Chapter 3

Wendy's POV

That night, I spiked a fever.

I drifted in and out of consciousness. My phone kept ringing, relentless, like an alarm I couldn't silence.

I forced my eyes open. A number from a hospital back home was flashing on the screen. My heart seized.

"Hello-"

"Miss Staley! This is Dr. Morris, Lily's attending physician."

The voice on the other end was urgent and panicked.

"Something's happened to Lily!"

I was half-awake in an instant.

"What? What happened to Lily?"

"Sudden pulmonary failure combined with a severe rejection response. She's in resuscitation right now. It's critical. She needs emergency ECMO surgery and we have to get the imported medication started immediately."

"Save her. Whatever it costs, save her."

I rolled off the bed. My legs buckled. I grabbed the nightstand.

"The issue right now isn't just the cost. We need next-of-kin authorization to proceed with surgery. And the previous balance hasn't been settled. The pharmacy won't release the medication until it's cleared." His voice dropped. "Miss Staley, where are you? Can you come in?"

"I'm overseas-"

Tears were already streaming down my face.

"Doctor, please just start the treatment. I'll send the money right now. I'll find a way."

I hung up and called Lucas.

Once. No answer.

Twice. Declined.

Three times. Straight to voicemail.

I sent voice messages, typed messages, anything. I would have gotten down on my knees if it would have helped.

Lucas, please pick up.

Lily's crashing. They're trying to save her.

I won't cause trouble anymore, I swear, please just help her.

One call to the hospital. That's all I need. I'll do anything-

Nothing.

In desperation, I called Lucas's assistant, Derek.

It rang for what felt like forever. Finally, someone picked up.

"Derek! Where is he? It's an emergency. Someone's life is on the line!"

Derek sounded uncomfortable.

"Miss Staley, Mr. Hartwell is... unavailable right now."

"Where is he? Put him on the phone-"

"He's... he's with Miss Renee. They're looking at engagement rings. He said he's not to be disturbed."

Engagement rings.

Everything left my body at once.

Lily was fighting for her life. And he was picking out diamonds for the woman who had just tried to sell me to a stranger.

"Derek." My voice broke. "Just tell him - tell him Lily is dying. She's really dying. Please-"

There was a shuffle on the other end, then Stella's voice, sweet and airy.

"Who is it? Such a buzzkill."

"It's Miss Staley. She says her sister is... critical."

Stella let out a small laugh. It came through the phone perfectly.

"Again with this? She faked being drunk at the gala, and now she's using her sister to pull Lucas back? He can see right through her. Tell me she's not actually this desperate."

Then Lucas's voice. Cold and flat.

"Hang up. Tell her if she calls again, she's done. Not a single cent."

The world went quiet.

I was on the floor, my phone still pressed to my ear.

I didn't hate Stella. She was cruel, she was calculating - but she was what she was.

It was Lucas I hated.

For his coldness. For his blindness. For the fact that I'd spent three years loving him like he was worth it.

I wiped my face and checked my bank account.

Two thousand dollars. Everything I'd saved.

Not even close to what Lily needed.

Then I saw it. Stella's spare watch, sitting on the coffee table in the living room. A gift from Lucas. Worth tens of thousands, left there like pocket change.

In that moment, I wasn't thinking about right or wrong. I was thinking about Lily.

I grabbed the watch and walked out.

I sold it on the Milan black market. Got fifty thousand euros.

Wire transfer. Flight. Airport.

I moved through it all like a machine - no thoughts, no feelings, just motion.

Before I boarded, the hospital called again.

I stared at the number until it stopped ringing.

Was that the call that tells you it's over?

I refused to believe it.

Lily was waiting for me. She'd said she wanted me to take her to Disney World. She'd said she was going to paint a hundred pictures.

As the plane lifted off and the city shrank beneath me, I had one single thought:

Lucas. If anything happens to Lily-

I will make you regret this for the rest of your life.