I stood there in disbelief, my mind buzzing. All I could think about was saving my daughter.

I pleaded with Darlene Lopez in a trembling voice, “Ms Lopez, you’re also a mother. Could you please let Kevin take the call? Blanche is really in danger. As a mother, you wouldn’t want anything to happen to your child, would you?”

On the other end, Darlene Lopez seemed to pause, then replied with a cruel edge to her voice.

“But Grace, even if Blanche dies, what does it have to do with me? Besides, you can’t lie and say your daughter is dying just because Kevin is helping me find the dog! My dog is worth several thousand dollars. If it’s not found, you’ll have to compensate me!”

I couldn’t believe these were coming from Darlene Lopez, the sensible, gentle woman that my husband says she is.

I continued to plead, as she was the only one who could reach my husband Kevin.

“Ms Lopez, please, I’m begging you. Let Kevin answer the phone. My daughter is also Kevin’s daughter! Blanche could really die!”

“Maybe it’s for the best if she does. Isn’t your daughter a cripple? It would make divorce easier. Otherwise, Kevin would have to pay so much in child support.”

Suddenly, Darlene Lopez’s tone softened, taking on a faintly weeping, “Grace, Kevin is just helping my daughter find her dog. I never intended to meddle in your marriage. Wuwuwu, Eileen Lopez also never wanted to compete with Blanche for her father.”

At that moment, Kevin’s concerned voice came through the phone.

“Darlene, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

Darlene Lopez stayed silent, only sobbing into the phone, which made Kevin’s heartache intensify.

After learning what had happened, Kevin picked up the phone and began to berate me angrily.

“Grace, what the hell are you doing? When I don’t answer your calls, it means I’m busy. How did you end up calling Darlene Lopez?”

“Her husband passed away early, and since then, Eileen has had no father. The only companion she has is that dog. Now that it’s missing, is it wrong for them to ask me for help?”

Kevin was expending great effort to find a lost dog.

Meanwhile, my daughter, who was lying in the hospital’s emergency room, barely clinging to life with the help of a respirator and waiting for her father’s blood transfusion to save her, seemed to be disregarded.

Why should my daughter be sacrificed just because Eileen doesn’t have a father?

Overwhelmed with rage, my throat felt dry, and I spoke in a trembling, hoarse voice, “Kevin, how many times did I call you? How many messages did I send you?”

“You need to come to General Hospital immediately. Our daughter needs your blood transfusion to survive. Get here now, or she will die!”

After years of marriage, I had never begged Kevin so humbly before.

Yet, on the other end of the phone came Kevin’s cold, mocking voice.

“I just placed our daughter safely by the roadside before coming here to help. Don’t make up such stories just to gain sympathy! It only makes you appear more repulsive and detestable!”

In the background, a young, innocent voice suddenly chimed in, “Dad, where’s Buddy? I’m so worried. Could someone has stolen it and turned it into a dog meat hotpot?”

Kevin then comforted the child with a heartbroken tone, “Don’t worry, we’ll find Buddy.”

Faced with this man’s humiliation, I continued to plead desperately, “Just promise me you’ll come to the hospital. I’ll do anything you ask. I won’t bother you and Darlene Lopez again. I’ll do anything. Please, save our daughter Blanche! She’s about to die! She’s barely an adult, her life has just begun.”