In your Arms Again, Dear Ex

"I'm sorry, Ariana," the doctor said, his voice calm but firm. "Your mother’s condition is critical. She needs surgery immediately to survive." My heart pounded. "What?" I mumbled, staring at him in shock. Mom had only been in the hospital for a few days—how had her condition worsened so fast? "How much does it cost?" The doctor hesitated. His expression darkened as if my question had no easy answer. He lowered his head, glancing through an open file on his table. “I'm scared, but this surgery is quite expensive.” “How much is it?” I asked more firmly this time, gradually losing my patience. After a brief silence, he sighed and pulled out a piece of paper from the file in front of him. "Here." I grabbed it quickly, but my breath caught when I saw the number. "Three hundred thousand dollars?" My voice cracked. "I... I’m just a menial worker. How am I supposed to get that kind of money?" His eyes softened, but his words carried urgency. "I understand, Ariana. But you need to act fast. Without this surgery, she won’t make it." "No," I whispered, shaking my head. "Nothing must happen to her!" Without thinking, I grabbed his coat. Realizing what I’d done, I let go immediately. "I’m sorry, Doctor, I—" "It’s fine," he said, offering a small, tight smile. "You should go now." I rushed out of his office, my mind racing. There was only one person I could turn to—Tracy. She had always been there for me. Even if she didn’t have that kind of money, I had to try. I reached her house in no time, relief washing over me when she opened the door. “Ariana? What’s wrong? You look terrified.” I stepped inside and collapsed onto her couch, burying my face in my hands. "Tracy, I’m screwed." My voice broke, and the tears spilled freely. She hurried to my side, pulling me into a comforting hug. "What happened?" I met her concerned gaze. "Remember I told you about my mom’s illness?" She nodded. I swallowed hard. "The doctor says she needs surgery. If she doesn’t get it soon, she won’t survive." I broke down again, my shoulders shaking. Tracy stroked my back. "Ariana, you need to breathe. Crying won’t help right now." "You don’t understand," I choked out. "The cost—it’s too much. I don’t know what to do." She pulled away slightly. "How much?" I hesitated. Three hundred thousand dollars was an insane amount. "Are you sure you want to know?" "Ariana," she said impatiently, "you came here for help, didn’t you?" I exhaled shakily. "It’s over three hundred thousand dollars." Tracy gasped, her eyes widening. "Three hundred?!" "Exactly," I muttered weakly. "I can’t lose her, Tracy. She’s all I have left since Dad died." Tears burned at the back of my eyes again, but Tracy hugged me tighter. "Nothing will happen to her. We’ll figure this out." She got up and walked over to the counter, picking up her phone. I watched her, confused, but didn’t have the energy to ask what she was doing. When she came back, her face was brighter. "I think I know what to do." I sat up, wiping my tears. "Really? What?" She hesitated, then said, "There’s this guy—he just got back from overseas. He’s been searching for a wife, and he’s willing to do anything to find the right one." I almost laughed. "Tracy, what makes you think he’d pick me?" She rolled her eyes. "He’s not interested in desperate women throwing themselves at him. He wants something real." I exhaled slowly. "I don’t know… but I’ll try. I have no other choice." "Good." She disappeared into her room and returned moments later in a fresh outfit. "Let’s go." We arrived at the man’s house, where his butler welcomed us and led us into the living room. "He’ll be with you shortly," he said before leaving. Minutes later, the door behind us creaked open. I stiffened, grabbing Tracy’s arm as a wave of tension filled the air. The sound of his polished shoes clicking against the marble floor sent shivers down my spine. Then, he stepped right in front of us. My breath hitched the moment I caught his scent. No. It couldn’t be. I lifted my gaze, and the moment my eyes met his, my stomach dropped. "Adrian?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Tracy looked between us, confused. "Wait—you two know each other?”