Chapter 4 · Late to Arrive, Warm to Stay

"You're not happy," he said.

Man, this kid was crazy observant for his age.

"It's nothing," I said with a smile. "Keep drawing."

He looked down and added another tiny figure to his drawing.

This one stood right next to the tall person.

At noon, I got a call from the hospital.

"Miss Winters, your mother's medical bill needs to be paid by 5 p.m. today, or we'll have to pause some of her treatments," the hospital staff said.

Forty thousand dollars.

Right now, I had 95 dollars plus the 5,000 dollars from today, less than 10,000 dollars.

Still short by over 30,000 dollars.

I called everyone I could possibly borrow money from, college friends, old coworkers, and distant relatives.

Not a single person answered.

Or if someone did pick up, all I got was a bunch of sorry excuses.

At 3:30 p.m., I stood at the end of the second-floor hallway, staring out at the lake. For the first time, I felt like I couldn't hold it together anymore.

"Miss Winters," the butler said. Before I even realized it, he was standing behind me.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Mr. Landon asked me to let you know that he's already advanced you a month's salary, and it's been deposited into your account," the butler said.

I stood there, stunned.

I grabbed my phone and saw a text from the bank.

[Deposit: 150,000 dollars.]

One hundred and fifty thousand dollars. All at once.

I stared at the number, completely speechless.

"Mr. Landon said this is an advance, not charity. After it's deducted, your salary will be settled monthly," the butler explained.

I pressed my nails into my palm, just to remind myself this was real.

"Could you thank Mr. Landon for me?" I said.

Before the butler could answer, a deep voice cut in from the stairs, "No need to thank me."

I turned and saw Charles standing there, dressed in a dark gray coat, his hair misted with rain.

He walked right past me without missing a beat.

"Just make sure you take care of Leo," Charles said.

He headed upstairs to the third floor.

The door shut behind him.

I stood there, clutching my phone.

One hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

My mom was going to be okay.

At 4:30 p.m., I rushed to the hospital and paid the $140,000 bill.

My mom was lying in a hospital bed, so thin she looked like nothing but skin and bones.

"Sophia, where did you get the money?" she asked weakly.

"I found a job," I said, squeezing her hand. "The pay is super high, so you don't have to worry, Mom."

"What kind of job?" she asked.

"I'm looking after a little kid," I replied.

She squeezed my hand a bit tighter.

"Sophia, your dad came by," she said.

My expression turned icy.

"What did he want?" I asked.

"He said Claire's getting married, and told me not to hold a grudge. He also said if you agree to be her bridesmaid, they'll pay for my surgery," she said.

"Mom, I've already paid for the surgery. We don't need their money," I said.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm holding you back..." she whispered.

"You're not," I said, holding her hand tight. "Just focus on getting better. I'll take care of everything else."

Night had already fallen by the time I walked out of the hospital.

I was standing outside the hospital, flagging down a taxi.

Out of nowhere, a white Porsche came to a stop right in front of me.

The window rolled down.

Claire was sitting in the passenger seat, her makeup perfect, with a faint smile on her lips.

"Sophia? What are you doing here?" Claire asked, her tone casual.

Jason was behind the wheel.

He glanced at me, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Just here to see Mom," I replied, keeping my voice flat.

"Oh, Jason and I were just here to visit her, too. What a coincidence." Claire said, stepping out and linking her arm through Jason's. "By the way, Sophia, did Jason tell you about being my bridesmaid? Have you thought it over?"

"No," I said flatly.

Her smile faltered for a second.

"Come on, Sophia, don't be so mean. Jason and I really love each other. You can't hold a grudge forever," Claire said, her voice all sweet and fake.

"I'm not holding a grudge. I just don't care," I replied.

"Sophia," Jason snapped, his tone sharp. "Claire's just trying to be nice. Don't be so ungrateful."

"Ungrateful?" I shot back, locking eyes with him. "You and my sister slept in my wedding bed, got married in the dress I chose, and now you want me to stand there grinning as your bridesmaid, blessing you both?

"Jason, have you completely lost your mind?"

