Chapter 2

I pulled out my phone and called the number I'd turned down countless times.

"Professor Ellsworth, it's Nathan."

"My God, Nathan! You're finally calling! The doors of our institute are always open for you!" The voice on the other end was electric with excitement.

"I'll accept. But I need you to arrange a medical jet immediately to bring my daughter over. Her heart needs emergency intervention."

"Done! With your expertise, the board would green-light a private jet overnight! When can you leave?"

"Three days. I have some garbage to take out first."

I hung up and looked at Mia in her hospital bed, silently swearing she'd never suffer again.

The next morning, Leo's surgery went perfectly.

Victoria swept into Mia's room, glowing.

She carried a fruit basket—filled with the cheap leftovers Leo hadn't finished.

"Mia, look what Mommy brought you!"

She dropped the basket on the nightstand with a thud.

Mia glanced at it, said nothing, and burrowed deeper into my arms.

"What's wrong with this kid? Getting ruder by the day." Victoria frowned, glaring at me.

"You bring your daughter someone else's scraps and expect her to be grateful?" I said coldly.

"Scraps? Leo couldn't finish them, so I brought them over. Ever heard of not being wasteful?" Victoria shot back without missing a beat.

"Where did the money for Leo's surgery come from?" I ignored her deflection and threw out the real question.

Victoria's expression flickered. Her eyes darted.

"Company account. So what?"

"The company account has been broke for a long time."

"Did you touch Mia's education fund?" I stepped closer.

That fund was $1,000,000 I'd saved dollar by dollar from freelance consulting—every cent earmarked for Mia's future.

"You went through my accounts?" Victoria bristled.

"That's Mia's money!" I shouted.

"What do you mean, Mia's money? We're married—your money is my money! Leo needed the best imported medications. Dominic just got back and is short on cash. I lent it to him—so what?"

"Lent? What's he going to pay you back with? That fake degree he bought?"

"Nathan! I won't let you disrespect Dominic! He's talented—just hasn't had his break yet!" Victoria pointed at me, fuming.

"Talented? Great—then let him develop an artificial heart!"

"Enough with the sarcasm! I came here to inform you: Dominic is joining the company. He's replacing you as Director of R&D." Victoria crossed her arms, looking down at me.

I froze. I couldn't believe my ears.

"A man with a business management degree—replacing me in R&D?"

"The department's on track now. We don't need a rigid lab rat like you anymore. Dominic understands management. He'll take your patents to market better." Victoria spoke as if it all made perfect sense.

"So you're stripping my position and handing my research to him?"

"What do you mean, stripping? The company is mine. These are work-for-hire inventions—I assign them to whoever I want! Hand over the encrypted data now. Tomorrow you'll do the handover with Dominic!" Victoria snapped.

"And if I don't?"

"Then get out! And don't expect a cent for Mia's treatment ever again!"

She thought that would break me.

She had no idea that I'd registered the core patents under my own name overseas years ago.

What remained at the company was peripheral scraps.

"Fine. I'll hand it over." I looked at her calmly.

Victoria blinked, surprised I'd agreed so easily.

"Good. Come to the office this afternoon for the announcement. And don't make a scene—don't embarrass Dominic." She shot me one last look of disdain, then clicked away in her heels.

"Daddy, are you not going to work anymore?" Mia tugged at my sleeve, worry swimming in her big eyes.

"Daddy's getting a better job. We're going somewhere far away to treat your heart. Okay?"

"Somewhere without Mommy?"

My heart ached.

"Yes. Somewhere without her."