Chapter 2

I push through them, heading for the bathroom to freshen up.

Zara, persistent as ever, tugged at my sleeve, refusing to let me slip away. "Spell it out for me! You're clutching the cash! If you didn't lie to me, then where did all my son’s money go?"

I gave a nonchalant shrug, eyeing her with bewilderment. "I haven't touched a single dime in the account. How would I know?"

I wrestled my sleeve from her grip and hurried into the bathroom.

No sooner had I squeezed out the toothpaste than Zara started hammering on the door. The pounding was so loud I could feel my temples pulsing.

I swung open the door to find Zara triumphantly holding a box of my jewelry.

"And you claim you didn't blow Josh's cash! Take a look at these! Isn't each piece worth a fortune?"

Paul backed her up, saying, "Without Josh's help, could your paycheck ever cover such luxurious jewelry?

"Josh's sister is your sister, too. Why not hawk a few pieces and help Jasmine out?"

I glanced at the necklace, once pristine, now a tangle of fragments in their hands. Annoyance flared within me, and I snatched my belongings back.

"Who said you could rummage through my stuff?! My mom got these for me. I have no reason to sell them!"

Zara's reaction was visceral. She clutched my arm, dragging me toward the bedroom. "You've got some nerve! Your bedroom's overflowing with your handbags and dresses!

"Why doesn't Josh have a single decent outfit if you haven't blown through all his cash?!"

How was it that a wardrobe shared equally between us suddenly meant he was the one being shortchanged?

I stood my ground, giving her an icy stare.

"I bought that with my own money, and I'll say it once again: I haven't touched a dime of his paycheck!"

Josh let out a weary sigh, stepping in once again to smooth things over. "Chloe hasn't treated me like that. Don't make things hard for her."

He seemed genuinely concerned for me, proposing a compromise.

"Babe, if we can't scrape together 7,500 dollars, let's go with 4,500. I'll ask some friends to chip in for the rest.

"We'll face this challenge together, and I'll figure out a way to cover the future medical bills."

Jasmine, hearing that, dabbed at her eyes, looking forlorn. "Josh, if Chloe isn't on board, let's not force it, okay? Let's not spoil our good vibes over this."

Josh quickly comforted her with a reassuring pat on the shoulder, promising he would not leave her in the lurch.

Zara, too, held her hand sympathetically, then shot me a look and burst into a dramatic sob.

"My poor, poor son! Even now, he's trying to scrape together some money for Jasmine. He even has to grovel..."

She was cut off mid-sentence by Josh's stern warning. "Mom, that's enough!"

Zara huffed twice but held her tongue.

Paul, seeing her back down, looked annoyed.

"How many times do I have to say it? You can't let her walk all over you. Give a woman an inch, and she'll take a mile!"

He let out a disdainful snort. "Just look at her now, holding back the money that could save Jasmine's life!"

Josh, hearing that, quickly glanced at me, then chastised Paul. "Dad, this is between Chloe and me. You can't just keep trying to fix things the old-fashioned way."

Paul looked taken aback and seemed about to add something else.

Josh quickly cut in, turning to me, and said, "So, we're in agreement for now, Chloe. Are you okay with that?"

Zara turned away, repeating to herself like a mantra. "Every cloud has a silver lining. Every cloud has a silver lining."

Paul shot me a sideways glare, his face a picture of reluctance.

"We can't put off our sister's treatment. It's serious business," I said.

Hearing my words, Josh let out a relieved sigh, and the tension in Paul and Zara's faces eased a bit.

Even Jasmine looked up, her eyes wide with surprise.

With no one objecting, I went on. "Josh's account is down to its last dollar, and I don't have 4,500 dollars on me.

"However, I've got connections at the bank. If you want, I can hook you up with a loan."