Chapter 1

Once my father, Henry Lawson, snagged the top spot as the group's chairman, he ditched his wife and daughter without a second thought, moving in with his former lover to start a new life together.

My mother, Grace Carter, meanwhile, was left in the lurch, pinning all her hopes on Henry's return.

Day after day, night after night, she waited, her heart full of longing. Even as her health deteriorated and she lay on her deathbed, her thoughts were still with him.

I couldn't stand by and watch Grace slip away with so much left unsaid. So, I took a deep breath and dialed Henry's number.

Henry's voice came through the phone, brusque and annoyed. "How many times do I gotta tell you? Set up an appointment with my secretary!"

Glancing at Grace, her eyes filled with desperation, I practically begged, "Mr. Lawson, Mom is on her last legs. Please, just come see her. It'd be the end of her suffering."

My pleas fell on deaf ears. Henry's temper flared. "You think me showing up will work miracles? Why's she still hanging on? If she's gonna croak, just do it already and stop wasting my time!"

The line went dead. And with that, the light in Grace's eyes faded. All the fight left her, and she passed away.

I reached over and closed her eyes, a sigh escaping my lips. "Well, he got his wish."

*****

Across the street from the hospital, a high school was in full party mode—drums pounding, firecrackers going off, the air thick with celebration.

The spotlight was on Sophia Hughes, Henry's goddaughter, who'd aced the SAT this year.

As a school shareholder and Sophia's godfather, Henry strutted onto the stage, beaming with pride, to present her with a medal and a scholarship.

All that excitement was theirs. Just two blocks away, the hospital room was eerily quiet.

Grace passed away with regret still in her eyes, refusing to close even at the end.

The doctors and nurses bowed their heads to me. "We did everything we could. Please accept our condolences."

Then one of them handed me a death notice. "Is your father available to sign this?"

I took the document, my hand heavy as I wrote my name in the family section.

"He can't make it. He's busy celebrating at the school across the street," I replied, my voice dull and empty.

The doctor started to say something, but the nurse shot him a warning look.

She'd experienced Henry's callousness firsthand.

Earlier that morning, Grace's health had nosedived. The nurse accompanied me, never leaving the bedside.

Realizing her end was near, Grace finally spilled her long-held secret.

"Emily, I... I'd love to see your dad one last time."

I couldn't stand the thought of her going with regret. So, I bit my lip and dialed Henry's number.

But he just snapped, "You think me showing up will work miracles? Why's she still hanging on? If she's gonna croak, just do it already and stop wasting my time!"

The kind-hearted nurse took the phone, making one last attempt. "Sir, the patient's in really bad shape. The doctor's issued a critical condition notice. We need you—"

Henry's voice turned venomous. "You just want money, don't you? Is your family that hard up? You'd have better luck looking for a handout on a street corner than you will getting one from me."

And with that, he hung up.

When I tried calling back, he'd already blocked my number.

Grace said weakly, "Forget it, Emily. It doesn't really matter. Don't hold it against your dad. He's your only kin in this world."

Tears streamed down her face as she took her final breath.

I gently closed her eyes and whispered, "But Mom, I just can't stop hating him."