Chapter 4

Joseph's POV

The toe of a leather shoe lifted my chin, and bills slapped across my face until my cheek was swollen.

"Well, look who it is. Ms. Budzyn's husband. How'd you end up like this?"

"What a loser. Can't even keep his own wife's attention. Guess dressing up a nobody doesn't make him belong in high society."

"You should see Ms. Budzyn's new favorite. I heard she bought out an entire auction for him last week. A billion dollars, and she didn't even blink."

Every word cut deep. So in Stella's eyes, Mom's life was worth that little.

Numbly, I knelt before one wealthy guest after another, but no matter how hard I worked, I couldn't come close to raising 200 thousand dollars.

My vision gradually darkened. I was on the verge of passing out when a familiar pair of leather shoes stopped in front of me.

"Well, well, well. Still working yourself to death for that mother of yours?" Gatlin crouched down and patted my cheek. "You've been trying so hard. I think you've earned a little show. Trust me, you're going to love this."

I had no idea what he meant.

Then Gatlin took out a small box and reached inside, pulling out a handful of pale gray powder. He tossed it into the air.

"I call this one..." He smiled. "Fireworks."

A terrible feeling crept over me. I clutched my chest as a dull ache spread through it. "Gatlin… what is that?"

Gatlin covered his mouth in mock surprise, amusement gleaming in his eyes. "And here I thought you and your mother were so close. You can't even recognize your own mother's ashes?

"Look how pretty they are. Just like fireworks." He grabbed another handful and threw it in my face, sending me into a coughing fit. "You should be thanking me. I brought you and your mother back together."

The moment I understood what he was saying, I called the hospital. Every second I waited for someone to answer felt endless.

By the time the call connected, my vision was so blurred with tears that I could barely see. My voice trembled. "Doctor… where is my mother?"

There was a brief silence on the other end. "Mr. Hawke, your mother was cremated this morning."

My mind went blank.

"She passed away from a heart attack last night. We tried calling both you and Ms. Budzyn, but neither of you answered. Eventually, Ms. Budzyn's secretary took our call. He told us to proceed with the cremation as soon as possible."

I stared at the box in Gatlin's hands. Grief surged through me, so overwhelming that I could barely breathe.

Those really were my mother's ashes.

When our eyes met, Gatlin doubled over laughing. "You and your mother really are a pair of idiots! All I did was show her the video of you kneeling on the floor polishing people's shoes, and she got so upset she had a heart attack and died. Honestly, the two of you should just go reunite in the afterlife."

"Gatlin, I'll kill you!" Grief and rage consumed me. I lunged at him and drove my fist into his face.

If he was telling the truth, I couldn't bear to imagine how devastated Mom must have been when she saw that video.

"Stella, help! He's trying to kill me!"

The next second, I was kicked away. I rolled across the floor and slammed my forehead against a table. The room spun around me.

"Joseph Hawke, have you lost your mind?" Stella helped Gatlin to his feet, shielding him as though he were something priceless.

When she turned to me, her face was filled with disgust. "Gatlin felt sorry for you. He came all this way to bring you money for the hospital, and you attacked him?"

I could no longer hear anything around me. It was as though all the color had drained from the world.

All I could see was the box. Only half of Mom's ashes were left inside. I stumbled toward it, desperate to pick it up and hold it close.