Chapter 5
Dr. Hodge addressed her gently, though his words carried the weight of a hammer blow. “We’ve discovered a tumor in Mrs. Ellington’s liver. Based on its characteristics, it’s unlikely to be benign.
“We’ll need to perform a biopsy to confirm, but the evidence strongly suggests it’s malignant.
“The good news is that there’s no sign of systemic or vascular invasion, nor any distant metastasis. A liver transplant should be able to completely save her life
The word cancer hit Amelia like a physical blow, leaving her mind spinning and her body numb.
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the doctor, the enormity of the diagnosis crashing over her
Evelyn, the woman who had always been her rock, now faced something so terrifying and life–threatening.
Amelia clenched her fists, summoning every ounce of courage she had.
Her voice wavered but was resolute. “Doctor, please, do whatever it takes. If there’s even a chance, save my mont. I’ll do anything”
Dr. Hodge nodded. “We’ll do everything we can.”
Just then, the ER doors opened, and Evelyn was wheeled out. Her frail frame looked impossibly small against the stark hospital sheets.
Amelia hurried to her side, wiping her tears and forcing herself to stay strong.
As she held her mother’s hand, a wave of clarity washed over her. Life was so fleeting, so fragile.
All the arguments, resentments, and petty concerns seemed meaningless in the face of what truly mattered.
Evelyn’s cancer diagnosis spread quickly among family and friends, drawing a steady stream of visitors to the hospital
Amid the influx of support, Amelia’s coworker Ivy Beaumont stood out with her genuine warmth and generosity.
Not only did Ivy bring an assortment of nutritional supplements, but she also made homemade soup, soothing Amelia with kind words about how difficult times would eventually pass.
In these moments of compassion, Amelia’s heavy heart began to lift, her spirits buoyed by the kindness surrounding her.
But the relief was fleeting. Just as she allowed herself a moment to exhale, her phone buzzed.
The voice on the other end was curt, delivering news that made her stomach drop: something had happened at the restaurant.
Amelia’s chest tightened as dread filled her.
Evelyn’s Haven wasn’t a big restaurant, nor was it in a prime location, but it had carved out a niche with its unique decor and flavorful signature dishes.
Loyal customers loved it, and business had flourished steadily.
Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Amelia arrived at the scene braced for bad news but still unprepared for what greeted her.
The sign that proudly displayed “Evelyn’s Haven” had been defaced with crude graffiti, the letters dangling askew above the entrance.
Decorative items that once brightened the exterior lay shattered, strewn across the ground.
Inside, the destruction was even worse, Tables and chairs were overturned, some broken into splintered pieces.
The kitchen was unrecognizable–cookware lay smashed across the floor, and the air carried the faint metallic tang of despair.
Amelia’s mind reeled. “What on earth happened here?”
“Bang
A sharp impact jolted her from her thoughts.
A pain erupted at the back of her head, radiating down her neck as her vision blurred momentarily.
1/3
9:26 AM
Chapter 5
Clutching the throbbing spot, Amelia spun around, anger flaring. “What the hell?
Her furious gaze landed on a disheveled woman in her forties.
With tangled hair and bloodshot eyes, the stranger’s face was twisted in rage, her trembling hand still clutching a broken object.
“Who are you?” asked Amelia
The woman’s glare intensified, her words dripping with venom. “Don’t play dumb with me. Evelyn destroyed my family! Pay me back–now!
Ignoring her pounding headache, Amelia tried to maintain composure. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Calm down and explain.”
The woman hesitated, her anger faltering slightly at Amelia’s confusion. Though her tone remained sharp, exhaustion cracked through as she began to explain.
“My name’s Karen Whitfield. A month ago, my husband and son ate here. They got food poisoning. They went to the hospital, but something changed after–they weren’t the same.”
Karen’s voice wavered as she took a shaky breath, then reignited with fury. I demanded compensation, and Evelyn agreed!
3
“She promised to cover everything–hospital bills, treatments, all of it. She even moved them to some fancy private hospital, said she’d handle the cost herself.
“I believed her! But that witch–she used my name to take out loans. Over two million dollars! Do you understand? I can barely read, and I signed papers I didn’t even understand.
“Now I’m drowning in debit Creditors won’t leave me alone, and my family’s still bedridden!”
Karen’s voice broke, her scream filled with anguish. “You have to fix this! Pay me back, or we all go down together?”
Her trembling body radiated a toxic mix of hatred and desperation as her tear–streaked eyes bore into Amelia
Amelia’s head throbbed, the weight of Karen’s words pressing down on her.
Food poisoning, stolen identity, massive debt–it was a whirlwind of chaos that didn’t align with anything she knew about her mother.
Evelyn was strict and occasionally overbearing, but dishonesty wasn’t in her nature.
Amelia’s gut told her this had Theo’s fingerprints all over it
Clenching her fists, Amelia pieced the puzzle together. Of course, it was hirn.
Her jaw tightened as she pulled out her phone and dialed the number she had hoped never to use again.
The line barely rang before Thee answered, his voice laced with smugness. “Why, hello, sweetheart, What’s the problem now?”
He seemed to have seen this coming
Amelu’s voice turned to ice. The disaster at my mom’s restaurant–this was you, wasn’t it? What the hell are you trying to pull”
Theo’s laugh rang cold and cruel through the phone. “You’re just now catching on? You’re slower than I thought. Your mom’s little restaurant. Oh, wait, it’s not hers anymore. I’ve already reclaimed the property.”
Amelia’s fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. “You despicable pig
He chuckled, unfazed. “Oh, Amelia. Stop wasting energy. I’ve already emptied your bank account. You’re broke.
“And in two days, when the hospital demands payment for the liver transplant? No money? Well, your mom can stay in that bed and wait for the Inevitable
“As for Karen–you’ve met her, right? If you don’t pay her back, she might just take matters into her own hands.
“So, why light it! Accept reality. Agree to the divorce, waive all claims to marital propeny, and I’ll be generous–ll even throw in a million as compensation”
Each word chilled Amelia to the bone, her hands trembling as her body grew cold.
This wasn’t just about cheating or betrayal anymore.
Theo had ripped apart her life, left her mother’s business in shambles, stolen her money. Now he was trying to buy her silence with paltry crumbs.
1.26 AM
