Chapter 11 — How Much Does Love Cost?

“It's not like we decided to quit!”

The eldest uncle immediately raised his voice, as if wanting to hide his guilt.

"It's you! You forced us to quit!"

"If you were willing to pay, would we get to this point, To Vy? If something happened to your father, you would be the murderer!"

He wanted to push the responsibility to me. This trick is useless to me.

"Okay."

I nodded.

“If everyone has decided, then sign it.”

From the nurse's counter, I took out the "Consent to Waiver of Treatment Form". A set of three copies. I gave the pen to the eldest uncle.

"I'm your biological brother, please sign first."

The eldest uncle stared at the paper, his hands began to tremble. Signing this word... It means that he himself ended his brother's life. He did not want to bear that responsibility. He pushed the pen back.

“You… you are his daughter, you must have signed first!”

“I'm a girl.”

“But you are also his biological brother.”

I looked at him coldly.

"If something is beneficial, rush ahead."

“When it comes to being responsible, do you want to step back?”

My face is sometimes red and sometimes white. I didn't pay attention to him anymore and turned to give the pen to my mother.

“Mom, will you sign?”

Mom looked at that piece of paper, tears immediately welled up in her eyes. She desperately shook her head.

“No… I won't sign… I can't sign…”

I withdrew my hand and sighed softly. I know you can't sign. Finally, I placed the pen and paper in front of To Loi.

“It's your turn.”

“Why do I have to sign?”

To Loi was full of opposition.

“Because your father owes him.”

I looked straight at him, saying every word clearly.

“You spent his son's money.”

“Enjoying favoritism that should belong to his son.”

“So now…”

“You must be filial on behalf of that son.”

To Loi's throat was blocked by me until he stiffened. The aunt next to her immediately screamed:

"We don't sign! Based on what do we have to sign!"

“If you want to sign, then sign as unfilial as me!”

"Okay."

I took the pen. I signed my name in the patient's family box. The handwriting is clear, not shaky at all. Then I gave the paper to them.

“I signed it.”

“But according to the law, at least two people in the immediate family must sign for it to be valid.”

“Now it's everyone's turn.”

“Who signed the second person?”

I looked at my eldest uncle, my aunt and To Loi. The three of them seemed to be passing a hot ball, pushing the pen and paper back and forth. Everyone wants to give up treatment. But no one wants to take on that responsibility themselves. Their ugly faces were completely exposed. This humorous play finally ended with the eldest uncle's signature. It was after the doctor came to urge me again, saying the ICU bed had to be opened. He closed his eyes and signed his name with trembling hands. After signing, my whole body seemed to be drained of strength and I sat down on the chair. I took the fully signed form and gave it to the doctor. Throughout the entire process, my mother stood next to me and quietly cried. She looked at me, her eyes filled with despair and confusion. As if asking me... Why have you become so cold? I don't explain. There are scars, the more they reveal them, the more painful they become. In the afternoon, the hospital transferred my father to a regular room. Expensive life support equipment was removed, leaving only the most basic nutrition infusion tank. The doctor said he was in a deep coma, and it was entirely up to him how long he could last depends on his own will to survive. Maybe a week. It could also be just one day. All relatives have gone. The eldest uncle's family ran as fast as they could to avoid a plague. In the large hospital room, in the end only my mother and I were left sitting next to the man lying motionless on the bed. My mother sat by the hospital bed, holding my father's hand and constantly talking to him. She told stories about when I was a child. Tell me how hard you used to work. After saying a few words, he burst into tears. I stood next to the window looking at the sky outside. Sunset gradually falls. The clouds are as red as blood. Dad's phone suddenly rang. It was my mother who gave it to me. I picked it up and looked at it. It was a notification message from the bank. Someone transferred money to your account. I promptly transferred "this month's medicine money" to him. Mom saw that message. She raised her head and looked at me with demonic eyes.

“Vy Vy… do you have to go to this extent?”

Her voice was hoarse, full of pain. I turned around to look at her.