“Because the children eat first.”
The words hit her harder than she expected.
The doctor continued.
“He’s also been ignoring chest pain for months.”
Laura crossed her arms tightly.
“Months?”
Carlos gave a weak smile.
“Pain becomes normal after a while.”
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Rain tapped softly against the hospital window.
Laura looked at the man sitting in front of her.
This was the same employee she once considered replaceable.
Now she could barely recognize the person she used to be.
Then the doctor said something else.
“There’s another issue.”
Laura looked up.
“He refused the surgery.”
Her expression hardened.
“What surgery?”
The doctor opened the chart again.
“There’s a blockage near his heart.”
Carlos immediately interrupted.
“It’s not urgent.”
The doctor stared at him.
“It is urgent.”
Laura felt her stomach tighten.
“How much?”
Carlos looked embarrassed.
“Ma’am, please…”
“How much?” she repeated.
The doctor answered quietly.
“Forty-eight thousand dollars.”
Laura almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because she had spent more than that on a single dinner with investors in Dubai.
And this man had been quietly dying because he believed his life cost too much.
Laura stepped closer to the bed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Carlos stared at his hands.
“Because you already did enough.”
“No,” Laura said softly.
“I paid hospital bills.”
She shook her head.
“But I still didn’t see you.”
