Mabel hated herself for it now. Why had she been tempted by those small favors from her aunt and gone along with her schemes? Now things had spiraled out of control, and there was no way to fix it.

"I understand. I'll be there as soon as I can," Quincy said, ending the call. Turning to Lydia, he asked, "Are you coming with me or would you rather take a cab home?"

"Let's go together. No point in wasting time discussing it. Just focus on driving," Lydia replied, quickly fastening her seatbelt.

She wasn't about to hold grudges against someone critically ill.

When they arrived at the hospital, they rushed to the waiting area outside the operating room. Mabel was pacing in the hallway. The moment she saw them, she seemed to replace her footing again. "Quincy, thank goodness you're here! I was terrified you wouldn't come." "You should be saying that to Lydia. She's the one who forgave you all," Quincy pointed out.

Mabel's face flushed with shame. She bowed deeply to Lydia, apologizing over and over. "I'm so sorry! I really am. Go ahead, hit me if it'll make you feel better."

"Forget it," Lydia sighed. "Just don't get involved in things like this again. You're still in school, so focus on your studies."

She didn't feel the need to hold anything against Mabel. First, Mabel was still young, barely in college and technically not even an adult yet. Second, it was clear that her grudge was with Mrs. Perez, who was the root of all these troubles. Mabel had simply been a pawn. "Yes, I understand. Once my aunt recovers, I'll go back to school, and I swear I'll never meddle in anyone's relationships again." Mabel had clearly learned her lesson.

After apologizing, the three of them sat down to wait. During this time, Mr. Perez, who had heard the news, called him via video chat.

Seeing Lydia on the screen, Mr. Perez's expression shifted through a mix of emotions, from embarrassment to guilt. They had treated her so poorly, yet here she was, showing up to support them in their time of need. Her generosity humbled him.

"Dad, I had a vasectomy, and Lydia

is pregnant now. This will be our

only child Quincy stated directly. "If it's twins, one will take your name and the other will take Lydia's.

it's

only one, the child will carry her last name."

"Quincy! Are you out of your mind?" Mr. Perez nearly choked with rage, his face turning red as he glared at his son. "A decision this big, and you didn't think to consult me?"

"Consult you?" Quincy shot back. "If I'd asked, would you have agreed?"

The answer was obvious. His parents, with their traditional values, would never accept either his vasectomy or the idea of a child taking Lydia's surname. Rather than waste time convincing them, he had made his own choices and simply informed them afterward,

"Respect goes both ways. None of you asked my opinion when you made your decisions. I'm just following your example. Agree if you want, or don't. It doesn't matter to me. If it's an issue, I'll just join

Lydia's family." Quincy's response hit like a hammer.

Each word felt like a knife twisting in Mr. Perez's heart. He fumed, beard bristling with anger, but with the screen between them, he couldn't reach through to grab his son for a lecture.

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