After my terminal cancer diagnosis.
My husband pulled out the property deed and swore he'd sell everything we owned to pay for my treatment.
My mother-in-law pressed her retirement savings into my hands — years' worth, every penny she'd set aside.
I was so moved I broke down in tears and announced I was giving up treatment. I'd leave the money for them.
But that night, a message came through Lily's kids' smartwatch：
“Mommy, don't believe a word Daddy says!”
“He's been cheating on you!”
“He's making you give up treatment on purpose so he can give all the money to his mistress and their illegitimate son.”
“And he's going to abuse me to death!”
I was shaking all over. I rushed straight into Lily's room. She was sound asleep.
There were no messages on the smartwatch.
And she was five years old. She couldn't possibly have typed all that.
I stood frozen for a full three minutes before calling a car to Phineas Vance's office building.
The office was pitch dark. I stared up at it, then looked down at his text saying he had to work late.
My heart went cold.
The next morning, I put on my most grateful face and told Phineas：
“Honey, I've decided. I'm going to fight this. I'll do the treatment. No more talk about giving up.”
……
The moment the words left my mouth, the bowl slipped from Mrs. Acevedo Sr.'s hands and shattered on the floor, rice scattering everywhere.
Phineas went rigid. He stared at me for a long moment before forcing a smile：
“Babe, you……didn't you already decide to stop treatment? What made you change your mind?”
I calmly wheeled Mrs. Acevedo Sr. aside, grabbed a broom, and swept up the spilled rice.
Then I looked at Phineas：
“I was up all night thinking about it, and you were right. Even though it's late-stage.”
“Medicine is so advanced now. Maybe if I fight hard enough, I can buy a few more years. Hold out until there's a real cure.”
As I spoke, I refilled a bowl of rice for Mrs. Acevedo Sr., whose face had gone ashen, and added some food for her.
“Besides, if I'm gone, who's going to take care of Mom?”
She'd been paralyzed for four years. Every single day, I was the one who bathed her, emptied her bedpan, massaged her legs to keep the muscles from wasting away.
I took her outside in her wheelchair to get some sun whenever I could.
Even half-paralyzed, she lived clean and dignified.
Lily threw herself into my arms, her little voice soft and sweet. She didn't want Mommy to leave. She wanted to stay with me forever.
I held her tight and kissed her plump little cheek.
Those words from last night's message — “abuse me to death” — made my heart shake violently.
I still didn't know who had sent that message.
But I was going to destroy every possible threat to my daughter before it ever had a chance to reach her.
I locked eyes with Phineas and said it like a joke：
“What if I die and you marry some new wife who mistreats my daughter? What then?”
Something flickered in his eyes. His expression went wrong for a split second, but he covered it fast.
“Babe, what are you even saying?”
“I'll sell everything to get you better.”
He reached over and stroked Lily's hair.
“Even if you really……I'll raise her right. I won't remarry.”
I looked at him, long and steady.
High school sweethearts. Ten years together, six of them married. Everyone we knew called us the perfect couple.
He doted on Lily. Always had.
I couldn't believe he would ever hurt her after I was gone.
But I didn't dare bet on it.
Not with my daughter's life.
I had to secure everything for her before my time ran out.
I raised my phone and hit record：
“Good. Then swear it.”
“Prove you're willing to put the house and every cent we have toward my treatment.”
