Chapter 1

The second I left the system, Yves Zeller called.

"Cancel the request."

His voice was perfectly even, as if I'd submitted a report with the wrong numbers.

I held Lucy Zeller tighter and looked down at the bruised needle marks covering the back of her hand. "I can't."

"IT can restore your account. Register again. Don't hold everyone up because of this."

A laugh escaped me.

Our daughter was scheduled for her pre-op evaluation first thing tomorrow morning, yet he hadn't asked a single question about her condition. All he cared about was losing one bidder from his precious auction.

"Yves, Lucy's having surgery tomorrow."

There was a two-second silence. "I know."

"The doctor needs both parents there to sign the paperwork. Come home tonight."

"I'll be there before nine tomorrow morning. Yvette just moved, and she's having a rough time. I'll come back after I finish helping her unpack."

I checked the time. It was 11:40 p.m.

"Doesn't she have family?"

His voice turned cold. "Jenna Langford, you left the system. You don't get to ask who I belong to now."

He hung up.

Lucy looked up at me. "Daddy still isn't coming home?"

I gently tugged her sleeve back into place. "The doctor said you need a good night's sleep tonight."

At nine the next morning, Yves still hadn't shown up.

The doctor slid a surgical consent form across the desk. "The hole between Lucy's ventricles is more serious than we initially thought. We can't delay the surgery any longer. Is her father still not here?"

It took seven calls before someone finally answered.

Yvette's voice came through the phone.

"Jenna? Yves is in the shower. Is it urgent?"

"Put him on."

"We were busy until three in the morning, and he just got to sleep. There are doctors handling Lucy's surgery, aren't there? It's not like Yves can do anything if he goes."

A moment later, Yves took the phone, sounding groggy.

"I misjudged the timing. Sign whatever you can for now. I'll be there for the actual surgery."

"There's a form you have to sign yourself. The doctor needs a family history of hereditary heart disease. Your father had bypass surgery, and you're the only one who knows the details."

"Send it to my assistant. I'll have him take care of it."

The doctor had heard enough. He took the phone from me.

"Mr. Zeller, a medical history interview cannot be completed by your assistant. Your daughter's condition is serious. You need to come to the hospital immediately."

"I can spare twenty minutes after three this afternoon."

Then he hung up.

Lucy sat in the chair with her feet dangling above the floor. She looked at the doctor, then at me before suddenly picking up the pen and painstakingly writing her own name on the consent form.

"I can sign it myself, Doctor. Daddy's really busy. I can say yes to the surgery myself."

I pulled her into my arms, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Yves finally arrived at 3:17 that afternoon.

Yvette came in behind him, wearing the silver bracelet I'd spent three months searching for.

It had been Yves's gift to me for our seventh wedding anniversary. My name was still engraved on the back of the charm.

"Take it off."

Yvette drew her hand back. "Yves found it in an old box. He said nobody wanted it, so I thought it was okay to wear."

Then she added softly, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. If it bothers you, I'll give it back."

She said she would return it, but her other hand closed protectively over the clasp.

In the struggle, the bracelet suddenly snapped and fell to the floor.

I instinctively bent to pick it up, but Yves stopped me.

"It's an old bracelet. If it's dirty, throw it away. I can buy you another one."

Instead, he turned to inspect the red marks on Yvette's wrist.

"You hurt her. Apologize."

Lucy suddenly jumped down from her chair and shoved Yvette away with all her strength.

"You're a bad lady! Stop taking Mommy's things!"