I remained beside the car, holding the box. If the hospital believed I’d married a patient for money, I might lose my career.
I wanted to chase Nora. I also wanted another look at that sum. Instead, I closed the lid.
***
That night, I entered the amount into my loan calculator. My debt disappeared.
I imagined taking my parents to dinner without checking my bank balance afterward. Then I shut the laptop. I needed to reject the gift before my resolve weakened.
A la mañana siguiente, llamé al abogado para rechazar la herencia.
“¿Estás seguro?”
I stared at the loan reminder on my screen. Refusing meant years more payments, but protecting my career mattered more.
“Yes,” I said. “Send me what I need to sign.”
Before work, I called Nora.
“I refused the money. You don’t need to file a complaint.”
“Refusing it now proves nothing,” she said. “You got caught.”
