Chapter 10 - A False Olive Branch
That evening, a knock came at my new private residence—an apartment whose location only my legal team and Chloe knew. I looked at the doorbell camera and saw my mother standing alone on the porch, holding a basket of homemade baked goods and wearing a pale, sickly expression.
I opened the door, keeping the safety chain engaged. "How did you find this address?"
"Mia, sweetie..." she sobbed, clutching her chest. "I had to hire a private investigator. Please, listen to me. I went to the doctor today... they found a mass. I don't have much time left."
A year ago, those words would have shattered me. I would have dropped everything to take care of her. But I remembered the coldness in her eyes when she called me a "failure in a gown."
"Which hospital?" I asked calmly.
"What?" she blinked, caught off guard.
"Which hospital gave you the diagnosis? What’s the doctor’s name? Give me the release form and I’ll have Mr. Vance verify it with the medical board right now."
My mother’s face flushed with anger, her tearful expression vanishing instantly. "You cold-hearted monster! How could you question your own mother’s health?"
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"Because you lied about my mental health on the internet three days ago," I said softly. "You aren't sick, Mom. You’re just terrified of going to prison as an accomplice to identity fraud. Goodbye."
I closed the door and locked it tightly, ignoring her frantic banging until the apartment security team escorted her off the property.
