I turned to look at the doctor and let out a sigh. “Doctor, other than bone marrow transplant, is there any other method?”
The man shook his head. “Our technology isn’t that advanced now, so there’s no alternative. Besides, the success rate of a bone marrow transplant is only around eighty percent, not one hundred percent. The child’s leukemia is likely an inherited disease, which means either her father or mother carries the gene of leukemia.”
“No! That’s impossible!” Sasha’s mother shouted in a croaky voice. “Both my husband and I have no blood disease, and the same goes for my daughter. How can Renee get it?”
The doctor’s forehead puckered. “It could be her father who has the gene. Nevertheless, the incidence rate of this disease is low. Even if one carries the gene, the disease won’t manifest unless there’re external triggers.”
Immediately, the woman fell silent. I continued talking to the doctor to get a better understanding of the child’s condition.
Stepping out of the doctor’s office, Sasha’s mother suddenly knelt before me, sobbing while pleading, “Mrs. Fuller, I beg you. Please help my granddaughter. Now that Sasha has passed away, Renee is our only hope now. She’s only four and has never seen the outside world before. Life has been cruel to her. Since birth, Renne has had no father, and her mother was always busy working. Despite her age, we have not sent her to a kindergarten, because we couldn’t afford it. Why does she have to face such a hardship when she’s still an innocent little girl? Mrs. Fuller, please have mercy on her. I’m willing to do anything to repay you. Please!”
Her sudden action befuddled me. I reached out to hold her up, but she refused to stand up. The corridor was packed with passers-by. Having no other choice, I squatted on the floor and looked at the woman. “Mrs. Brooks, I truly sympathize with you. I’ll definitely help you if I can. So please, don’t do this.”
The woman’s face was already drenched in tears as she stared at me and said, “Please, Mrs. Fuller. We don’t have a job. After Sasha’s gone, our financial support was cut off. That’s why we had no choice but to stay put at Fuller Corporation day in and night out to ask for compensation. We need money to survive.”
I nodded at her. My heart was filled with compassion for the family. Bad luck often haunts the unfortunates. Now that their granddaughter was diagnosed with a critical disease, their lives would only get even harder.
After paying Renee’s operation and medical fees, Ashton called and asked what time I would be home.
After the chaotic day, I was worn out. The only thing I wanted to do was to see him and nestle myself in his warm embrace.
After hanging up, I drove away from the hospital and headed home straight away since Ashton was already home.
Back at the villa.
There was an unobtrusive black Maybach parked in the yard when I arrived home. I pulled over next to it and when I walked into the living room, I saw Ashton reading on the couch.
Hearing the sound of me coming in, he glanced up at me. The corner of his lips quirked up. “You’re home.”
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