“Of course! Please go ahead,” Dr. Brooks said graciously.
Josie hesitated but, at her husband urging, extended her wrist for Sophia to examine.
After a while, Sophia remarked, “Madam, you’ve experienced a lot of stress and worry over the years, haven’t you?”
Josie froze, her lips pressed tightly together.
Before she could respond, Sophia continued, “Your condition is quite severe.”
The room fell silent. The Amara family members were visibly alarmed, and Micah exclaimed, “Doctor, what exactly is wrong with my wife? Is it really that serious?”
“It is,” Sophia said, her expression grim. It was the kind of demeanor she reserved for serious cases.
Unlike many doctors who might avoid discussing a terminal diagnosis in front of the patient, Sophia believed in addressing it directly. She explained that while Josie’s primary issue was low energy stagnation, the prolonged condition had led to complications in her major organs.
“Madam, you’re prone to anger, aren’t you? You often feel a pent-up frustration that only eases when you let it out. But even when you try to vent, it doesn’t fully relieve the pressure, does it?”
“Yes!” Josie admitted, her voice tinged with despair. She was someone who got upset easily but also tended to bottle up her emotions. Even minor frustrations could leave her simmering for days, causing a physical toll on her body.
Recently, she had felt increasingly unwell—lethargic, with persistent aches and even abdominal pain. It seemed as though every part of her body was affected, yet doctors couldn’t pinpoint the cause. After days of worsening symptoms, she was confined to bed and had to rely on expensive house calls from specialists. None of their treatments had worked.
Sophia seemed unsurprised and explained further:
“Your energy stagnation blocks the flow of energy throughout your body, which is why you’ve developed issues in your heart, liver, stomach, and lungs. Even your recurring toothaches and gynecological problems stem from this imbalance.”
Hearing this, Josie’s face turned ashen. Everything Sophia said matched her symptoms precisely.
Was she truly beyond help? Was her illness terminal?
She was still young—not even fifty. Her eldest daughter was just starting university, and her son was still in middle school. The family had so much wealth, but what use would it be if she were gone?
Worse, her husband wasn’t trustworthy. The stress that had likely triggered her illness in the first place stemmed from catching Micah inappropriately involved with another woman. He had denied everything despite buying the woman luxury gifts, which infuriated her.
And most of the family’s wealth? She had earned it herself.
Noticing her sorrowful expression, Sophia gently asked, “Madam, your illness has worsened due to long-standing emotional burdens. But there’s always a catalyst. Would you care to share what that might be?”
Josie froze, her eyes brimming with tears.
Amara also froze, knowing full well what her mother’s “catalyst” was.
Barbara and Amara were childhood playmates, back when both families were struggling financially.
Though Barbara’s parents had stable jobs, during that era, local authorities in their county often deducted salaries from workers to fund road construction projects. As a result, their income was meager, but they managed to make ends meet.
Amara’s family, however, faced much worse circumstances. Her parents had a second child—her younger brother—and were reported for violating the family planning policy. This led to her father being demoted from his job. Her mother, a housewife, had no income, and the family struggled to cover basic expenses, let alone afford school fees for the children. During their most desperate times, they sought help from Barbara’s parents, who, despite their own difficulties, offered all the help they could.
No one expected the Amara family’s fortunes to turn around so dramatically. One day, while out shopping, Josie impulsively bought a lottery ticket—a rare thing for her—and ended up winning lover 30 million dollars.
In that era, 30 million dollars was an astronomical sum. News of their win spread like wildfire in the small county, becoming the talk of the town. Local newspapers ran headlines, and TV stations rolled celebratory banners about the jackpot winner. Envious whispers echoed through the community, and the family’s attempts to keep the news under wraps faltered when relatives caught wind of it after seeing them at the bank.
After taxes, they were left with over 20 million dollars—a fortune that immediately elevated the Amara family’s status.
But the newfound wealth brought a host of problems. A relative from Micah’s father’s side soon came knocking. The message was clear: the Amara family couldn’t possibly use all that money, while his own family was struggling to make ends meet, with grandchildren needing school fees and a son who wasn’t making a living. In exchange for keeping their win a secret, he demanded “celebration money.”
Reluctantly, and knowing the danger of being unable to keep their winnings a secret, Josie agreed and gave him 50,000 dollars.
