The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 139

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That sudden use of my first name caught me completely off guard. To anyone else in the room, it sounded like the tender affection of a devoted husband. But I knew better. Beneath that syrupy sweetness was a brutal, calculated test.

Upgrading my dad's care meant Ferris's family would have to dump thousands of more dollars onto my family's tab. We were barely a month away from divorce. There was absolutely no way he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

Ferris was establishing leverage. He was dumping this massive financial crisis directly in my lap, forcing me to beg.

Looking at my father lying broken in that bed, watching the color drain from his aging face, an agonizing pain ripped through my chest.

I knew the VIP upgrade would make his life significantly more comfortable. When we first checked him in, the doctors had frankly told me he was living on borrowed time. Every year was a gift, and he could slip away at any moment.

I squeezed my hands into tight fists, completely torn apart. Half of me was drowning in absolute agony for my suffering father, while the other half clung desperately to the tiny shred of pride I had left.

What was I supposed to do? What choice did I even have?

When I didn't answer immediately, my mother paused her fake sobbing to violently nudge me. "Selena! Your husband is asking you a question. Speak up!"

I looked from my scheming mother to my broken father, a heavy lump forming in my throat. Tears welled up in my eyes as Lucille unleashed her grand finale. "It's fine! I'll just sleep on the floor and take care of him myself! And if anything happens to my Maxwell, I'll just jump into the grave with him!"

I knew she was cornering me, forcing my hand.

Glancing at Ferris, who stood silently observing this pathetic display like a god passing judgment, I took a deep breath and spoke with absolute resolve. "I'll write you an IOU for the total cost of the VIP upgrade."

The moment those words left my mouth, Ferris stepped forward and took my hand. He gently stroked my knuckles, his voice oozing fake comfort. "Selena, speaking like that makes me sound like a stranger. Your father is my family too. There's no need for an IOU."