Chapter 4

I hurriedly called for a driver, and we rushed Evan to the hospital with Mrs. Williams by my side. Thankfully, it wasn’t flu season, so the private hospital was fairly empty, and the admission process went smoothly. I stayed with Evan until he fell asleep, then handed him over to Mrs. Williams so I could grab a quick bite in the small waiting room.

Erica, who’d shown up by then, was furious. She slapped the table in frustration. “Jazz, I’m telling you—there’s something going on with Brandon and that woman. Call him right now. I don’t care about any business deal; he needs to get back here! Let’s see if he values money more than you and his son.”

“It’s hardly comparable,” I replied, trying to keep my calm. Despite my own frustration, I’d been holding back. “He can’t hide forever; we can wait a couple of days.”

“But Evan is sick!”

“Evan has a doctor. It’s not as if Brandon’s one himself.”

“See, that’s the problem!” Erica groaned, exasperated. “You’ve let him get too comfortable, Jazz. You’re way too good to him!”

“Am I?”

I chuckled to myself. This wasn’t about being good to Brandon; it was about protecting my son and myself. I wasn’t about to explode without solid evidence and give Claire—or anyone else—the satisfaction of seeing me unravel. Making a scene would just leave me looking petty and hysterical.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure he’s alone,” Erica muttered darkly, giving me a pointed look. “I bet he’s on this trip with her.”

“Maybe not,” I said, finishing my cake and motioning toward the door. “Look—speak of the devil.”

“What?” Still steaming, Erica whipped open the door and saw Claire approaching. Without missing a beat, she let loose. “You must have a bloodhound’s sense of smell to sniff out an opportunity like this!”

Claire didn’t flinch. If anything, she smiled pleasantly, putting down a gift-wrapped drone on the table. “I heard Evan wasn’t well, and with Brandon out of town, I thought I’d drop by to visit and bring him a little gift.”

She glanced at me, eyes twinkling. “Rough night, Jazz? Looks like you didn’t get much sleep. I guess Brandon told you he’s decided to invest in my cat café?”

“Excuse me?” Her words took me by surprise, but I kept my face neutral. “He didn’t mention that. But if he plans to make any decisions, he’ll need the approval of the majority shareholder.”

I pushed the drone back toward her. “Take this with you. My son doesn’t need your gifts.”

“Really?” She feigned shock, flashing a syrupy smile. “Funny, he seemed to like the sneakers, the overalls, and the Lego set that Brandon picked out with me. Didn’t he tell you?”

Her words hit me like a punch, tearing down any patience I had left.

I felt a surge of heat, and in that instant, every shred of composure shattered. All the principles of self-control and dignity flew out the window. She had no right to even look at my son, much less give him anything! I was shaking as I grabbed the box and hurled it at her.