THE SON-IN-LAW THEY LEFT TO DIE

Johnson Harford laid weakly on the hospital bed staring blankly at the white ceiling above him. 

His body felt numb from the waist down and every little movement sent a painful sting through his spine. 

The door opened and a Middle-aged doctor stepped in. 

“Mr. Harford, we need to talk”.

The serious expression on the doctor’s face made Johnson uneasy.

“What is it, doctor?” Johnson asked nervously. 

The doctor folded his hands together.

“You were brought here three days ago after suffering a spinal cord injury. We already explained that you need immediate surgery.”

Johnson swallowed hard. 

“But unfortunately, since you were admitted here, no payment has been made for the surgery. We have tried to wait because your condition was critical, but we cannot delay any longer. If the surgery is not performed within the next three hours…”

He paused briefly before adding, “I am sorry, but you will never walk again for the rest of your life.”

Johnson’s eyes widened instantly. His breathing became heavier. 

He will never walk again? For someone who was already considered useless with both of his legs, what will become of him if he becomes paralyzed?

The doctor straightened, “I advise you contact your relatives to make the payment immediately. This is very urgent”. 

After saying that, the doctor walked out of the room quietly. 

The room became silent again and memories of what happened three days ago replayed in Johnson’s head. 

That afternoon had been raining heavily, he and his wife Bethany were crossing the road after leaving the supermarket. 

When suddenly, a speeding car lost control and rushed toward them. Everything happened too fast. Without thinking, he pushed her away with all his strength. 

She escaped unharmed. But Johnson himself was not lucky —the car slammed directly into him sending him unconscious. 

When he woke up in the hospital later that night, the doctor explained that he had injured his spinal cord and needed an urgent surgery. 

Bethany had cried endlessly beside his bed. 

“Don’t worry, Johnson,” she told him holding his hand tightly. “I will go fetch the money and make the payment immediately,” she had promised before leaving the hospital.

But she never returned. 

For three whole days Johnson had called her line countless times but there was no response. 

At first, he’d thought maybe she was searching desperately for money. But then he instantly recalled how wealthy his wife’s family was. Twenty thousand was change for her.

“What if something happened to her after she left the hospital that day?” he thought dreadfully. 

Johnson quickly grabbed his phone from the bedside drawer with shaky hands.

He dialed her number again.

“Please pick up, Bethany,” he prayed silently. 

The phone rang but there was no response. He called a second time, but still no answer. 

His heart was beginning to beat faster as he dialed the line for the third time, and to his surprise— someone answered.

Johnson’s eyes brightened immediately.

“Bethany!” he said quickly. “Bethany, are you okay? I have been worried sick! Where are you?”

But the voice that answered was not Bethany’s. Instead, a cold sharp voice pierced through the phone.

“Why won’t you just die quietly in that hospital instead of disturbing my daughter?”

Johnson froze immediately.

His expression fell.

“Mum?”

It was Mrs. Clifford, his mother-in-law.

The woman who hated him simply because he was married to her daughter. She didn’t have any single respect for him because he was poor.

For the three years Johnson and Bethany had been married, her family never truly accepted him. To them, he was nothing more than a useless live-in son-in-law who depended on their daughter.

Johnson endured their insults for Bethany’s sake.

But right now, hearing that hateful voice nearly crushed him.

“Mum Please,” Johnson said weakly, “I need to speak to Bethany.”

Mrs. Clifford laughed mockingly from the other side of the phone.

“What for?” she sneered. “Are you trying to beg my daughter for money again like you’ve been doing these past three years?”

Johnson clenched his teeth painfully.

“That’s not it.”

“Oh really?” she said coldly. “Then what do you want from her this time?”

Johnson’s breathing became heavier.

“It’s urgent,” he said desperately. “The doctor said if my surgery isn’t done within three hours, I’ll remain paralyzed for the rest of my life.”

There was a brief silence.

Johnson thought her heart had softened a little. But instead, Mrs. Clifford only scoffed.

“And how exactly is that my daughter’s problem?”

Johnson’s face turned pale.

“M-Mum…”

“Aren’t you a man?” she snapped angrily. “Handle your own problems and stop clinging to my daughter!”

Johnson clenched the bedsheet tightly.

Mrs. Clifford continued mercilessly.

“Before the accident, you already couldn’t use your legs properly to find a decent job. So what difference does it make now if you become paralyzed?”

Her cruel words stabbed directly into Johnson’s chest.

For three years he had endured endless insults from her. But this time it hurt differently because he was helpless.

His grip on the phone weakened.

“Please…” he begged softly. “Just let me talk to Bethany.”

But Mrs. Clifford ignored him completely.

“You should stop bothering her,” she said sharply. “My daughter is busy.”

Johnson frowned weakly.

“Busy?”

“Yes,” she replied proudly. “Busy preparing for her wedding ceremony tomorrow.”

The words exploded inside Johnson’s head like thunder.

Johnson’s heart nearly stopped.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

“…What?”

Mrs. Clifford spoke slowly, almost proudly.

“My daughter finally realized what a useless burden you are. She is getting married tomorrow to a real man. A wealthy man. Someone useful. Not a burden like you.”

His entire body froze instantly.

His lips trembled violently. “No… no… that’s impossible.”

“Believe whatever you want,” Mrs. Clifford replied carelessly. “But stop calling her. You have already wasted three years of her life.”

She spat coldly and ended the call.