Chapter 167
Mara ultimately survived the critical window.
This was made possible by the rare Rh-negative blood Lucas had urgently sourced from major hospitals and neighboring cities, as well as the donors willing to step up. After all, the exorbitant prices the Mercer family offered were unmatched.
Of course, the most crucial factor was the colossal financial backing of the Mercer family.
When the rural couple who had raised Mara heard the news, they rushed over to see her.
Even though she was a child they had illicitly purchased years ago, the infertile couple had pampered and raised her like a princess.
Who could have known that right as she reached adulthood, her biological parents would track her down?
Lacey, who was keeping vigil at the hospital, took one look at the shabbily dressed, cowering rural couple and instantly wanted to bar them from seeing her precious daughter.
But Ethan insisted on letting them in. Regardless of the circumstances, they had raised Mara and had never mistreated her.
Mara had recovered somewhat and had been moved to a regular ward. When she looked up and saw her adoptive parents, she immediately turned her face toward the wall.
“Sweetheart, you’ve suffered so much!
We brought you some fresh farm eggs and a home-raised hen for soup p>
But before they could finish, Mara coldly cut them off.
“There’s no need. Take them back and eat them yourselves. I don’t need them here p>
The Mercer family lacked nothing. She regularly dined on caviar and expensive delicacies; who cared about their dirty farm eggs and an old hen?
“When my parents took me away, they already paid you off.
Therefore, we have absolutely no relationship anymore. Don’t ever come see me again p>
They had no blood relation anyway. Did these two expect her to support them in their old age?
Spending a little money wasn’t the issue. It was the constant, suffocating reminder that she had once been a lowly country girl. Being associated with them would only make others look down on her.
The smiles froze on the couple’s faces, all their joy instantly evaporating.
In truth, they hadn’t come to take advantage of her. They had simply heard from the young people in their village that Mara needed blood transfusions and had been too worried to stay away.
No matter what, she was still the child they had raised. They couldn’t just stop caring.
“Sweetheart p>
Her adoptive mother tried to speak again, but her husband stopped her, gently pulling her toward the door.
“Wait. Take your things with you p>
The couple turned back, silently retrieving their basket of food.
Downstairs in the hospital lobby,
Ethan took one look at their
crestfallen expressions
vel
and the
rejected items on the waiting area bench and immediately understood.
“Take this for your travel expenses, and please, don’t come back,” Ethan said.
“No, no need. We haven’t even touched the money you gave us last time p>
They had originally planned to save that sum for Mara, just in case she ever needed a nest egg.
But looking at the situation now, she clearly wouldn’t need it.
“Just take it. It’s a long trip p>
Ethan shoved the cash into their hands.
“Then we’ll leave these things here. It’s too hard to carry them on and off the bus p>
Mostly, dragging the same gifts all the way back to the village would make them a laughingstock among their neighbors.
“Alright, leave them. Go back and live your lives well. Just pretend she never existed p>
Honestly, Ethan hadn’t even planned on coming to the hospital today. Lacey had just been crying and complaining that he hadn’t visited in so long, so he had reluctantly made the trip.
He hadn’t expected to witness a scene like this the moment he arrived.
It was glaringly obvious now his sister truly possessed zero compassion.
After the couple left, Lacey
happened to walk over she glanced at the items left on the hospital’s stone bench and softly scolded her eldest son.
“Why did you keep this garbage? Does our family lack food p>
“No, Mom. But it’s the thought that counts p>
It was simply too inconvenient for them to carry it all the way back.