Chapter 6

Roxie's head buzzed.

There had been about $140,000 in that account, money the two of them had saved together.

She still remembered the day they opened it. Evan had held her hand and said, "Roxie, this is for our future together. I'll leave it in your hands from now on."

And now he had handed it all over to Sylvia without even telling her.

Then again, she and Evan were over. The account no longer meant what it once had.

But some of that money was still hers.

"Evan Shaw, I don't care what you do with your share. But give me back the $55,000 that belongs to me."

Evan walked over to the water dispenser, poured himself a glass, and took a sip.

"I lent Sylvia everything in the account."

Roxie rushed forward and snatched the glass from his hand.

It crashed to the floor and shattered.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her voice shook with fury.

"That was my money! That's the money I need to save my mother's life! Call her right now and get it back!

"I don't care if you have to sell the house today. Give me my money, or I'll see you in court!"

Evan frowned, clearly displeased by her outburst.

She had never acted like this before.

"I already used the house and the car as collateral.

"Between that and the savings, I raised about $700,000 for her."

Roxie felt as if she'd been struck by lightning.

She stared at the man she had loved for six years in disbelief.

"You put our house up as collateral too?

"Sylvia knows my mother is fighting for her life! She's doing this on purpose!"

Evan's expression darkened completely.

"Roxie Foster, watch what you say. Sylvia's project means everything to her. Without this money, the whole thing falls apart, and years of her work will be wasted.

"She's just a young girl trying to make it on her own. Can you stop being so selfish?

"I understand that your mother is sick, but you can borrow from relatives or friends for now. Or sell your mother's old house. There are ways to come up with the money.

"Once Sylvia's cash flow improves, she'll pay you back."

Slap!

Roxie's palm struck Evan hard across the face.

"Evan Shaw, do you even have a heart?"

She pointed toward the door.

"Go to the hospital right now. Use your position as medical director to guarantee the bill and get my mother approved for emergency surgery without the upfront payment.

"Otherwise, I'm suing Sylvia too!"

Evan wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"No.

"The hospital has strict rules. We can't approve a large unpaid balance for one patient just because of a personal connection. If I make an exception for you, the policy becomes meaningless.

"However, I can help you apply for public medical assistance. If we follow the normal process, the funding should come through in fifteen to thirty business days."

Roxie clenched her teeth so hard she tasted blood.

Thirty business days?

Her mother needed surgery within seven days.

At this rate, he was going to let her mother die.

Roxie's chest heaved. A wave of dizziness hit her, her vision went black, and she collapsed.

When she opened her eyes again, she was lying in the passenger seat of Evan's car.

He drove with one hand on the wheel.

"You have a high fever. It's probably from being out in the rain. I'm taking you to the hospital.

"Don't worry about the surgery costs yet. I'll see if there's something else I can do without breaking any rules."

Roxie's entire body ached from the fever, and she felt completely drained.

She turned her face away as tears silently fell onto the seat.

"Evan... how can you do this to me?

"You know my mom is all I have..."

Evan sighed and reached over to touch her forehead, but Roxie turned away from his hand.

"I'm sorry. But Sylvia sounded so helpless when she called me crying. I couldn't just ignore her."

Roxie closed her eyes in despair.

It felt as though a hole had been torn through her heart, letting an endless chill pour in.

Sylvia would always come first with him.

Roxie no longer even had the strength to argue.

Still dazed from the fever, she drifted back to sleep.

She had no idea how much time had passed when the oppressive heat inside the car woke her.

The driver's seat was empty.

Evan was gone.

The car had become unbearably hot. Roxie gasped for air and struggled to sit up, reaching for the door handle.

It wouldn't open.

The doors were locked.

He had left her trapped inside the car.