Chapter 3
The Zale family mansion was buzzing all morning.
When Brad and Nick got back, Lena had a full spread of food laid out on the table.
Hearing Sally didn’t come with them, Lena let out a sigh.
“Brad, is Sally still upset about what happened three years ago?” she asked, “Is she holding a grudge against me? She just got out of prison-where’s she going?”
“Let her do whatever,” Brad said, his voice short.
Still, Sally’s image stuck with him, and he frowned.
She wasn’t just skinnier; she was different.
Her eyes had a hard, bitter edge.
¡Has prison really been that rough on her? No chance, Brad pushed the thought away.
Lena had said women’s prisons were no big deal.
Besides, he’d pulled strings.
He made sure Sally had enough-food, clothes, the basics. For the mistake she made, three years was just a long timeout.
Lena’s forehead creased with concern. “But what if she doesn’t come back? What’re you gonna tell your grandpa? He specifically told you to pick her up.”
Years ago, Sally had saved Howard Zale’s life, and he’d been crazy about her ever since.
He’d pushed Brad, his grandson, to marry her, even covering a huge dowry.
Even after Sally went to prison, Howard still saw her as his only daughter-in-law.
Brad brushed it off.
“Don’t stress,” he said, “She won’t stay gone long. She’s pissed at me, but she’d never take it out on Nick. His graduation’s in a couple days; she’ll show up.”
Nick had skipped three grades. At nine, he was already graduating elementary school.
Everyone knew Sally adored her son. No way she’d miss his big day.
Nick sulked, cuddling up to Lena. “But I want Lena at my graduation.”
Lena tapped his nose with a gentle smile. “Here’s the deal… if you patch things up with your mom, I’ll come too. With her record, she probably shouldn’t be at an event like that anyway.”
Nick blinked, pausing
Patch things up… That sounded like that Lena was telling him to lie.
A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes, then faded.
If his friends found out his mom had been in prison, they’d drop him.
Seeing his
Stay quiet, Nick nodded like a good kid.
Lena smiled, glancing at the table. “What a shame. I made all this food for Sally, and now it’s just going to waste.”
Two days went by, and Brad’s phone didn’t buzz once. No word from Sally.
It was like she’d meant it-divorce, done with him and Nick for good.
1/3
Brad’s jaw clenched. He grabbed his phone and called her number.
A robotic voice answered: the number was disconnected.
He froze as a realization struck him. ‘Of course. Three years in prison-her old phone is long gone, her number probably wiped too.
He had no way to track her down.
A weird mix of panic and frustration flared up.
Brad barked at his secretary, voice like ice. “Find her current address and number. She’s out of prison; she can’t be making this family look bad.”
*****
Over those two days, Sally worked on settling into Windmere Estates.
Divorcing Brad would get her half his assets, but until then, she had to support herself.
So she decided to pick up her old hobby: carving crystal.
Windmere Estates, untouched for three years, was blanketed in dust.
Sally scrubbed it top to bottom, only to realize her two crystal lions were gone.
She called her property manager and asked.
“Three years ago, Miss Yasmin got hurt dealing with some crazy fans,” the manager said. “She liked the statue, so Mr. Zale and young Master Nick gave it to her to make her happy.”
Sally wasn’t shocked. Not even a bit.
She’d poured her heart into carving that lion statue for Brad and Nick, spending weeks getting it just right. It was supposed to protect them.
Brad, however, had called it ugly and sent it back.
Now he’d handed it over to Lena-stomping on her work and passing it off as his own gift.
Sally hung up and called the police without a second thought.
When the line picked up, her voice was steady, flat. “I need to report a theft. Someone took something from my house.”
Then she hung up waited for the police to come.
After giving her statement to the officers, she was wiped out by the time they left.
Only then did she notice the heat in her face, the ache in her bones. She was running a fever,
Sally dragged herself to the hospital for some meds.
The doctor checked Sally’s wounds, his face grim with worry. “You’ve got a lot of old injuries, and they never healed properly. Bruises, blunt trauma, stick marks… even needle pricks.
“Your body’s weak, barely hanging on. I really think you should stay in the hospital for treatment, or…”
“No thanks.” Sally’s expression was blank, her voice steady as she waved off the doctor’s concern.
She knew her body better than anyone-trained in traditional medicine, she’d studied it for years.
In prison, the inmates were vicious but smart, leaving scars where guards wouldn’t look.
If it weren’t for her medical knowledge, she’d have died in there.
She’d survived hell. No way she was giving up now.
2/3
3/3
Still those scars were left by her husband and son. Just thinking that churned her stomach with bitter irony.
She was done with the Zales for good.
As the doctor swapped out her bandages, Nick caught sight of her across the room.
He yanked at Brad’s sleeve, lips tight. “Dad, why’s she in the hospital? Is she sick?”
Brad’s eyes flicked to Sally.
His brow creased, a glint of disgust in his gaze.
Three years, and she was still pulling stunts, trying to hook him with a sob story.
“Sick?” Brad scoffed, “More like dying to get attention.”
