He Gave Her Diamonds When My Mom Died

The red light in the emergency room burned like a searing iron; it made my eyes ache. When the nurse urged payment for the third time, I clutched the crumpled bill reminder, my knuckles white. Fifty thousand—now, for me, it's a pipe dream. I thought of Isaac Salazar, the man who had walked beside me for seven years. We moved together from the innocence of college into the working world. He once said he would marry me—that he would help me take care of my mother in her old age. Those words still burned in my ears as I stood by the fountain outside his office building. The December wind sliced across my face like a knife, yet I hadn't even bothered to put on a scarf. When Isaac Salazar appeared, he wore a sharply tailored suit. The moment he saw me, he furrowed his brow, his voice tinged with a barely concealed impatience. "Viola? On a day this cold, why are you here?" I didn't dare look into his eyes; my voice trembled uncontrollably. "Isaac, my mom... she's in the emergency room. The doctor said if I don't pay soon, they'll stop her medication." His steps faltered for a moment, but he said nothing. I gritted my teeth, summoning every ounce of strength. "Could you lend me fifty thousand? I'll write an IOU—I promise to repay you as soon as possible." Staff passing by glanced over curiously. Isaac Salazar's face darkened as he pulled me into a secluded corner. "Viola, you know I'm tied up in a major project right now; all my funds are locked in it." I hurriedly said, "I know. I'll just borrow fifty thousand, just this once. My mom really can't wait." He withdrew his hand, his voice cold as ice. "Fifty thousand isn't a small sum, and besides, your mom's illness was already..." He didn't finish his sentence, but I understood. He was simply implying that my mom was beyond hope, and that money would be thrown away. I looked at his familiar face and suddenly found it strange. "Isaac, that's my mom—the woman who gave me life and raised me." At last, tears spilled down my cheeks, unstoppable. "We've been together for seven years, and you won't even lend me fifty thousand to save my mother's life?" He turned his face away, avoiding my gaze. "Viola, it's not that I don't want to help you, but I'm really in a difficult situation. You need to think of other solutions." After saying that, he turned and walked away, the hem of his suit brushing my knees, carrying a chill with it. I froze in place until his figure disappeared through the revolving door, then weakly sank to my knees, covering my face as I cried out loud. Passersby cast strange glances my way, but I couldn't care less. My phone vibrated in my pocket; it was a call from the hospital. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, and answered the phone. "Ms. Ward, your mother's condition has worsened again. You need to make a decision as soon as possible." "Doctor, please wait a little longer. I promise I will raise the money. I beg you." I pleaded repeatedly into the phone. There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before they said, "We will do our best, but you must be prepared."