Ivan looked at the portrait. "Olivia's greatest wish was to see Melody regain her sight. You need to stay alive."
Beatrice tightened her grip on the card. "Okay."
Meanwhile, at the Henson family estate.
The great hall blazed with light.
Lavinia Henson lounged in silk pajamas, nestled against Murray's chest, dabbing at her tears.
"Murray, do you think my sister's angry at me? Is that why she won't give me her kidney?"
"Maybe I should just die and give Mom and Dad back to her."
Murray wiped her tears. "Don't be ridiculous. That vicious woman is faking it."
Josephine Henson slammed her palm on the coffee table. A glass toppled and water spilled across the surface.
"Where could she possibly run? A dropout who never even finished high school!"
"I've frozen every last card. Not a cent to her name and riddled with disease. Let's see how many days she lasts."
Murray's lip curled. "You're absolutely right, Mrs. Henson. Give it three days, tops. She'll come crawling back, begging you to take her in."
"And when she does, drag her straight to the operating room."
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Ivan kept his word. He flew in a world-class nephrology team.
Targeted therapy, IV nutrition, acupuncture, one after another in relentless rotation.
Money cleared every obstacle, and my body stabilized like some kind of miracle.
No more dialysis. I put on weight. Color returned to my skin, warm and alive.
When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized the striking woman staring back.
Without the abuse, a person could actually look beautiful.
Today was Melody's follow-up eye exam.
I held her hand as we walked into the ophthalmology building.
"When my eyes are fixed, the very first thing I want to do is see Mommy's face." Melody clutched her white cane and flashed her little tiger-tooth grin.
"Deal. I'll be waiting." I smoothed my hand over her hair.
We had just rounded the corner when we walked straight into three people.
Josephine. Lavinia. And Murray.
Of all the places.
Lavinia clutched a lab report, her face ashen, leaning against Murray for support. Josephine was jabbing a finger at a nurse, berating her at full volume.
Then Josephine turned. Her gaze swept past me, locked on, and froze.
"Beatrice?!"
She let out a shriek and charged.
"You little tramp! I knew you were hiding here!"
Her nails came slashing toward my face.
I shoved Melody behind me, twisted sideways, and dodged. In the same motion, my hand whipped around and cracked across Josephine's cheek.
Slap.
The corridor went dead silent.
Josephine clutched her face, eyes bulging.
"You dare hit me? I'm your mother!"
"My mother died in a dumpster twenty years ago." I stared her down without blinking.
Murray shoved Lavinia aside and strode toward me, hand raised to grab my arm.
"You vanish for three months and Lavinia nearly coughs up blood looking for you!"
"Not only are you ungrateful, you have the nerve to raise your hand to an elder!"
I stepped back, dodging his reach, and let out a cold laugh.
"Looking for me? You mean looking for my organs."
He got a clear look at my face and stopped dead. Something flickered behind his eyes. Stunned recognition.
Three months apart, and I was no longer the gaunt, sallow blood bag they remembered.
Tailored coat. Flawless makeup. Eyes like sharpened steel.
Murray's throat bobbed. His tone softened.
"Bea, stop making a scene. Lavinia's condition can't wait."
"Be a good girl, donate the kidney, and the engagement stays. I'll marry you right away."
My stomach turned violently.
"What is wrong with you? You think that engagement is worth its weight in gold?"
"If she needs a kidney so badly, try a slaughterhouse. I don't want your charity."
Lavinia wrenched free from the nurse and stumbled forward, collapsing to her knees at my feet.
"Sister! Please! It hurts so much!"
"Save me, and the position of Mrs. Delgado is yours again!"
She wept with picture-perfect fragility, tears rolling like rain off a pear blossom, drawing stares and whispers from every direction.
Josephine's gaze slid past me to Melody standing behind me. Something vicious twisted across her face.
"So you'd rather die than stay, and now I see why. You ran off to be some man's mistress! You've even got his little bastard!"
"Come with me! Call your man out here. I want to see who has the gall to touch a Henson daughter!"
She lunged for Melody.
