"All of Abner's money is with me. I've been keeping it safe—from certain people who might get ideas."
Certain people.
Meaning me.
His wife of seven years.
The last flicker of hope in my chest guttered out.
"So that's it, Abner?" My voice came out hollow. "You're done with this marriage?"
"No—that's not—"
He grabbed my arm, desperate.
"Honey, I just asked Mom to hold onto it for me. That's all."
I shook him off.
"Fine. Then right now—when we need that money to save my mother's life—are you willing to use it?"
He hesitated. But to his credit, he tried.
"Mom, my savings—"
"What are you afraid of her for?!"
His mother cut him off like a guillotine.
"She's got your child. You think she'll actually leave? She wouldn't dare."
Her face hardened into stone.
"Your money's locked in fixed-term deposits. You're not touching a cent until next year."
Abner's head dropped. Defeated. Silent.
"Cass..." He couldn't even look at me. "Maybe you could ask your relatives? See if they can help?"
His tone was flat. Not a trace of grief. Not a hint of urgency.
He pulled out his phone and transferred twenty thousand dollars.
"This is everything I have left. My entire personal stash. It's yours."
I laughed—a bitter, broken sound—as tears blurred my vision.
"Abner. We've been married for seven years. And this whole time, you've been secretly funneling your salary to your mother." I steadied my voice. "That's concealment of marital assets. It's illegal. Did you know that?"
His jaw went slack.
"That's... that can't be..."
"A son taking care of his parents is only right and proper!"
His mother's screech echoed down the corridor.
"Illegal? Illegal? If you're so sure, then sue me! Go ahead!"
I met her eyes. Held them.
"You're right. I will."
The words dropped like stones into still water.
"You forced your way into my home. That's unlawful entry."
"You threatened and coerced me into handing over that lottery ticket. That's robbery."
I pointed directly at her, my voice cutting through the silence.
"And you pushed my mother—left her unconscious and bleeding. That's aggravated assault."
The hallway went dead quiet.
No one had expected me to fight back.
My mother-in-law's face contorted with rage, her foot stamping against the linoleum.
"This is madness! A daughter-in-law threatening to sue her mother-in-law?!"
She shoved Abner forward.
"Teach her a lesson! Show her what happens to women who don't know their place!"
He didn't move. Just stood there, wavering, looking at me like I was a stranger.
I raised my phone higher, the red recording light still blinking.
"Touch me, and I call the police."
Her face twisted into something ugly.
"I'm over sixty years old! Let them come—I'm not afraid of the cops!"
She lunged toward me.
The ER nurse had been watching. She burst through the doors.
"That's enough! One more outburst and I'm calling security!"
She planted herself between us.
"Non-immediate family members need to leave. Now."
My mother-in-law froze mid-stride. Then her lip curled in disgust as she covered her nose.
"Ugh. I never should've set foot in this place. Hospitals are nothing but bad luck."
She waved dismissively at the others.
"Let's go. We're done here."
Abner lingered. He let out a long sigh, his eyes heavy with disappointment—as if I were the one who'd wronged him.
"Cass, we're family. How could you be so... heartless?"
