Chapter 1

To scrape together 300 thousand dollars for Charlie's treatment, William Carter joined a self-discipline challenge.

For thirty days straight, he wasn't allowed to use his phone or have any contact with the outside world.

But two days before the challenge ended, Charlie's condition took a turn for the worse. Barely hanging on, he whispered that he wanted to see his dad.

I broke down in tears, begging William to quit the challenge and come out to see Charlie one last time.

But William just accused me of being a plant sent by the show to mess with him and stop him from winning the big prize.

As everything turned to chaos, my best friend, Lucy Harris, who had come with me, gently encouraged William to stay strong and keep going.

Then it suddenly dawned on me—Lucy's daughter was also waiting for a kidney match.

*****

"Will, Charlie's condition has gotten much worse. He's no longer fit for surgery anymore," I yelled desperately through the sealed glass, barely holding back tears as I stared at William trapped inside.

"Don't try to fool me," William said. "Lucy already told me that Charlie's fine. You and the show must've cooked this up to make me quit. It won't work."

Tangled beard, bloodshot eyes—seeing William this paranoid and worn out sent a chill straight through my heart. I blurted out, "No, that's not true."

"Emily, calm down," my friend Lucy interrupted, holding up her phone. "The hospital's calling again."

When I saw the caller ID, I forced a smile.

"Mom, have you reached Dad yet?" Charlie asked. "I miss him so much."

His words made my nose tingle, tears threatening to fall.

I pinched my leg hard, trying to steady my shaky voice.

"Charlie, Dad's flight got delayed," I said softly. "Hang in there a little longer, okay? I will bring him back to see you soon."

After soothing Charlie, I looked up at William, realizing my cheeks were already wet with tears.

"Will, did you hear that?" I cried. "Charlie just said he misses you. I'm not lying. If you don't come out now, you'll never get the chance to see him again."

Something flickered in William's bloodshot eyes.

Suddenly, hope flared inside me.

I pressed my palms against the glass and continued, "Will, please, just come out. Forget the money. Come with me. Let's walk our son through his last journey together."

William took a few steps toward the door, his right hand gripping the handle.

All he had to do was press it.

"Will, are you sure about this?

"Just two more days and you'll get the 300 thousand dollars. That money doesn't just save Charlie—it's your future too.

"Think about everything you've gone through. Are you really willing to throw it all away?"

Just as William was about to give in, Lucy's voice sliced through the tense silence behind me.

I saw the struggle flicker across William's eyes, and my heart tightened again.

"Emily," William pulled his hand away and said hoarsely through the glass, "just one more day. Then we'll have the money for surgery. Don't you want to see Charlie healthy again?

"Why are you teaming up with the show to trick me into quitting? Even using Charlie to play along with your act?"

He didn't believe me.

This realization hit me so hard, I could barely think straight.

Ignoring the pain, I slammed my fists against the glass.

"William, don't you get it?" I asked. "This isn't about money anymore. Charlie's running out of time. No matter how much money you get, it won't bring him back."

William ran a hand through his hair in frustration, his gaze darting between me and Lucy.

After a few seconds, he looked straight at me, eyes firm. My heart skipped a beat.

"Emily, listen to me," he said. "Go back to Charlie. I'll be there tomorrow once I get the money."

My hands slid weakly down the glass, smearing it with blood.

My voice cracked with despair as I confronted him. "William, I'm asking you one last time. Are you coming with me or not?"

"Emily, when did you get so unreasonable?" William snapped. "Look at Lucy, her kid's sick too, but she's handling it way better than you are."

He was starting to lose his patience under my desperate questioning.

"Yes, Emily, calm down," Lucy said. "Charlie looks fine to me.

"Doctors always make things sound way worse than they are. Don't let them fool you and ruin Will's chance to earn the surgery money."

She slipped her arm around mine, trying to pull me away as she spoke.

Lucy dragged me along, holding me so tight I couldn't budge—but my mind had never been clearer.

When she came with me, she'd said she would help me convince William to quit.

Yet every single thing she did was actually trying to hold me back.

And then it hit me.

Her daughter was also lying in a hospital bed, waiting for a kidney. She needed the money, too.