Shares

My eyes widened as I gently read through the file.

‘Shares allocated to Nessa Blake’

My fingers tightened around the paper as if crushing it would somehow change the words staring back at me.

"Transferred shares..." The sentence blurred, tears streaming from my eyes. I blinked hard and forced myself to continue reading.

No, that couldn't be right. My heart began to pound violently against my ribs. I hurried through the file, desperate to find some explanation, some clause that would make sense of what I was seeing but there wasn't one.

The shares had been transferred to another woman—Nessa who he always denied having an affair with.

The file nearly slipped from my trembling hands. A sharp pain spread through my chest, stealing my breath. I fell to the ground before my legs gave out completely.

"What...?" The whisper barely left my lips.

Years of building that company from the ground up, the sleepless nights, risks, struggles, every victory we celebrated together. I had believed it belonged to us.

Yet here I was, finding out from a forgotten file lying on the floor that he had given part of it away without even telling me.

The betrayal hit harder than the actual shares. A tear slid down my cheek, followed by another. I pressed a shaking hand against my mouth, trying to hold myself together.

But the more I looked at the file, the more shattered I felt.

I wiped out the tear from my eyes as an idea popped up. Maybe this could be real evidence someday and I can't confront him knowing fully well he'll still deny it. I slipped the file under my dress and sank onto the couch.

—------

“Jane!Jane!” I could hear Murphy's voice. I stretched my body, leaning properly. Then, it dawned on me that I had slept off on the couch. My neck ached, pain reeling over my body.

He tapped me. "Why would you sleep on the couch? Has it gotten to that now?" His voice came out calm like he was an innocent man.

“I was so tired and I wasn't aware either." 

He leaned closer, planted a kiss on my forehead." I'm heading to the office now and I might actually not make it back in time. Please don't forget to take Sophie to the hospital today for checkup.”

Sometimes I wonder if he was aware that everything he was doing for Nessa was wrong. This minute he is with her, the next minute he is planting a kiss on my forehead acting like a perfect husband.

I nodded, smiling slightly. "Alright. Be safe." 

Sluggishly, I walked to Sophie's room and found her still sleeping. Staring at the wall clock, it was way too late for her to still be in bed. I touched her body. She was burning hot, her eyes swollen, and she was shivering.

“Oh no, Sophie! Sophie please talk to me, it's mom.” She opened her tiny eyes and a little relief surged through me.

I carried her onto my back and clicked the door open. Rushed to the car, started the engine and revved to the hospital. 

“Doctor, I think her kidney is failing as a result of accumulation and we need to find a donor.” I said to the doctor, rubbing my palms together.

The doctor froze. " How do you know all of this?”

"I'm a retired neurosurgeon. I used to work in a big hospital close to the city of Santiago.”

His eyes widened, and for a moment, he seemed speechless. He let out a low whistle, shaking his head in disbelief. "Seriously?" he asked, clearly impressed.

“Mmhmm" 

“Urmm, you're right we need to find a donor for her transplant as soon as possible. And if nothing is done, I'm sure you know what that means." 

The doctor strode out without saying another word. I stood there, hands shaking, feet numb. 

My phone buzzed from my bag, on bringing it out—

“Mummy." Sophie's voice called out. 

I dashed into her ward, leaned close to her bed and watched my little child battling for her life. Her Kidney issue surfaced after the first trip she had with her dad and that home breaker—Nessa. But yet, nothing was found.

If only she had agreed to stay at home with me on that day, maybe her condition wouldn't have been this way. The accident had only triggered it but it wasn't truly the cause.

“My darling, how are you feeling now? Better right?" 

She nodded gently. “Yes. But my stomach hurts." She touched her abdomen. 

I sniffed back the tears trying to blur my eyes. “You'll be fine. I'll call your dad now okay?" 

Who knows if Murphy would show up and not give excuses. My phone trembled on my hands as I dialed his number. This time, he responded immediately.

“Hey, Jane. What's going on?" 

“Murphy, could you please come to the hospital, Sophie isn't too strong." I was no longer ready to beg him. It was his choice to choose between his daughter and his secretary.

“I'll be there soon." He hung up. 

The door burst open an hour later, and Murphy finally arrived. Relief washed through me for all of two seconds before I saw who walked in beside him.

His secretary—Nessa.

She stood at his shoulder, dressed impeccably, as if this were just another business appointment instead of his daughter's hospital room.

The sight hit me harder than I expected. Even after I told him Sophie was weak, he still couldn't leave that woman behind.