Chapter 1
Alex Carter's mistress ran off again.
This time, he delayed an entire commercial flight because of her.
That night, he rushed home, saw the divorce papers in my hand, and let out a low chuckle.
"She was acting up again. Took me ages to catch her. You know how it is, babe," Alex said.
I handed him the pen anyway.
He scoffed. "Come on. You seriously want a divorce?
"You signed a prenup. If we split, you won't see a dime."
I nodded. "Yes."
Alex's smile faded. "So you're really going to stop your mom's treatment and watch her die?"
He pulled out his go-to move, the one that had always worked before.
I shook my head calmly. "No more treatment."
Alex's expression darkened completely.
He didn't know that my mother had been on that same flight, fighting for her life.
Because of those hours lost, she missed her only chance for treatment.
From that moment on, nothing here could keep me anymore.
*****
Alex had always been full of himself.
He was convinced I couldn't leave my mom behind.
After all, she was seriously ill, and her treatment cost a fortune that I could never afford.
As long as he had my mom in his grip, he had me by the throat.
So no matter how far he went, even when he cheated on me with one of my mother's former students, I never dared to ask for a divorce.
But this time, I brought it up myself, calm enough to catch even Alex off guard.
After a few tense seconds, Alex spoke first, chuckling as he patted my head. "Come on. Don't get so worked up.
"Is this about Emily going to the hospital and upsetting your mom? I swear it won't happen again.
"Besides, didn't you get your payback? You scared her half to death."
By "payback," he meant what happened the last time Emily Lane barged into my mother's hospital room to provoke me.
She played tons of intimate videos of her and Alex in front of my mom. My mom was so shocked and angry she could barely breathe and nearly died.
I was furious. I stormed into Emily's workplace with a crew, beat her until she was sobbing and begging for mercy, and got her fired.
That was the second time in my life I completely lost it.
"Don't touch me. Gross." I let out a cold laugh and shoved Alex's hand away. "Alex, your promises are as worthless as you are."
Alex yanked his hand back, wincing, his eyes suddenly sharp.
He was clearly pissed off after I had shut him down again and again today.
Then his phone rang.
He shot me a look and answered.
It was Emily, sounding pitiful.
She said, "Alex, I wanted to go apologize to Ms. Kora Turner, but the nurse said she'd been transferred to another hospital.
"But all the specialists you hired are still here. Is Olivia really so mad at us that she'd risk Ms. Kora Turner's health to get back at us?
"And how can Ms. Kora Turner let Olivia do whatever she wants?"
Alex comforted her softly.
After hanging up, he looked at me, slipping right back into his usual laid-back attitude.
"Olivia, did you and your mom team up to mess with me?" He clicked his tongue. "Your mom's getting old and sick. She's not thinking straight anymore."
He lazily held a cigarette between his lips. "You two really think I won't pull the doctors out?"
He'd pulled this stunt on me again and again, using my mom as a bargaining chip until I gave in, even forcing me to bow to his side chick.
It had never failed him.
Now, seeing him act like he still had everything under control, I wanted to laugh. But as I laughed, my eyes burned and reddened on their own.
I suddenly grabbed the ashtray and hurled it at him with all my strength. "Go ahead. Pull your medical team out right now. My mom and I don't need your help!"
Blood seeped from Alex's forehead, and the veins at his temple bulged.
After a long silence, he got up and walked toward the door, speaking in a flat voice. "Olivia, you might not have a conscience, but I do.
"Your mom was my teacher, and I owe her too much to risk her health the way you are."
I answered by hurling a vase at him with all my strength.