged.

The pants Erland wore looked shabby and wrinkled, appearing ready to tear with each step. His shirt was just a dirty, black T-shirt covered in coal dust from loading coal into the factory furnace.

"This is my in-laws' house! I can come and go as I please! You can't stop me!"

The four security guards laughed, spitting on Erland's shoes, showing their contempt.

"Erland, you were never recognized as a son-in-law by the Thompson family. Don't brag about coming and going from this mansion as you please. Even Mrs. Brenda and Mr. Edie see you as a beggar."

Erland's fists clenched in anger. These guards dared to speak ill of him. They were just security staff, yet they were so arrogant.

"Why are you looking at us like that? Are you offended? But what we said is true. There's nothing wrong. You are just a poor man lucky enough to marry Miss Ainsley. Miss Ainsley has been sickly since birth, suffering from heart failure and will soon die. That's why the Thompson family married you to her. Miss Ainsley is just a stepdaughter from Mr. Edie's affair. She's a parasite living here and deserves to be thrown out."

Erland's neck veins bulged; his anger had reached its peak. He had endured insults, but when they insulted his beloved wife, Ainsley, he would never forgive them. 

Bang! Two of the four guards received hard punches from Erland. Despite his skinny frame, Erland had enough strength to hit hard. 

"Bastard! How dare you hit us!" The other two guards were about to hit back, surrounding Erland and grabbing his arms.

"Erland! Stop it, what’s going on here?"

The woman who had just arrived and separated them was Anne, his sister-in-law. She was the second child of the Thompson family. Anne was the only one who treated Erland and his wife kindly, like family.

"Who is it, Anne? Why is it so noisy? I'm getting a headache from all this commotion."

Mrs. Brenda followed, accompanied by her husband and their eldest son, Ronald. Ainsley had three siblings.

"Brother-in-law, Mother and Father-in-law, I can explain."

"What do you want to explain to Mrs. Brenda? Madam, look, Mr. Erland suddenly caused a commotion because we didn’t allow him in. He hit us out of frustration. We were just following your order. She instructed us not to let Mr. Erland into the house because of the party."

Erland was shocked. These guards were skilled at twisting the facts. "They’re lying! I just—"

Slap!

 Before Erland could finish, a slap landed on his cheek. His mother-in-law had slapped him. Erland was surprised but used to such treatment. To him, this slap was nothing.

 "Fool! Disrespectful son-in-law! Useless! You only humiliate me! Admit it! You came here to throw dirt on my face, didn’t you? You purposely made the Thompson family a laughingstock by coming in those shabby clothes!"

Mrs. Brenda pointed at Erland’s face as if he were the most disgusting pest.

"Look at you, looking like a beggar! Shabby, smelly, dirty, and poor! What else could you want here if not to beg for money for your sickly wife’s treatment? Did Ainsley send you to beg at the Thompson house?"

Anne held back her mother’s hand, stopping her from hitting Erland again. "That’s enough, Mom. There are many guests watching."

"Don’t stop me, Anne. Let me teach this foolish young man a lesson!"

Erland stood frozen. He hadn’t even voiced his intention to borrow money for his father’s surgery yet, and he was already being berated.

"Erland."

Erland's heart pounded at the sound of the soft, loving voice calling him. The woman looked deeply into his eyes. Erland widened his eyes as he saw her. The woman was wearing a servant's uniform.

Erland was shocked then asked his wife.

"What are you doing here? Didn’t I ask you to rest at home?"