Chapter 6

I froze. Alvin grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the door.

"Alvin!" Callie hurried after him in her heels, her smile fading. "The auction's starting. You promised me that diamond brooch. What am I supposed to do?"

He kept walking. "Bid on it. Use my card."

He led me out of the ballroom and into the car. The door slammed, cutting off the noise.

He started the engine. "Which hospital?"

I gripped my skirt.

After a long silence, I whispered, "She's dead."

Alvin turned to me, his face dark. "You think I'm stupid?

"She needed surgery money a minute ago. Now she's dead?"

I shook my head. "I didn't lie.

"I'll take you to the cemetery if you don't believe me."

The car went quiet.

He stared at me for a few seconds.

"Okay." I couldn't read his tone.

I gave him directions to the cemetery.

We drove back into the night.

I could faintly see my reflection in the window. Even carefully applied makeup couldn't hide how pale and tired I looked.

Mom had been sick for years.

She'd been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy before I met Alvin.

She was in and out of the hospital. The slightest effort left her breathless, her chest tight.

I'd never told him.

He already had enough bad luck.

A stolen e-bike. Docked pay. One family emergency after another.

I felt bad for him. He didn't need my family's problems too.

Whenever Mom was hospitalized, I said I was working late.

I paid her bills in secret.

I'd never thought sparing him the worry would make him think I was lying.

Over forty minutes later, we pulled up outside the cemetery.

The night was quiet except for leaves rustling in the wind.

I got out and led the way, my eyes red.

Alvin followed in silence.

In the back row, I stopped and pointed.

"That's her grave."

He said nothing.

I figured he felt guilty now that he knew I'd told the truth.

I was about to turn when he laughed coldly.

"So your mom's a dog, Lena."

I froze.

I looked back at the headstone.

I'd been too teary-eyed to check the photo. I'd stopped here from memory.

Now the moonlight made it clear.

A golden retriever, its tongue hanging out.

Not Mom.

My mind went blank. I crouched by the grave.

"No... This was it..."

I'd watched the workers place her ashes here.

'Did I remember wrong? Was I that upset?'

I jumped up and checked headstone after headstone.

Nothing in front.

Nothing behind.

I ran to the next row.

I searched every grave nearby.

No sign of Mom's name.

"Mom...

"Mom, where are you?"

Tears streamed down my face.

I stumbled back to the first grave, dropped to my knees, and clawed at the stone slab.

My nails tore and bled.

I barely felt it. I kept trying to pry it up.

Alvin watched coldly.

Then he grabbed my arm and hauled me up.

"Done with your little act?"

I fought his grip. "Let go! Mom's ashes are gone. I have to find her!"

He scoffed. "Still going?

"I never met your mom, so you figured any random grave would fool me?"

He looked down at me with a sneer. "Too bad.

"Even your luck sold you out. You picked a dog's grave.

"Lena Hart, you're so desperate to prove you're not a gold digger, you'd use the dead as props. You're disgusting."