Chapter 4

I walked to the end of the hallway, leaning against the cool wall. I could feel their eyes on my back. My father's anxious gaze, my grandparents' suspicious stares.

My father started to walk toward me. "Chloe, wait."

I turned to face him.

"You don't need to call," he said, his voice low. "Your mom... she's at a conference. Out of town. She told me not to disturb her unless it was a true emergency."

A conference. That was the lie she told him this time. In my past life, it was a spa day. The excuses changed, but the reality was the same. She was with Ashley.

"Dad," I said, my voice steady. "Ethan is in critical condition. The doctor said he needs the best. That's Mom. This is a true emergency."

My grandfather stepped forward, his patience clearly gone. "Robert, what are you talking about? A conference? What conference is more important than her son's life? Give the phone to the girl. Let her call."

My father hesitated, torn between protecting his wife's lie and the urgent reality of his son's condition.

I didn't wait for his permission. I looked down at my phone and scrolled to 'Mom'. I knew what was about to happen. In my previous life, I had called her from the library, and she had dismissed me. This time, the circumstances were different. The entire family was here, listening, waiting.

I pressed the call button.

The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. It went to voicemail.

"See?" my father said, a hint of relief in his voice. "She's probably in a meeting. She's not answering."

"I'll try again," I said calmly.

I dialed again. And again. And again. For ten minutes, I stood there, methodically redialing her number. The rest of the family watched, their initial impatience turning into a heavy, uncomfortable silence. The repeated, unanswered rings became an accusation in the quiet hospital corridor.

With each failed call, my father's face grew paler. My grandparents started muttering to each other.

"This is ridiculous," Grandpa Miller said loudly. "Her own son is dying, and she can't even answer her phone?"

On what must have been the fifteenth try, the ringing suddenly stopped. She had picked up.

I didn't even have a chance to speak.

"What is it, Chloe?" Her voice was sharp, laced with irritation. I could hear the faint sound of waves and seagulls in the background. Not a conference hall. A beach. "I told you not to bother me! Ashley and I are finally getting a chance to relax."

I held the phone slightly away from my ear, just enough for those closest to me to hear. My father's eyes widened.

"Mom," I said, my voice intentionally trembling a little. "It's Ethan. He's at St. Mary's. He was shot."

There was a loaded pause. Then, a sigh of pure exasperation.

"Oh, for God's sake, Chloe, are you serious?" she said, her voice dripping with disbelief and annoyance. "Is this another one of your pathetic attempts to get attention? Jealous that I'm spending time with Ashley? You are unbelievable."

"It's true!" I insisted, letting a note of panic into my voice. "The doctor said the surgery is really dangerous. They need you. They said you're the only one who can do it."

"Stop lying," she snapped. "You're a terrible liar, you know that? You're ruining my vacation. You're ruining Ashley's vacation. She's been looking forward to this trip for months. Do you have any idea how selfish you are?"

From the other end of the line, I heard Ashley's sweet, concerned voice. "Mom, what's wrong? Is it Chloe?"

"It's nothing, sweetie," my mother's voice instantly softened, becoming warm and loving. "Chloe is just being dramatic again. Don't you worry about a thing. We're not going to let her spoil our fun."

Then, her voice turned back to ice as she spoke to me. "Don't call me again. I'm blocking your number. Get a life, Chloe."

The line went dead.

I slowly lowered the phone, my face a mask of practiced despair. I looked up at my father. His face was ashen, a mixture of shock and dawning horror. He had heard it. He had heard the casual cruelty, the instant belief that I was lying, the preference for Ashley's feelings over Ethan's life.

Grandpa Miller's face was flushed with a deep, angry red. "Did she just... hang up?"

I just nodded, letting a single tear roll down my cheek. The stage was set.