Xo Novel
Chapter 10
Frederick was in utter shock at that diagnosis.
Just then, a doctor from the internal medicine
department approached him and said, “Your mom’s
cancer is already at the advanced stage. She needs to
be operated on immediately. Otherwise, her life will be
in danger!”
Frederick’s voice was shaking as he asked, “How… How
much does the surgery cost?”
“Three hundred thousand. Any additional procedures
will be charged separately.” The doctor left after saying
that.
Being a doctor at the hospital, Frederick knew the
hospital policies well. He was aware that the surgery
would only be arranged after payment was made.
“Emmanuel, what should I do now? I don’t have three
hundred thousand!”
Frederick was at a loss as to what to do.
He had only been working at the hospital for two years,
and most of his income had been spent on his
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younger sister’s college education. As such, he did not
have much savings left.
“Don’t worry, we will think of something!” Emmanuel
comforted his friend.
After a pause, he shoved the bank card that
Alessandra had given to him into Frederick’s hand and
said, “Take this first. There’s sixty thousand in here.”
“T-This… Isn’t this your mom’s bank card? How can I use
this money?” Frederick’s body was trembling as his
eyes welled up with tears.
That was his best friend’s mother’s hard-earned
money, and it did not feel right for him to use it.
“Don’t worry about that. The current priority is to save
your mom!” Emmanuel insisted that Frederick keep the
bank card.
“But even with this, I still don’t have three hundred
thousand! A hundred thousand is the most I can
scrape together by today,” Frederick replied in a
quavering voice, sounding as if he was on the verge of
bursting into tears.
“Besides, I really can’t take your mom’s money. I don’t
know how long it will take for me to repay it…”
Emmanuel felt rather helpless as well upon seeing the
agonized look on Frederick’s face.
At that moment, Milani happened to walk past and
noticed the interaction between the two men.
“Ha! Don’t you guys find it embarrassing for two grown
men to be seen crying in the hospital?”
Milani had always looked down on Emmanuel and had
just fought with Frederick earlier. Obviously, she would
not miss the chance to mock them upon witnessing
the scene.
“Milani, just shut up!” Emmanuel chided the woman for
her sarcastic remarks.
As Frederick was already devastated by the news of
his mother’s cancer diagnosis, Emmanuel could not let
Milani rub salt into the man’s wound.
However, unexpectedly, when Frederick saw Milani, he
took the initiative to plead with her, “The most beautiful
Milani, judging by your glamorous appearance, you
must be very rich, right?”
Taken aback by the man’s unusual attitude, Milani took
a few steps back and asked cautiously, “W-What do
you want?”
“Please lend me two hundred thousand! My mom has
just been diagnosed with cancer and needs to be
operated on immediately. Please, I’m begging you! I
will return the money once I have it!” Frederick pleaded
with Milani desperately. He was that close to going on
his knees, but the woman still had no intention of
lending him any money.
Besides the fact that she did not have that much
money, even if she had, there was no reason for her to
lend it to him.
“Hah! You’re out of your mind. I don’t have two hundred
thousand to lend you.”
Taking a pause, she continued, “That’s why poor
people are so pathetic. You can’t even afford your
mother’s surgery expenses. Is it any wonder no woman
wants to marry you?”
Not only did Milani not agree to help, but she also
added insult to injury before she walked off.
Frederick was burning with anger after the woman left.
If Emmanuel had not stopped him, he would have Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
beaten her to a pulp!
“Frederick, calm down!” Emmanuel held Frederick in a
tight embrace, trying his best to comfort his friend,
who was on the verge of breaking down.
Frederick eventually managed to cool off. If he had
beaten Milani up, he would have been arrested, and
there would be no one to find the money to fund his
mother’s surgery.
Frederick proceeded to contact people in his phone
book, including those he was not close to. He made
more than ten calls consecutively, asking to borrow
money from them.
In order to help his friend, Emmanuel also reached out
to some people he knew.
Despite their efforts, the two men had only managed
to borrow seventy thousand in total, which was not
even a third of the three hundred thousand they
needed.
Chapter 10 Emmanuel Has a Wife
“What should we do? My mom might die if she delays
getting the surgery!” Frederick finally broke down and
started sobbing in front of Emmanuel.
Emmanuel let out a sigh and said, “Please don’t cry. Let
me try asking my wife. I’m sure she will lend it to you!”
In reality, Emmanuel was not sure if Mackenzie would
agree to help.
However, both of them had run out of ideas.
With their social status, it wouldn’t be easy for them to
borrow three hundred thousand in such a short period
of time.
Chapter 10 Emmanuel Has a Wife
“Your wife?” Frederick was so shocked that his tears
stopped at once. “Emmanuel, have you gone crazy as
well? Since when did you have a wife?”
