I rushed to arrange an ambulance from another hospital and had my mother loaded onto the stretcher.
But on the way to the hospital, my mother closed her eyes, her face etched with regret and sorrow. Her rough, frail hand rested gently on my head.
The anguish in my heart was overwhelming. I collapsed as doctors swarmed around her, performing emergency procedures. My strength gave out.
Just a few days ago, she'd been knitting sweaters for me and James. She hadn't even seen us marry or hold her grandchildren.
She would never see another sunrise.
And it was all because of my heartless brother! He was responsible for taking our mother's life!
At that moment, James called. "You can come pick up the ventilator now. It's been used. People who are healthy shouldn't be pretending to be ill and wasting medical resources!"
My anger erupted. I shouted, "James, do you even have a heart? You took Mom's ventilator and gave it to someone else! Do you even understand-- "
"That patient needed it more! I'm a doctor; I allocate resources based on need. What's wrong with that?"
Before I could finish, James started arguing back, showing no concern for our mother.
I felt completely betrayed like James was a stranger.
When he first mentioned Sophia, my mother and I thought he had just made a new friend who was helping him out. We never imagined he would be so cold-hearted towards our mother for the sake of someone else.
"James! Mom was already in critical condition! You're inhuman. You let Sophia's presence cause Mom's death!"
My heart shattered as I looked at Mom covered by a white sheet. I wished I could have gone with her.
"No matter how much you hate me, you can't lie about her death! Are you even human? How can you be so cruel?"
I'm the cruel one? It's James who's truly heartless!
"James, stop calling and come help me blow out the candles!" The voice on the other end was filled with festive cheer.
My heart felt like it was being squeezed dry. My rage flared as I screamed, "James, Mom's dead, and you're out celebrating someone else's birthday? You're worse than a traitor!"
"You're just trying to guilt-trip me! Dream on! Why don't you join her and die too?"
He hung up, ignoring my furious cries.
Overwhelmed by a sense of deep injustice, I cried beside my mother, feeling that her life of hardship was so unfair.
Mom, you could never have imagined how ruthless your son could be!