Chapter 2

My heart sank. That cot was my bed.

When I first moved in, I only planned to stay through Lisa's postpartum recovery, but one thing led to another and three years slipped by. She mentioned replacing it with a proper bed more than once, yet it never happened.

I always told myself they were just too busy with work and it slipped their minds. Now I could see it for what it really was. I was the only one who ever cared.

I smiled and said nothing. Kevin picked up on my embarrassment and quickly changed the subject. He knew my situation.

Years ago, I originally asked him to help me rent the apartment out, and he even found tenants. But Lisa needed a place to live right around that time, so I dropped it.

I found Kevin to be a straightforward, honest person, so I referred clients to him on several occasions. We got to know each other well over time. I even invited him over for meals more than once, so he was familiar with how things were at home.

The buyer was pleased with the apartment and wanted to close on the spot. After careful thought, I decided to be upfront with him.

"Mr. Patterson, I should be honest with you. My daughter's family is living here right now, and we're not on good terms.

"There might be some complications down the line. If that doesn't scare you off, I'm willing to go ten percent below market."

Mr. Patterson frowned. "Whose name is on the title?"

"Mine," I said.

His brow relaxed. "Then we shouldn't have a problem. I'll pay in full, but I need the transfer done fast."

I didn't expect him to agree so easily. It took me a moment to collect myself.

"Of course. We can file the paperwork the moment the county clerk's office opens."

The total price came to 2.3 million dollars. Mr. Patterson wired half as a deposit. 1.15 million dollars hit my account almost instantly, and I felt nothing at all.

He wanted to take possession the next day, and I agreed without hesitation. I hired a moving company to pack up Lisa's family's belongings overnight and ship everything to Brandon's parents' house.

Once it was all taken care of, Lisa sent me a photo. It was her family of six posing at a luxury resort, all smiles. The caption read, "Mom, we made it to Costa Bella safe and sound. Everything's great. Take care of yourself at home."

I scoffed. So she still remembered she had a mother. Her hollow concern felt almost laughable now.

I opened the message thread and started typing, "I sold the apartment at Maple Ridge..."

Halfway through, I deleted every word and turned off the screen.

I hoped they would have a wonderful time in Costa Bella. Because once they got back, there wouldn't be much to smile about.

I found a nice restaurant and ordered myself a proper feast. For years, I never took a single day off. It was time I treated myself for once.

I was just about to dig in when Lisa's video call came through. I hesitated for a moment, then answered.

On the screen, the whole family sat together in a private dining room at some upscale restaurant. The table was covered with platters of seafood.

Lisa's voice came first. "Mom, Happy New Year!"

Then Brandon's mother, Diane Holloway, leaned into the frame, cradling an enormous lobster in both hands.

"Happy New Year, Naomi! Would you look at the size of this thing? I have to thank you for raising such a wonderful daughter. She's really showing us the good life out here."

She paused, her smile barely concealing her smugness. "You're all alone over there, so don't just nibble on whatever's in the fridge, alright? It's the holidays. Treat yourself to something nice."

I looked at her through the screen and smiled. "Happy New Year to you all, too. And my dinner isn't half bad either."

I flipped the camera around to show my table—premium cuts, elegant plating, the kind of spread that clearly cost a small fortune.

On the other end, every trace of laughter died instantly. Diane's face went pale. Lisa looked visibly annoyed and started in on me.

"Mom, you ordered all that food just for yourself? What a waste!

"And it obviously isn't cheap. You've always been so frugal. Why would you suddenly spend that kind of money?"

I smiled coolly. "It's my money. I'll spend it however I want."

"You—"

She was gearing up to say something else, but I didn't stick around to hear it. I hung up, put my phone on silent, and gave the meal my full attention.

I cut into a steak, and rich, savory juices burst across my tongue.