Chapter 4

"Clyde Farley denied the affair…"

"And then he shows up at one of the top baby stores in the country."

Leonora forced out every word, her voice shaking a little.

"You mean the affair wasn't real?"

"Then the baby in Aria's belly is the Farley family's only grandson…"

"Sis, are you out of your mind?!"

"You really think Aria's that stupid?"

"Carrying the Farley heir, and she still went and got tested to match Mom, still insisted on giving her a kidney?"

Rupert cut her off, impatient, not the least bit bothered.

"Isn't your fiancé one of the insiders? Just call and ask him yourself!"

He pushed Leonora on it while watching, delighted, as the viewer count in the stream kept climbing.

Leonora hesitated a few seconds, then dialed.

"Rufus Delgado, I know I shouldn't be bothering you right now, but I wanted to ask—"

Before she could finish, the muffled sounds of a man and a woman came through the phone.

Leonora gripped the phone, humiliation held tight behind her eyes.

A few seconds later, the man's irritated voice came on.

"Leonora, what is it?!"

"Rufus, I just wanted to ask, is it true that Clyde Farley cheated?"

"True or not, what does it matter?"

"Insider business isn't yours to dig into!"

"Men are all the same. Home fires burning, side flags flying."

The call cut off.

Leonora's face went red with embarrassment.

"I told you Clyde Farley definitely cheated!"

"That so-called clarification is just to save the Farley family's face!"

The corner of Rupert's mouth curled. He thought he had it all figured out.

I held the phone, my thumb hovering over the button.

Just as I was about to press it.

Mom's pained moaning rose up.

"Aria, Mom really hurts so much…"

"Mom's begging you, just give her one kidney!"

My finger stopped. I looked at her, and the corner of my mouth twisted into a bitter smile.

"Do you know what Dad said to me the last time he saw me?"

"He said he wanted me to try, one day, to make peace with you."

"He said there's no such thing as a mother who doesn't love her children."

The smile stretched wider as I spoke again.

"Back when Clyde Farley and I got married, we needed a parent to attend."

"You were busy going with Leonora to her new company. You turned me down, cold."

"When I was pregnant, sick enough with morning sickness to be hospitalized, I wanted the sweet-and-sour ribs you make."

"You were busy with Rupert's live-stream show. You hung up on me, annoyed."

Word by word, I forced it out of my throat.

I pointed at Dad's portrait.

"Now, look at Dad's ashes and his photo, and say it again."

"Of the three of us, am I really the only one who could match?"

The room went quiet for several seconds.

"Aria, if you won't donate the kidney, you're driving Mom to her death!"

"Mom's already being torn apart by this illness. If you won't give her a kidney, she might as well just throw herself in front of a car and be done with it."

Leonora's voice cut in, threatening, telling her exactly what to do.

Mom froze, then understanding flickered in her eyes.

"Aria, I know I was in the wrong before."

"Getting sick like this now, it's what I brought on myself…"

Choking out the words, she threw herself hard against the Cayenne Ivan had driven over.

"Aria! You drove your own mother to this!"

"All my followers saw it! You ungrateful little wretch!"

"You wanted to call the Farleys, didn't you?!"

"Go on, call them!"

"If they actually show up, I'll eat dog shit on stream!"

I bent down and gathered up Dad's ashes, piece by piece.

Then, just as Rupert wanted, I pressed the call button on my phone.

"Mom, someone here is trying to use force to make me get rid of the Farley family's only grandson."