"I already called all the relatives and friends over. If we can't come up with the money, I'll beg them to lend it to us..."

The moment Silas and Zoe heard I'd summoned everyone, their panic flipped straight into fury.

After all, if they borrowed money from the Delgado side of the family, guess who'd be on the hook to pay it back.

So they were beside themselves.

"Don't panic. Your mother and I are on our way."

"That's right, just hold tight! Whatever it is, wait until we get there!"

Even though they said they were coming right away, it still took them a full hour to finally stroll into the hospital.

The second they arrived, they didn't even pause before jabbing their fingers at me and tearing into me.

"This is all your fault! If you'd bothered to get the car properly checked, none of this would've happened!"

"That child is my whole world! We raised her from nothing, wiped every tear, changed every diaper, and you let this happen to her? Do you want me dead too?"

"How dare you walk away without a scratch! If anything happens to her, you should be the one in the ground!"

...

Neither Silas nor Zoe said any names outright.

Which suited me perfectly. The vaguer they kept it, the more room I had to keep playing my part.

So I didn't argue.

Instead, I dropped to my knees at their feet.

"Mom, Dad, you're right. It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, this accident never would've happened."

"But now isn't the time to point fingers. The doctor said the burns are severe. Surgery has to happen immediately. But I don't have any money. You know how it is. Everything's on James's card, and I don't even know the PIN."

"Please. I'm begging you. Put up the money, and James and I will pay you back every cent."

Silas and Zoe knew the situation perfectly well.

The moment I said that, the tension drained right out of them.

Inwardly, they were congratulating themselves. The text they'd sent James had worked. Their biggest fear was that he'd answer my call, rush to the hospital, and actually spend money saving our daughter.

So when I told them I was broke, they both heaved long, theatrical sighs.

"Well, what can we do?"

"Your mother and I live on our pensions. Every spare dollar already goes toward the household. We can't just pull surgery money out of thin air."

I slumped to the floor.

"Then what do we do?"

"Maybe I should call my parents. They'll have money."

I pulled out my phone.