They called me worthless, now the beg.

Chapter 1: The Price of Family

Snow fell heavily on New Year's Eve, covering the streets and rooftops in white. While other families gathered around warm tables to celebrate, Ethan Carter stood outside his eldest uncle's gate, shivering in a thin coat with one hand pressed against his chest.

His breathing was uneven, and cold sweat trickled down his temples. He had dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that had weakened his heart, and his doctors had warned him that he needed urgent surgery. Without it, he might not survive much longer.

He had spent most of his savings on medication and hospital bills. With nowhere else to turn, he had come to Richard Carter to collect the one million yuan his uncle had borrowed years ago for his son Daniel's wedding.

Ethan knocked again, his numb fingers barely able to feel the cold metal gate. When Richard finally appeared, he wore a thick coat and looked thoroughly annoyed.

"What are you doing here on New Year's Eve?" Richard demanded. "Can't you see we're busy preparing for the holiday?"

Ethan swallowed, trying to steady his breathing. "Uncle Richard, I need you to repay the one million yuan you borrowed for Daniel's wedding. My condition has worsened, and I need surgery urgently."

Richard's expression changed immediately. "What one million yuan? When did I ever borrow that much money from you?"

Ethan stared at him, stunned by the denial. He remembered how Richard had approached him years ago, complaining that he couldn't afford Daniel's wedding. Ethan had transferred the money without hesitation, trusting his uncle's promise to repay him.

"Uncle, I still have the transfer records," Ethan said, his voice trembling from the cold and the effort of speaking. "You promised to return the money when you could. I'm not asking you for a favor. I just need what's mine to pay for my surgery."

Richard scoffed and stepped closer to the gate. "Your parents are dead, and now you're using that as an excuse to squeeze money out of your relatives? I have my own family to support. Don't expect me to waste my money on you."

"It's not your money I'm asking for," Ethan pleaded, struggling to remain upright. "It's the money you borrowed from me. Please, Uncle, the doctors said I can't afford to wait."

Richard's face darkened. Instead of answering, he turned toward the house and shouted for someone to release the dogs.

Ethan's eyes widened at the sound of barking from the yard. Before he could move away, two large dogs charged toward the gate, snarling and snapping at the air. He stumbled backward, his heart pounding painfully as one lunged close enough to catch the hem of his coat.

He barely managed to regain his balance before a sharp pain tore through his chest. Gripping the wall beside him, he struggled to draw a full breath while Richard watched without offering a hand.

"Get away from my house!" Richard shouted. "Don't come here again asking for money, or you'll regret it!"

The gate slammed shut, leaving Ethan standing in the snow with trembling legs and a burning sense of humiliation. His own uncle had refused to repay a debt and sent dogs after him when he begged for money to save his life.

He wiped the moisture from his face and forced himself to move. He still had another relative who owed him money, and he could not give up when his life depended on it.

His next stop was his fourth uncle, Michael Carter, who had borrowed one and a half million yuan for his business three years earlier. Ethan walked slowly, pausing twice when the pain in his chest became unbearable, but he eventually reached Michael's brightly lit house.

Warm light spilled through the windows, and the smell of freshly prepared food drifted from inside. Ethan knocked and leaned against the wall while he waited.

Michael opened the door, his surprise quickly turning into discomfort when he saw his nephew's pale face and snow-covered coat.

"Ethan, what happened to you?" Michael asked.

"Uncle Michael, I need you to repay the one and a half million yuan you borrowed from me," Ethan replied. "You promised to return it in three months, but three years have passed. I need the money for my surgery."

Michael's wife, Susan, appeared behind him, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. Her expression hardened when she heard the amount.

"One and a half million yuan?" Susan repeated. "Do you know how much money it takes to keep a business running? Your uncle has his own expenses. You can't expect him to hand over that much money just because you've come asking."

Ethan looked past her at the spacious living room and expensive furniture. The family was clearly comfortable, yet they were treating the money he had lent them as though it had never belonged to him.

"I'm not asking for a new loan," he explained, struggling to keep his voice calm. "I'm asking for the money Uncle Michael already owes me. I wouldn't be here if I weren't desperate."

Michael rubbed his forehead and avoided his eyes. "Your aunt and I understand that you're sick, but we can't produce that amount of money at once. Besides, if your condition gets worse and you become disabled, how will you repay anything we give you?"

For a moment, Ethan could not speak. He had come to collect a debt, yet his uncle was talking as if Ethan were asking to borrow more money.

"Uncle, you borrowed it from me," he said quietly. "Why are you talking about repayment as though I'm the one who owes you?"

Susan folded her arms impatiently. "We've already told you we can't help. It's New Year's Eve, and we have enough problems of our own. Go home and rest instead of making things difficult for everyone."

Michael stepped back and reached for the door. "Come back another time, Ethan. We can talk when things are better."

Before Ethan could answer, the door closed.

He stood staring at it, his fingers slowly curling into his palms. The cold had numbed his hands, but the rejection cut deeper than he wanted to admit. He had believed that family meant having someone to turn to when life became unbearable, yet both uncles had shut their doors in his face.

After his parents died, his relatives had approached him one after another, each claiming they needed help to keep the family going. Richard had taken one million yuan for Daniel's wedding. His second aunt, Patricia Carter, had borrowed two million yuan for her daughter Olivia's overseas education, while Michael had taken one and a half million yuan for his business.

Even his cousin James had received eight hundred thousand yuan for overseas studies.

Ethan had agreed to every request because he believed their promises and wanted to honor the family his parents had left behind. He had never imagined that the money he gave so freely would become a reason for them to turn against him when he needed it most.

With his chest aching and his strength fading, he pulled out his phone and called his wife, Vanessa. She was the last person he could turn to, and he still hoped she would care enough to help him find a way through his predicament.

After several rings, she answered.

"What is it, Ethan?" Vanessa asked impatiently. "Why are you calling me now?"

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment, gathering enough strength to speak. "Vanessa, my condition is getting worse. The doctors say I need surgery urgently, but my relatives won't repay the money they owe me. I've tried everything, and I don't know what else to do."

Silence followed, leaving him clutching the phone and waiting for her to ask how he was feeling. When she finally spoke, her voice held none of the concern he had hoped to hear.

"Come home," Vanessa said. "We need to talk."

The call ended before Ethan could ask what was wrong.

He stared at the screen, unsettled by her cold tone. She had not asked about his surgery or even whether he could make it home safely in the snow, but he had nowhere else to go.

Pulling his coat tighter around himself, Ethan began the slow journey home. He still believed that, whatever had happened with his relatives, his wife would at least listen to him, unaware that the conversation waiting for him would shatter the last of his trust.