Chapter 3

I couldn't breathe through Robert's grip. My nails tore into the back of his hand. "Your mom is dead!"

He laughed, more furious than amused. "You want her dead that badly? So you can inherit the thirty percent of the company she promised her daughter-in-law?"

I tried to speak, but nothing came out. He'd cut off my air completely.

Without warning, he shoved me to the floor and called in the bodyguards waiting outside. "Smash all of it."

"No! Robert!" I screamed and threw myself forward, but two bodyguards pinned me down before I could reach him.

They ripped out Mom's monitor, her IV stand, every piece of equipment in the room, and smashed them to pieces. She cried out as a bodyguard yanked her straight off the bed. They tore the sheets and blankets apart too and threw the shreds on the floor.

"Mom! Robert, stop! Her bones are brittle; she's too old to survive this kind of shock! Make them stop!"

My arms were raw from being wrenched, but I still couldn't get close enough to reach her where she'd been thrown down.

Robert looked at Mom. Something like pity flickered across his face for a second. Then his eyes landed on the shattered funeral portrait of his own mother, and they went red.

"You cursed my mother to death, and now you're going to tell me you suddenly understand a mother's life isn't something you joke about?"

"Robert, I never lied to you!"

He only looked angrier. "I'll take back the demolition compensation. I want to see for myself whose mother actually dies first."

"Robert!"

I tried to grab him, but he shoved me to the floor without a shred of mercy.

The door slammed shut in front of me. I scrambled back to Mom. "Mom, Mom! Open your eyes! Don't do this to me!"

My hands were shaking so hard I could barely dial the emergency line.

"This is critical. She needs surgery immediately. Family needs to get here and pay the deposit right away."

When the bill printed out, my hands shook even harder. The number on it was higher than what I'd paid for my mother-in-law's surgery, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

There was no way I could cover it with my own savings. But Robert had already taken back the demolition compensation.

I had no choice but to call Robert, only to find out he'd blocked me again.

So I took a cab straight to company headquarters. They were in the middle of throwing a celebration for his secretary, Melanie Rhodes.

I was his actual wife, but right there in front of every employee, I dropped to my knees, "I'm sorry, Robert. My mother's in the hospital. Please, show some mercy and approve the funds. It's a matter of life and death."

Then I pressed my forehead to the floor.

Everyone stared, stunned. His legal wife, kneeling on the ground, while the secretary who'd barely worked there a few months stood in a designer gown with his arm looped carelessly around her waist.

"Angeline." His voice came from somewhere far above me. "I already paid for your mother's illness. You refused it, so I found another way to get you an inflated demolition payout instead.

"And instead of being grateful, you went and cursed my mother to death. You're not getting a cent from me this time."

I lifted my head and held the doctor's report out to him through tears. "My mom has an hour left before the surgery window closes. After that, it'll be too late."

Seeing how serious it was, Robert actually froze for a second. "Huh. This doesn't look that serious."

Melanie snatched the paper out of his hand before he could look closer. "My mom went through the same thing. The doctor said she just needed rest."

"That's an infection from bone damage. It can't wait!"

"Oh, come on, hospitals always exaggerate to squeeze more money out of people. Don't believe me? I'll call my mom right now. She had the same conservative treatment, and she's out hiking mountains these days."