Chapter 2

"All I care about is my daughter, Hector. Bring the specialty drug here right now, or I'll make sure you regret it!" I nearly screamed myself hoarse.

Sheila's daughter only had a mild cold, but more than a dozen children had already lost their lives because of her.

Now my daughter was lying in the operating room, her life hanging by a thread. Even if I had to risk my own life, I had to save hers.

However, my screams of despair were brushed off by Hector as a mad woman throwing a tantrum.

His voice over the phone sounded more brusque than before. "Ysabella, if you're sick, go take your medicine. I'm a pharmacologist, not a doctor. And I have no cure for the sickness called jealousy that you're infected with!

"I really regret marrying you. With a mother who lies all the time, my daughter's doomed for life!

"If you're going to lie, at least make it sound convincing. If it were really that serious, it would have been all over the news by now. Stop exaggerating and spreading alarmist nonsense!”

Hector didn't know that to prevent the virus from spreading, all exposed individuals had been quarantined. Even journalists and TV stations had to obey gag orders.

I could hear he was getting more and more annoyed. Finally, he issued this ultimatum.

"If you pester me further, we'll settle this in court. Let's see if the judge gives custody of Molly to me, an esteemed pharmacologist, or to you, a lowly elementary schoolteacher!"

I never imagined Hector could stoop so low.

He threatened to seize custody from me when he knew I could never bear to part with my daughter.

But for my daughter, I had no choice but to give in.

Before I could apologize to that cheating couple, the operating room doors swung open.

Over the phone, I could still hear Sheila sobbing.

"It's alright. Go to Ysabella now. Though she and her kid were lying, it was because they wanted you by their side.

"I know I've already lost you. I was not destined to spend time with you. Now, all I hope for is that my daughter grows up healthy."

That bitch Sheila was pretending to give in as a ruse to arouse pity so that Hector would sympathize with her and forget about my daughter and me.

Sure enough, the voices on the other end of the line grew softer and more affectionate

Hector was so eager to comfort his precious lover that he did not even have time to end the call properly.

Thinking about my daughter still lying in the operating room, I clenched my teeth hard and pleaded, "I'm sorry. I was wrong. Can I go and take the specialty drug from you? I promise I won't bother you two again."

Despite the simplicity of my words, it took everything I had to utter them.

"Please... I'm begging you." After I forced out those last few words, it felt like I had used up every ounce of strength I had. I collapsed to the ground weakly at this juncture.

Despite swallowing my pride and humbling myself to that extent, Hector remained unmoved.

He clicked his tongue scornfully before scolding me impatiently, "Ysabella, you still don't get it, do you? You are still using our daughter's illness as your excuse? She's sick because she has a mother who can't stop lying!

"There's nothing between Sheila and me. I have nothing to hide. You're the one who's suspicious of everything. Honestly, I think you're the one who needs help!

"So you're dying to come and check if I'm cheating? Well, unless you beg me a hundred times, you can forget about taking the drug from me!"

Though his words were meant to humiliate me, I saw the chance to save my child.

I asked him whether he would give me the address if I genuinely begged him a hundred times.

Though he did not answer, I still started begging over the phone. After I was done, he simply dismissed my attempt with a disdainful "Pathetic" before ending the call.

After waiting in trepidation for half an hour, I finally received the address from Hector.

The place was a research lab about a thirty-minute drive away.

Under normal circumstances, that wouldn't have been a big deal.

But I was isolated in a quarantine facility in some out-of-the-way hospital. Getting past those infection-control guards stationed on every floor was already a challenge, much less catching a cab from the entrance.

But I couldn't care less now. I braced myself and clambered out of the third-floor bathroom window. I twisted my ankle as I hit the ground, but I still limped and ran toward the research lab despite the pain.

I grimaced in pain with every step, but I forced myself to persevere.

By the time I finally made it to Hector's lab, I was out of breath, my hair and clothes totally disheveled. I resembled some homeless vagrant who had appeared from nowhere.

Hector looked at me with disgust before mocking me, "Ysabella, you really put your heart and soul into your act!

"Open your eyes and see for yourself. Are Sheila and I in the lab, or holed up in some sleazy hotel room?"

I didn't even bother to argue with him. I knew Hector always thought I was just using our daughter to fight for his affection.

I didn't care what he thought at this point. The only thing that mattered right now was getting the drug for my girl.

I held out my hand, which was unusually steady. "Just give me the drug, and I won't bother you or Sheila anymore.

"As long as you give me the drug, I'll do whatever you want."

But Hector stopped his assistant from handing over the drug at the last minute and examined me suspiciously.

"Is it really our daughter who's sick, or is it another one of your random relatives? Unless you show me on video, right here and now, the drug is not leaving this lab!"