The money I had was already tied up in the deposit for the new facility in Germany.

Taking a deep breath, I called Grant.

He answered immediately this time.

“So now you decide to call me? You owe me an apology for that stunt you pulled with the baby.”

His voice was lazy, completely unconcerned about my mother’s life.

I fought back the rage building inside me.

“Reinstate the payments for my mom’s care. You can have everything in the divorce.”

Grant laughed, but there was no humor in it.

“And why should I listen to you? Didn’t you say in your little letter that you never wanted to see me again?”

My heart was pounding with panic.

“My mom is sick, Grant. Can you please not use her as a pawn in your games?”

His tone was cold, his words like a venomous snake striking.

“Then why did you use my child to play games with me? Where did you print that fake death certificate? It looks pretty real.”

My whole body was shaking.

“Grant, I am not playing games with you!”

“Why are you dragging my mother into our problems?!”

He didn’t get angry at my shouting. Instead, he just laughed, smug and superior.

“Zoe, don’t be hysterical.”

“Just tell me where you are. I’ll come pick you up. Your due date should be getting close, anyway. I’ll be there with you this time, I promise.”

My phone buzzed with a text from Mrs. Liu.

My mom was in a lot of pain.

They needed to pay the bill now.

My eyes were bloodshot, and a massive wave of fear washed over me.

“Grant, I’m begging you. Please, just tell them to resume the payments. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have used the baby to spite you.”

“Just make sure my mom is taken care of, and I’ll do anything you ask.”

Hearing the desperation in my voice seemed to finally satisfy him.

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

He seemed to think about it for a few minutes.

“Alright. Apologize to Mimi.”

“We were innocent, and you made this big scene. How is she supposed to face anyone now?”

A wave of nausea washed over me, but I had no choice.

“I don’t have her number.”

Grant’s voice was slow and deliberate.

“She’s right here next to me. You can just say it.”

Before I could even process that, Mimi’s sickly sweet voice came on the line.

“Zoe, honey, hold on a sec. I’m just going to record this, you know, so there are no misunderstandings later.”

I felt a bitter irony rise in my throat.

I spoke, my voice wooden.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Miller. I misunderstood the relationship between you and Grant. It was all my fault.”

Ignoring Mimi’s delicate little laugh on the other end, I pushed forward.

“I did what you asked. Now, pay the bill. Tell the facility to take care of my mother!”

Mimi’s laughter stopped abruptly.

Her voice turned deceptively innocent and pure.

“I’m not quite satisfied with that apology. You’ll have to keep apologizing until I am.”

I froze, a white-hot rage surging through me.

For the first time in my life, I wanted to kill someone.

My doorbell rang.

I stumbled to the door and opened it.

Leo was standing there.

I stared at him for a few seconds, then grabbed onto his arm.

“Leo, can I borrow some money? My mom’s facility cut off her treatment. She’s… she’s not going to make it…”

Leo didn’t know what was happening, but he immediately pulled a card from his wallet and pushed it into my hand.

“This is everything I have. Take it. Use it for your mom.”

The phone was still connected.

Grant’s voice crackled through the speaker, demanding.

“Zoe? Who is that man with you?!”

I hung up the phone.

I was just about to call the facility when Mrs. Liu called me first.

Her voice was thick with sobs.

“Zoe… your mother’s gone.”

In that moment, my mind went completely blank.

I just stood there, frozen.

If Leo hadn’t been there, I think I would have collapsed.

He scrambled to book us flights, and we flew back home that night to handle my mother’s funeral.

Leo and I had just arrived at the care facility when Grant showed up, right behind us.

He saw my flat stomach and his eyes widened in shock.

He started to move toward me, to grab my arm, but Leo stepped in front of me and punched him square in the jaw.

“You have the goddamn nerve to show your face here?”