The Borrowed Tomorrow

"It's one thing if you won't save him, but how dare you slander him like this too?!"

I watched Jeannie lose control with cold indifference. There was no sympathy left in me, only disgust. I turned, walked to the door, and pulled it open. "Get out."

Right in front of her, I slammed the examination room door shut. Her screams and breakdown were completely sealed off. The hallway fell silent for a few seconds, but then the pounding started again, and it was even more violent than before.

"Carson! Open this door! You selfish bastard! Do you think some fake report is enough to fool me?! I'm telling you, Elliot's condition can't wait! You're donating that kidney today whether you want to or not!"

I sat down in my office chair and took a sip of the cold water on my desk. Five hundred thousand dollars in wedding savings and a canceled wedding banquet.

I stared at the bank notification on my phone.

For the sake of her first love who was dying from advanced AIDS, she had drained my money dry. Now, she wanted to take my kidney too.

The pounding on the door quickly attracted nurses and patients from the hallway.

"Ma'am, please stop causing a disturbance outside the examination room. If you keep hitting the door, we'll have to call security."

Jeannie's voice became as sharp as nails scraping across glass. "Security? Fine, call them! Let everyone come and see what kind of cold-blooded monster your attending physician is! He's letting someone die! He won't even save his own fiancée's first love!

"He makes tens of thousands a month! What's the big deal about losing one kidney? He still has another one! Elliot is only 25 years old! He's still so young!"

I set down my cup and stood up. Then, I opened the door. The hallway was crowded with spectators.

The moment Jeannie saw me, she rushed forward and tried to grab my clothes again. I stepped aside, causing her to stumble and nearly fall.

"Are you done yet?" I asked.

Jeannie pointed a finger straight at my face. "Carson, I'm asking you one last time. Are you donating that kidney or not?"

I looked at her face, which was twisted with rage. "No. I'd rather cut my kidney out and chop it into pieces before giving it to that piece of trash."

Jeannie trembled from head to toe. Her teeth clenched tightly, and her eyes were filled with hatred. "Fine, Carson. Don't regret this. You think Elliot is doomed just because you won't donate your kidney? I'm telling you right now, even if I lose everything, even if it costs me my life, I'll cure him! And as for you..."

An icy smile spread across her face. "I'll make sure you pay for what you did today."

With that, she shoved through the crowd and stormed away, her high heels slamming against the floor.

The head nurse walked over, concern written all over her face. "Dr. Lloyd... Should we call the police?"

I shook my head. "No need. She'll come back to me on her own soon enough."

…

After finishing my rounds the next morning, I returned to my office.

Out of habit, I pulled open the bottom drawer of my desk. It was a secure drawer used to store important departmental medications. The lock had been forced open. The three vials of X-40 anti-rejection targeted medication that had been inside were gone.

X-40 was still in the clinical trial stage. For patients suffering from severe kidney failure, it worked wonders, rapidly repairing damaged kidney cells. However, it came with one fatal side effect. It placed extreme suppression on the human immune system.

An ordinary patient could survive the effects with the help of additional medications. However, for someone with advanced AIDS whose immune system had already collapsed... The drug was nothing less than a death sentence.

I stared at the empty drawer. I did not raise any alarm. Instead, I turned around and went to the security office to review the hallway surveillance footage.

There she was on the screen. Jeannie sneaked into my office, looking around nervously. Ten minutes later, she hurried out in a panic. One side of her handbag was visibly bulging.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Jeannie's number.