Chapter 4

Rachel clucked her tongue. Derek sighed.

"Vivian. We were married for years. I get it, you don't have money. But stop overextending yourself. You snuck in there, couldn't afford anything, and made yourself look like an idiot. Why do that to yourself?"

Then he offered her some unsolicited advice, with a leer that turned my stomach.

I didn't bother responding.

Give your enemies enough rope.

When the auctioneer came out a few minutes later with a miserable-looking Ethan in tow, Derek and Rachel finally got the news about the card's payment hold.

"Dad, Mom, the auction house says the large transaction on the card is delayed three days. They're saying I bid too high for a standard hold, and I need to pay three-point-five million up front as a deposit before they'll release it."

"What?"

Both of them shrieked.

Derek went dark. "What kind of operation is this? You don't get the item, and you still have to pay a deposit? That's insane."

Rachel nodded vigorously. "Exactly! It's a scam. My son has a black card; he's not going to run off on a seventy-million-dollar purchase. Keep this up and we'll walk. Good luck finding another buyer."

The auctioneer called security and held firm.

"Mr. Hall, Ms. Lynch, your son purchased our most significant item. All sales are final. If he fails to complete the transaction, you'll be liable for fifty percent of the hammer price in damages."

"No deposit, and we'll be filing a police report against Ethan."

Ethan went white. "Dad, Mom, please, you have to help me. The card is just temporarily locked. Cover the deposit and I'll pay you back."

Derek and Rachel just stared at each other. They had come here to spend Ethan's signing bonus, not their own money.

I stepped in, my voice perfectly sympathetic. "Oh, Ethan. I can't watch this. These are your biological parents. How could they let you go to jail? If I were your real mother, I'd sell the car, sell the house, whatever it took."

I let a beat pass. "Too bad Derek got everything in the settlement."

Ethan's eyes lit up. He turned to Derek and demanded he liquidate the house and car immediately, or he'd cut them off.

Rachel caved on the spot.

Before they left, I reached out and touched Ethan's face, sighing like a concerned mother.

"Ethan, I raised you all these years. You've barely been anywhere. Honestly, a trip to Vegas would do you good, and you don't even need a passport."

Ethan sniffled. Despite being held back by the auctioneer's security, he managed to stretch out one hand toward me.

I spotted the flicker of hollow sentiment in his eyes and walked away before I gagged.

Then I called the casino floor manager in Las Vegas and had a personalized VIP invitation texted directly to Ethan's phone.

Free three-day trip for three, billed as a lottery win. No passport required.

Three days from now was exactly when the auction payment would process.

I swirled my wine in the back of the plane, watching the three of them practically vibrating with excitement in their seats.

I couldn't wait to see their faces.

Everything went exactly according to plan.

The moment Ethan landed in Vegas, the casino had him.

Derek and Rachel tried to rein him in, but they had no choice but to stick to his side and babysit.