Chapter 4

"I earned my money myself. It has nothing to do with you. As of today, you're not getting another cent from me. We're done!"

I hung up and removed them from every shared payment and authorized user card linked to my accounts.

Yesterday, I had seen Tucker bragging all over social media that he was throwing a birthday party for his girlfriend tonight at the Harborlight Grand and inviting his entire class.

Dinner at the Harborlight ran 1,500 dollars a table. I could not wait to see how they would pay for it now.

After dinner, my attending physician came by on her rounds.

She flipped through my chart, checked the numbers on the monitor, and nodded. "You're recovering well. Keep resting in bed, and make sure you stay calm."

I nodded.

Dr. Karen Mayfield jotted a few notes in my chart and casually asked, "This is your first pregnancy, right?"

"Yes," I said. "My husband and I both got tested before, and the doctor said there was nothing wrong with either of us. We just could not get pregnant."

She was quiet for a moment. "Are you taking any medication regularly?"

I shook my head, then suddenly froze.

I remembered that every month, I drank the herbal tonic Mom brought over. She said it was to build up my health, and I had been drinking it for four years.

Could it be...

After Dr. Mayfield left, I lay in the hospital bed while my thoughts churned.

Mom came by with the tonic every month, and every time, she watched me drink it. She said it was to get my system back on track and that it was for my own good.

Back then, I was actually touched. I thought Mom still cared about me, after all.

Every time I finished it, she took the leftover herbs with her.

"They smell awful," she would say. "I don't want them stinking up your place."

I thought she was being considerate, and I believed her for four years. Looking back now, something had always felt off.

I remembered that the last time I drank it, some of the leftover herbs had spilled on the floor, and I had tossed them into a drawer without thinking.

I quickly called Matt and asked him to take them in to be tested.

While I waited, I opened Tucker's girlfriend's live stream. The party was decked out to look incredibly romantic, and they had booked six tables.

His professor sat at the main table with Mom and the others.

The comments were flying by.

[So sweet! Wait, is that the Harborlight? I heard one table there runs at least 1,500!]

[Relationship goals!]

[I'm so jealous! Why can't my boyfriend be like this?]

Someone in the comments asked, [Question for the future mother-in-law! Your son is such a great boyfriend. Does he have any brothers? I want to marry into this family too!]

Tucker saw the comment and answered casually. "Brothers? Nope. I do have an older sister, though.]

He let out a disappointed sigh. "But she's super stingy. Ever since she got married, she's forgotten all about her own family. I asked her for a little money, and not only did she say no, but she even chewed me out.]

The comments exploded.

[Wow, that's so selfish!]

[Forgetting your family once you get married? People like that are the worst!]

[Poor guy! Having a sister like that is such bad luck!]

Tucker watched the comments roll in, and the corner of his mouth curled up.

It was the same look he wore every time he tattled on me and watched Mom tear into me. It was smug, satisfied, and triumphant.

I let out a cold laugh and kept watching.

A server walked in and handed over the bill, and a man who looked like a manager followed behind him.

He smiled at Mom. "Mrs. Abbott, your total for tonight comes to 9,800 dollars. Will that be card or mobile pay?"

Mom calmly pulled a bank card out of her purse. "Card."

The manager took it and ran it through the card reader.

A sharp beep rang out.

"Card declined!"