Chapter 9 Phone Number

• Amelia recalled Asher's words vividly.
• He had assured her that he would take care of her mother's medical expenses and find the best doctor for her.
• Now, it seemed like her only option!
• Frantically, Amelia began searching for the phone numbers of her former middle school classmates. Fortunately, she found one and pleaded with him to add her back to the class's WhatsApp group chat. However, to her surprise, Asher had also left the group after she did!
• Amelia: Does anyone have a way to contact Asher Fullerton right now?
• Without hesitation, she sent a message in the WhatsApp group chat, disregarding any potential negative comments about her.
• Soon, one of her classmates, Jonathan Wilson, replied: Huh? Wasn't he in the group before? I saw him here just a few days ago. Why did he leave?
• Someone else chimed in: Isn't it natural for him to leave? Now that he is the CEO of Fullerton Group, things have changed, and he has nothing to chat about with us ordinary folks.
• Another person added: Are you just jealous?
• The conversation in the group gradually veered off-topic, quickly burying Amelia's message.
• Just as she was furrowing her brow, contemplating other solutions, someone in the group tagged her.
• The text read: Amelia? I have Asher's phone number, but we haven't been in touch for many years. I'm not sure if he has changed his number. The last time he reached out to me, he wanted me to add him to our group chat. That's when I saved his number.
• The person who responded was their class representative from middle school. Soon, he privately messaged her Asher's phone number.
• Elated, Amelia wasted no time in making the call.
• However, a cold female voice answered. "Hello, the phone you have dialed is switched off..."
• This voice was like a bucket of cold water, abruptly awakening her from her hopeful state. She immediately left the WhatsApp group chat.
• What was I thinking? Did I take Asher's words too seriously? He loves someone else. Perhaps he only proposed to me because he had an argument with his beloved. How could I forget the immense difference between us? I can't even meet him in person, yet I foolishly hoped he would agree to help me again after I rejected his previous proposal.
• Setting her phone down, Amelia returned to the ICU.
• She didn't know if Zoey was asleep or unconscious, but the silence terrified her.
• Behind her, the doctor monitored Zoey's vital signs. In a hushed tone, he asked, "Have you made a decision? Will you proceed with the surgery?"
• "Doctor, is it possible to pay the hospital in installments for the surgery?"
• Amelia's voice was hoarse from not having a single drop of water all day. Her lips were cracked, reflecting her distress.
• "That won't be possible," Anthony said helplessly. "I truly want to help you, but considering your mother's condition and the fact that neither of you have any assets, the hospital won't agree to let you undergo surgery first. You need to understand this."
• Amelia wasn't surprised by this response.
• Indeed, she had nothing.
• "You should grab something to eat. I'll keep watch here for a while. Your mother needs to stay in the ICU tonight, and you'll be the only one here. Don't exhaust yourself," Anthony suggested.
• Amelia nodded, expressing her gratitude.
• However, she had no appetite. She only bought herself a bottle of mineral water. As she was about to pay, the phone number she had just dialed called back.
• It was Asher!
• Amelia immediately answered the call. "Ash..."
• "Hello, who is this?"