Winner Takes All novel Chapter 1

“Mr. Hughes, I am sorry to tell you that your mother is in the late stage of liver cancer…”

Seeing the doctor shaking his head, Jack suddenly felt dizzy with bloodshot eyes. Since he was a child, his mother and he had been relying on each other. To fund his education, his mother had been overworked and ill. Without having the chance to enjoy her twilight years, she was suffering instead.

“Doctor, could you please save my mom? Any way we can try?”

Jack begged in a hoarse voice and almost cried.

“There is actually a way—liver transplant. Fortunately the hospital is able to achieve that…”The doctor said after hesitating for a moment. He paused again while staring at Jack up and down. He knew very well how the long and arduous medical treatments had taken a toll on Jack. However, he decided to break it to Jack, “But…it’s quite costly—at least two hundred thousand yuan.”

Two hundred thousand yuan? Jack’s eyes suddenly lit up as he grabbed the doctor’s hands, “I still have two hundred thousand yuan! You must save her. Please!”

Jack knew that he could make that money again, but his mother’s life would not take two.

“Then you have to come up with the money as soon as possible. If this delays, even the liver transplant would not save your mom,” the doctor nodded while letting out a sigh before leaving. He went home quickly and saw Katherine, his wife, sitting in the crouch.

“Mom is dying?”

Katherine asked as she caught a glimpse of Jack.

“The doctor said liver transplant was the only way we have,” Jack sounded as if he had grasped the last straw of hope as he continued excitedly, “It costs two hundred thousand yuan, and fortunately we still have it. Mom has one last chance here.”

A second later, he turned around to get the bank card. However, Katherine’s face changed as she halted him, “Jack, stop right there!”

Jack frowned as though he suddenly recalled something important. He turned around and stared at Katherine, “Where’s the money?”

She looked flustered as she started to stammer. “Did you give it to your family again?”

Jack raised his eyebrows with a bitter smile.

He felt weak and headed to the sofa while taking out a cigarette box from his pocket. With a flash, he smoked the cigarette and collapsed in the sofa.

They had been married for three years, and that had happened before. “Katherine, that money is my last hope to save mum,”

Jack said tiredly, “Can we get it back?”

“Get it back?”

Katherine raised her eyebrows as she screeched, “Jack, what are you trying to say? I gave it to my parents as a daughter. How can I ask them to return it?”

A cold look was showed on Jack’s face as he said, “There is a compatible liver waiting for mum in the hospital right now. If I can pay the bill now, the hospital can carry out the liver transplant immediately. From what I see, mum is on her last legs.”

“That is not what I worry about. It’s your problem and you should come up with another solution,”

Katherine suddenly broke out in tears as she mumbled. “How do I get two hundred thousand yuan in such a short time?”

Jack felt like his head was going to explode, but he still begged Katherine in a pathetic tone, “Katherine, you have to help me. Get it back. My mum can’t live without the money!”

“Jack! I told you that I have given it to my mother. There’s no way I can ask for it again,” Katherine wailed as she sat on the floor, “Your mom is going to pass away anyway, but you still keep burning money to the hospital. Do you ever stand in my shoes and think about us?”

Hearing that, Jack shivered. He felt that he was going to burst into anger anytime.

He grabbed her phone as he threatened, “If you won’t call them, I will do it myself!”

Before she could stop him, the call came through.

“Mum, Katherine has given you two hundred thousand yuan, right?”