Chapter 4

I couldn't believe it, but I accepted it soon enough.

Right. That tree mattered more than anything.

Once we reached the hospital, a message from Earl came through:

【Rita, the break on the trunk is pretty bad. I need to bring in a botanist, so I won't be able to get to the hospital these next few days. Take good care of Mom, and remember to eat on time.】

Reading his tepid little show of concern, all I felt was hypocrisy.

A week later, the day of the auction finally came, and Mom and I went with every cent of our savings.

Lot number 12 was Shadows of the Old City Lanes, my father's final work before he died, the only original in existence.

Thankfully, not many people in the room cared about the set. After we bid five hundred thousand, no one else called out.

"Five hundred thousand, going for the third time." Just as the auctioneer was about to bring down the hammer, a voice called out from the back rows:

"Eight hundred thousand."

I whipped around and saw Earl in a black suit, walking into the room with a bidding paddle raised, Doreen's parents right behind him.

I stared at him, my voice cold: "Earl, this is my father's estate. You're taking this from me too?"

Before he could answer, Cara beside him dabbed at her eyes, sobbing. "Earl, you promised us. You said you'd let Doreen see this set of photos tomorrow, on her fifth memorial day."

Earl soothed her. "Mom, don't worry. This set has the last images of Doreen while she was alive. I'll bring the photos to her grave."

Hearing his answer, I couldn't stop shaking all over. "Earl, because of Doreen you killed my baby, you got my mother hurt. Isn't that enough?"

"And now, for her, you're taking the last thing my father left behind too?"

He stepped forward and reached for me. "Rita, I'm not trying to take it. I told the staff to put this set in your name. After it's shown at the memorial tomorrow, I'll give it to you."

"Don't touch me!" Looking at the hand he stretched toward me, all I felt was sick.

The staff had just placed the photos in my hands when Cara rushed over to grab them.

Earl, shielding Cara, knocked into me on the follow-through.

I lost my balance, my stomach slamming into the armrest of the chair, and the pain exploded through me.

The wound they'd stitched a week ago tore open again.

I curled up against the pain, cold sweat running down.

"Rita!" Earl's pupils shrank, and he lunged to come to me.

Mom got to me first, holding me up and taking me to the hospital.

As we passed Earl, I stopped and handed him the divorce papers.

"Earl, we're getting divorced."

Through the haze, I thought I heard him say, "No. Never."

When I woke, I saw a message from Earl: 【Rita, wait for me. I'll take Doreen's parents home, then come to the hospital to find you.】

That same line again. I let out a scornful laugh and blocked every way he had to reach me.

After settling the Sullivan parents, Earl drove to the hospital to find me.

He pushed open the door to the ward and found it empty.

The bed was neatly made. The only thing on the nightstand was a medical chart.

He picked it up, and the color drained from his face.

It stated plainly: 【Patient Rita Pruitt, due to prolonged malnutrition combined with repeated injury to the uterus, has suffered severe and irreversible uterine damage, and has lost the ability to bear children.】