Chapter 3

"What the hell was that all about today, Clement?"

When I returned home, I thought Clement would feel guilty about what happened and apologize to me. Yet, as soon as the words left my mouth, he came at me with an absurd question.

"What was your problem? You allowed a damn construction worker to call out my name in public. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?"

"So, that gives you the right to lie to me, deliberately stand Dad up, and cause him to lose the lawsuit and owe 500 grand?" I chuckled, though my eyes were already stinging with tears.

Clement's composure cracked for a split second before he regained it. "I did assign Mr. Smith to the case," he admitted. "However, I didn't expect Reina to take Ben's case.

"There were already people at the law firm who had it in for her. If she lost this case, her chances of being offered a permanent position would be in jeopardy."

Even though I had already realized how important Reina was to him, his words still brought tears to my eyes. "So, that gives you the right to twist the truth, fabricate evidence, and frame Dad?"

"My job is to win cases." Clement rose to his feet and looked down at me condescendingly. "No matter what kind of person Ben is, he's still a client of our firm. That account is worth millions annually in legal retainers. What does your father bring to the table?"

He scoffed and kicked over my bag. It contained the baby bananas I hadn't even had a chance to eat.

"This trash?"

Trash? Did he seriously just refer to Dad's hard-cultivated bananas as trash? As it turned out, a person's heart really could change in the blink of an eye.

Back when we first arrived in Silverstream to make a living, Mom and Dad, who were still back home, had cut down countless banana trees, carried countless bricks, and sent us bundles of hard-earned money, all so we could have our first home here.

However, the man standing before me was no longer the man I had once loved. I felt as though a complete stranger was standing in front of me.

"Don't look at me like that." He yanked off his tie in frustration. "Worst-case scenario, I'll get the bank to help your dad handle the compensation. 500 grand isn't a lot. I'll help him pay it off in installments—"

I couldn't hold it in anymore and slapped him across the face. The living room fell dead silent for three seconds.

Clutching his cheek, he stared at me in disbelief. "How dare you slap me?"

I trembled with anger, glaring at him with red-rimmed eyes. "Get out!" I spat out.

"Fine, Celeste. Stay home and reflect on your behavior."

Clement slammed the door and stormed out with his cheek swollen from the slap. I, on the other hand, sank to the floor and cried through the night in the living room.

…

Early the next morning, I received an urgent call from Mom.

"This is bad, Cece. Ben's men came to collect the debt and pushed your dad into a heart attack! He's currently in the ICU!" Mom almost cried herself hoarse.

Something inside my head snapped. With trembling hands, I called Clement. "Dad had a heart attack, and he's in critical condition, Clement. He can't be transferred to another hospital. Can you please ask that cardiac surgeon friend of yours to come to the countryside with me and perform his surgery?"

"Hold on." His voice was disturbingly calm.

"Are you listening to me, Clement? This is the last time I'll ever ask you for anything!"

"I'm listening, but Dr. Brown isn't available right now."

"He isn't available? What's that supposed to mean?" I was on the verge of unraveling.

"He's busy with something else."

"What could possibly be more important than Dad's life? Do you even have a conscience, Clement Hawthorne?"

The line went silent for a couple of seconds before I heard Reina's voice. "Professor Hawthorne, hurry up and wrap tamales with us!"

"I'll ask Dr. Brown tomorrow. I have something else to take care of, so I'm hanging up now."

On the cab ride home, I stared at the words "Call Ended" on my screen, feeling ice-cold all over. I wondered if he was truly going to be so heartless to me.

Half an hour later, Reina's post popped up on my screen. "I accidentally ate too many tamales and got a stomachache.

"Professor Hawthorne immediately had one of his doctor friends bring me some medicine, and he even arranged free full-body checkups for Mom and Dad. Professor Hawthorne really is the best teacher in the entire world. No one else even comes close!"

So, that was what he meant when he said he had something else to take care of. He'd been busy spending the evening with Reina and her family.

I clutched my phone and guffawed until tears streamed down my face. In the end, I had no choice but to scroll through my contacts and dial a number. "Ms. Sterling, can I ask you for a favor?"