Chapter 3

By the time Andrew arrived at the hospital, it was already dark.

He was wearing a white shirt, still holding onto his briefcase, he must've rushed straight here from work.

As soon as he walked in, he looked at me and asked, "Mom, are you okay?"

I didn't reply. Instead, I just bowed my head and quietly wiped away my tears.

Michael waved Andrew over. "Andrew, come here."

Andrew walked over to the bed, frowning as he looked around at everyone in the room. "What's going on?"

Emily was crying so hard she could barely stand.

She stared at Andrew's handsome face, her fingers trembling. "Andrew, I'm..."

Michael cut her off. "Let me explain."

He took a few breaths of oxygen, then struggled to repeat the same story he'd told before.

He said he was the one who switched the two babies back then.

He said Andrew was his and Emily's biological son.

He said Henry was my real son.

After he finished, the room was so quiet you could hear Henry blowing bubbles with his gum.

Andrew slowly turned to look at me.

I avoided his gaze, still playing the part of a mother whose world had fallen apart.

Emily finally couldn't help herself and reached for Andrew's hand. "Andrew, I've been thinking about you all these years. I know it's not easy for you to accept, but I am your mother."

Andrew took a step back, pulling away from her.

Emily froze.

Henry rolled his eyes. "Drop the act. Rich people are so dramatic. Mom, if he accepts you as his mother, I should get a share of the Lane family's assets too.

Michael coughed, furious. "Shut up!"

Henry slammed his hand on the table. "Why are you yelling at me? You all owe me! I grew up crammed into a tiny apartment with Mom, started working at a car wash in middle school, and even had to pay off her gambling debts.

"You guys live in a mansion and run a company, and now you think saying a few nice things makes it all okay?"

Emily's expression shifted, and she quickly covered his mouth. "Harry!"

I gave Henry a silent thumbs-up in my head.

What a thoughtful kid.

Before I could even say a word, he'd already spilled all the details about what Emily's life had been like these years.

Andrew stared at Michael, his voice low. "So, you brought me back just so I'd accept her as my mother?"

Michael hurried to explain, "I know this sounds insane, but blood ties can't be broken. Emmy is your real mother..."

Andrew cut him off. "And what about my mom?"

Michael fell silent.

Emily choked out, "Andrew, don't blame your dad. We were both so young back then. He was just trying to do what he thought was best for you."

That was the last straw, I couldn't help but let out a laugh.

Emily turned to me. "Sue, what's so funny?"

I wiped the corner of my eye. "Honestly, you are pros at spinning things. Swapping kids was 'for their own good,' and fighting over inheritance is 'fairness.'

"Showing up to claim family is 'making amends.' Why not rewrite the hospital bill as a love scrapbook while you are at it?"

Emily's face darkened.

Michael jumped in, flustered. "Susan, don't talk like that."

I immediately lowered my head, my voice trembling. "I'm just so upset."

Michael looked sheepish again.

But Emily quickly softened her tone. "It's normal for you to feel this way, Sue. But no matter how upset you are, we still have to deal with this. Michael, with your health like this, we need to settle the estate as soon as possible."

Her true colors finally showed, this was what she really wanted.

Michael glanced at Andrew, then at Emily, and said softly, "I've already contacted the lawyer."

Emily's eyes lit up.

I looked up too.

The real show was about to begin.

*****

The next day, the lawyer showed up at the hospital room.

Emily went out of her way to put on a plain white dress and sat by the bed, peeling an apple for Michael.

Her peeling was a total mess, the peel kept snapping off in pieces, but Michael was so moved, his eyes were red with emotion.

I was starting to think the real problem was with his brain, not his body.

The lawyer spread out the documents. "Mr. Lane, are we handling your personal shares, pre-marital property, insurance beneficiaries, and some of your savings according to what you told me yesterday?"

Emily straightened up, suddenly alert.

Henry finally put his phone away, quitting his game.

Michael nodded. "Yes, everything goes to Andrew."

Emily's hand slipped, and the apple peel broke.

She was stunned for a moment, her voice trembling. "What about me?"

Michael looked at her, guilt written all over his face, but he didn't budge.

"Emmy, everything I own goes to Andrew. From now on, he'll take care of you. He's our son, he'll do right by you," he said.

The panic in Emily's eyes faded away.

She pressed her lips together, tears still clinging to her lashes, but she was almost smiling.

It finally clicked for her. The cash might not be landing in her own account, but it was all going to the son she believed was hers.

Her son's money was her ticket to security for the rest of her days.