His face turned bright red.

"You..."

"Enough," I said, turning to leave. "Congratulations."

"Sophia! Don't get cocky!" Claire shouted after me. "You really think you can find someone better than Jason? Look at you. You don't even have a place to live!"

Chapter 4

"You're not happy," he said.

Man, this kid was crazy observant for his age.

"It's nothing," I said with a smile. "Keep drawing."

He looked down and added another tiny figure to his drawing.

This one stood right next to the tall person.

At noon, I got a call from the hospital.

"Miss Winters, your mother's medical bill needs to be paid by 5 p.m. today, or we'll have to pause some of her treatments," the hospital staff said.

Forty thousand dollars.

Right now, I had 95 dollars plus the 5,000 dollars from today, less than 10,000 dollars.

Still short by over 30,000 dollars.

I called everyone I could possibly borrow money from, college friends, old coworkers, and distant relatives.

Not a single person answered.

Or if someone did pick up, all I got was a bunch of sorry excuses.

At 3:30 p.m., I stood at the end of the second-floor hallway, staring out at the lake. For the first time, I felt like I couldn't hold it together anymore.

"Miss Winters," the butler said. Before I even realized it, he was standing behind me.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Mr. Landon asked me to let you know that he's already advanced you a month's salary, and it's been deposited into your account," the butler said.

I stood there, stunned.

I grabbed my phone and saw a text from the bank.

[Deposit: 150,000 dollars.]

One hundred and fifty thousand dollars. All at once.

I stared at the number, completely speechless.

"Mr. Landon said this is an advance, not charity. After it's deducted, your salary will be settled monthly," the butler explained.

I pressed my nails into my palm, just to remind myself this was real.

"Could you thank Mr. Landon for me?" I said.

Before the butler could answer, a deep voice cut in from the stairs, "No need to thank me."

I turned and saw Charles standing there, dressed in a dark gray coat, his hair misted with rain.

He walked right past me without missing a beat.

"Just make sure you take care of Leo," Charles said.

He headed upstairs to the third floor.

The door shut behind him.

I stood there, clutching my phone.

One hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

My mom was going to be okay.

At 4:30 p.m., I rushed to the hospital and paid the $140,000 bill.

My mom was lying in a hospital bed, so thin she looked like nothing but skin and bones.

"Sophia, where did you get the money?" she asked weakly.

"I found a job," I said, squeezing her hand. "The pay is super high, so you don't have to worry, Mom."

"What kind of job?" she asked.

"I'm looking after a little kid," I replied.

She squeezed my hand a bit tighter.

"Sophia, your dad came by," she said.

My expression turned icy.

"What did he want?" I asked.

"He said Claire's getting married, and told me not to hold a grudge. He also said if you agree to be her bridesmaid, they'll pay for my surgery," she said.

"Mom, I've already paid for the surgery. We don't need their money," I said.

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm holding you back..." she whispered.

"You're not," I said, holding her hand tight. "Just focus on getting better. I'll take care of everything else."

Night had already fallen by the time I walked out of the hospital.

I was standing outside the hospital, flagging down a taxi.

Out of nowhere, a white Porsche came to a stop right in front of me.

The window rolled down.

Claire was sitting in the passenger seat, her makeup perfect, with a faint smile on her lips.

"Sophia? What are you doing here?" Claire asked, her tone casual.

Jason was behind the wheel.

He glanced at me, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Just here to see Mom," I replied, keeping my voice flat.

"No," I said flatly.

Her smile faltered for a second.

"Come on, Sophia, don't be so mean. Jason and I really love each other. You can't hold a grudge forever," Claire said, her voice all sweet and fake.

"I'm not holding a grudge. I just don't care," I replied.

"Sophia," Jason snapped, his tone sharp. "Claire's just trying to be nice. Don't be so ungrateful."

"Jason, have you completely lost your mind?"

His face turned bright red.

"You..."

"Enough," I said, turning to leave. "Congratulations."

"Sophia! Don't get cocky!" Claire shouted after me. "You really think you can find someone better than Jason? Look at you. You don't even have a place to live!"