The Bird Flies Away

Neal finally looked up from his paperwork and met my eyes. “The doctor said your mom’s finally doing better.

“She should be ready for the bone marrow transplant soon. Why would you break up with me now? Do you want her to die?”

I did not answer. I just gripped the paper a little tighter.

It was my mother’s death certificate, stamped with the official seal.

“Did you tell Mimi which ward my mom was in?”

Neal chuckled and gave me a knowing smile.

“So, that’s what this is about. Yes, I told her. Mimi heard your mom was sick and went out of her way to visit. She could be a little pampered.

“Judging by your reaction, she must’ve said something that upset your mom. I’ll visit her soon and clear things up. You…”

Before he could finish, I threw a newspaper onto his desk.

[Beckett CEO’s Pregnant New Flame Takes Over, Girlfriend Demoted to Maid and Side Piece!]

Below the headline was a photo of me helping Mimi Larson out of the prenatal clinic.

The article was vicious.

It suggested that Mimi was pregnant. I was portrayed as a shameless gold digger, willing to wait on her hand and foot for Neal’s money despite supposedly being his girlfriend.

Mimi had taken that newspaper to my mother’s ward.

My mother had been a teacher all her life. Her dignity meant everything to her.

I had taken that from her.

She no longer wanted treatment. She no longer wanted to live.

The doctors fought all night to save her. When they finally wheeled her out, a white sheet covered her face.

I held the death certificate out to him. “Neal, you owe me an explanation.”

Neal was out of patience. He did not even bother to look at it.

He frowned, as though I should have been grateful instead of making demands.

“I owe you an explanation? Erica, know your place. We’re not even married. Even if we were, you wouldn’t get to police everything I do.

“But you did help me out, so the offer still stands. Be a good girl and pick up the ring.

“When I’ve sorted out the mess at the company, I’ll go with you and explain things to your mom. I’ll handle Mimi. I’m busy. Go home.”

Then, he went back to his paperwork.

He was so cold that it hurt.

I was still holding out my mother’s death certificate.

I gave a bitter laugh, remembering the last thing my mother had said to me.

She had been furious. She slapped me hard and shouted through her tears, “I didn’t raise you to be this pathetic! I’d rather die than watch you sell yourself and make a laughingstock of yourself!

“Erica, you’ve turned yourself into a harlot, and now you’re in love with the man paying for you. Have you no self-respect?”

She was right. Where was my self-respect?

I lowered the death certificate, turned, and walked away.

“The ring,” Neal reminded me without looking up.

I turned back to look at him. He was still bent over his paperwork, studying it intently.

I remembered when we first started dating. Neal had looked at me just as intently then.

“Your mom’s family to me, too. Seven million a year in medical bills is nothing to me. I can afford it.

“Bone marrow, whatever she needs, we’re going to save her. Erica, I’m going to marry you someday!”

Back then, he had promised me forever more times than I could count.

In the end, none of those promises had meant a thing.

I looked away from him and turned to leave. The velvet ring box lay open at my feet, its enormous diamond glittering in the light.

Clack!

The sharp sound broke the silence.

I kicked the ring box out of my way and walked out without looking back.