Chapter 7 - The Apartment on 109th StreetThe walk to apartment 3C was a revelation that shattered Owen’s worldview.
He followed Lily up three flights of dark, foul-smelling stairs, watching her small feet navigate the broken steps. He saw the peeling paint, the flickering hallway lights, the sharp scent of damp mold—a world existing just two miles away from his pristine penthouse.
When Lily opened the door, Owen stepped into a living room with almost no furniture—just a worn sofa, a small table, and a stack of library books.
In the bedroom, Carol was lying on the bed, her breathing shallow and labored.
"Mommy?" Lily ran to the bed. "I brought help. The man from the street is here."
Carol forced her eyes open, confused and alarmed. "Lily? Who... who is that?"
Owen stepped into the room, bowing his head respectfully. "Mrs. Garrison? My name is Owen Blake. Three weeks ago, I had a heart attack on Fifth Avenue. Your daughter stayed with me, called 911, and kept me alive until the paramedics arrived."
Carol looked from Owen to Lily, her eyes filling with tears. "She... she told me she helped someone."
"She didn't just help me, Mrs. Garrison. She saved me," Owen said softly. "And today, I found her in a pharmacy trying to buy your medicine with six dollars in pocket change."
Owen took a chair from the corner and pulled it near the bed. He saw the medical charts, the unpaid bills stacked on the nightstand, and the final eviction notice sticking out from an envelope.
"Why didn't you ask for help?" Owen asked softly. "When the news reported the story, I offered a reward..."
"We don't have a TV," Carol whispered weakly. "And... we don't ask for hand-outs, Mr. Blake. Lily was just doing what was right."
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"It wasn't a hand-out," Owen said, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "It was debt. A debt I can never fully repay."
He picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Marcus. I need the best medical transport team in New York at 412 East 109th Street within twenty minutes. Reserve the private wing at New York-Presbyterian. Get Dr. Chen, the head of immunology. Now."