Not knowing how to explain the situation, Emmanuel
merely smiled helplessly before calling Mackenzie.
After the previous day’s incident, Emmanuel had
memorized Mackenzie’s number in case she blocked
him on WhatsApp again.
“Hello. What’s up?”
Emmanuel was relieved that the woman had picked
up his call. Besides, from the clear tone and steady
pace of her voice, it did not seem like she was in a
meeting or in a rush.
“Ms. Quillen, I would like to borrow some money from
you,” Emmanuel stated the purpose of his call directly
without beating around the bush.
Ms. Quillen? Frederick was stunned. Is she really his
wife? Why would he be addressing his wife that way?
“Borrow money?”
Mackenzie froze at Emmanuel’s words. After returning
to her senses a moment later, an amused smirk crept
across her face.
Before receiving Emmanuel’s call, she was having
doubts after what happened the night before, thinking
that the man might not have married her for her
money after all. Is he already showing his true colors?
Despite her skepticism, she asked, “How much do you
need?”
“One hundred and twenty-eight thousand!” Emmanuel
replied at once.
Frederick and he had managed to pool together one
hundred and seventy-two thousand thus far, so that
was the remaining balance they needed.
Mackenzie’s curiosity was aroused at once. “You
rejected it when I offered you a hundred thousand last
night. Now you’re asking to borrow one hundred and
twenty-eight thousand from me?”
“Yup. Will you lend it to me?” Emmanuel asked
casually.
He never liked explaining himself, and neither did he
want to act pitifully in front of his wife.
Beep… Beep…
Chapter 10 Emmanuel Has a Wife
Mackenzie hung up the phone without replying.
A crease appeared between Emmanuel’s brows when
he heard the disconnection tone.
What kind of a reply is that? Is it a rejection?
Frederick had yet to fully process the situation, but
Emmanuel did not sound like he was talking to his wife.
It felt more like he was requesting a favor from his
superior!
“Emmanuel, maybe I should try borrowing from loan
sharks instead…”
Frederick did not want to put his best friend in a
difficult spot. It was too late for him to take out a loan
through proper channels, but Frederick was confident
that loan sharks would lend him a hundred thousand
straight away.
“You can’t do that!” Emmanuel objected. “You would be
in deep trouble if you failed to repay them on time.”
Ding!
While the two of them were feeling torn, Emmanuel
suddenly got a text on his phone: You have received
Has a Wite
two hundred thousand wired to your account from
Mackenzie.
What the heck?
Frederick could hardly believe his eyes when he saw
the message. Fixing his gaze on Emmanuel, he said
with envy, “Oh my goodness! Is this woman really your
wife? She… Is she very rich?”
He was certain that she had no lack of money, seeing
that she had instantly transferred Emmanuel two
hundred thousand, almost twice the amount the latter
had asked for.
Emmanuel simply smiled without replying. He could
not help but feel embarrassed when he saw the look
on Frederick’s face. It was as though the latter was
envious of him living off a woman!
Moreover, apart from knowing that Mackenzie was a
senior executive at a company, he had no idea about
her true identity and how wealthy she was. Hence, he
was unable to answer Frederick’s question.
“Take it and ask the hospital to arrange for your mom’s
surgery immediately!” Emmanuel said while
transferring the money to Frederick.
“Thank you! Please help me thank your wife too. Tell
her I will return her money as soon as I can!” Tears of
gratitude flowed down Frederick’s cheeks.
He was immensely thankful to the couple for lending
him a helping hand in this time of crisis, thereby
solving all his problems.
“No rush. Don’t worry about this now!” Emmanuel
reassured with a smile.
From the looks of it, he was sure that Mackenzie was
not hard up for the money.
That being said, he would still try to pay her back as
soon as possible. After all, he did not want Mackenzie
to mistake him for a gold digger.
Milani had just finished settling her bill when Frederick
approached the counter to make payment.
Upon seeing him, she was stunned that Frederick had
managed to scrape together three hundred thousand
so quickly.
She could not believe that the pauper who was
begging her to lend him two hundred thousand just a
moment ago had gotten the money to pay for the
surgery in the blink of an eye.
“Ha! I bet you went to a loan shark, didn’t you? Be
careful of the compounding interest. You might end up
having to pay them with your life!” Milani mocked.
Frederick did not like the woman in the first place. After
hearing what she said, he retorted sharply,
“Emmanuel’s wife lent me the money. In fact, she
transferred two hundred thousand to Emmanuel’s
account right after he asked. Thank goodness
Emmanuel wasn’t interested in a woman like you.
Otherwise, his life would be so sad!”
What?
Milani was in utter disbelief when she heard that.
Emmanuel’s wife?
That pauper has gotten himself a wife?