Chapter 2
Chapter 2
C
Zack saw Joanna quietly crying. He pushed Sylvia, his small face twisted with fury. “Get out! Just leave! Joanna’s really sick, and you’re making
worse
“It something happens to her because you won’t go, I’ll never forgive you!”
Sylvia’s face went cold. She looked at the son sise used to adore, her voice sharp as a blade. “You think I care? I don’t need an ungrateful brat like you!”
Zack froze, then shouted, his eyes red, “You said it! I’m done with you! I don’t care how many things you’ve done for me I’ll never forgive your”
“Sylvial” Byron barked, “What’s wrong with you, talking to your son like that? You’ve had it too good, haven’t you? Maybe you don’t fit in this family anymore!”
Sylvia cut him off with a quick wave of her hand. “Save it, Byron. You’ve never treated me like family. We’re done. Zack’s a little brat, and you’re worse. I’m filing for divorce tomorrow.”
With that, she slammed the hospital door and stormed out.
Byron watched her leave, his brow creasing Zack stood there, stunned.
“Byron, Zack, I’m so sorry,” Joanna said, her voice weak as she tried to sit up. “This is my fault for upsetting Sylvia. Fl go say sorry…”
Her foot hit the floor, and she gasped, sinking back onto the bed, dizzy
“Joanna, don’t,” Byron said softly, guiding her back down. “You’re too weak to worry about her. She’s just having another fit. She’ll calm down by
tomorrow.
He glanced at the door, annoyance flaring. Sylvia’s outbursts were nothing new, and he was fed up.
Zack, seeing Joanna’s frail state, inched closer, though his eyes kept flicking to the door.
“Zack, didn’t you bring snacks for me today?” Joanna asked, her timing spot–on. “Can I have some?”
Zack paused, then scurried over with his stuffed backpack. “These are for summer camp, I didn’t eat any; I saved them for you.”
Joanna ruffled his hair, her smile warm. “You’re so sweet, Zack. I wish I had a kid as great as you”
Zack grinned, all innocence. “I wish you were my mom, Joannal Mom never lets me have snacks, but you always get me some. If she leaves, can you be my mom instead?”
Joanna’s cheeks pinked, and she shot a quick look at Byron.
ene over giving a little blood?‘ he thought to himself, it’s late, dark outside. What if something happens to her on the
s overreacting. Making a scene
Sylvia’s way home?
Sylvia took a cab back to the Blair estate, the night closing in around the city. She stepped inside, still shaky from the blood draw.
A low steps in, cold sweat hit her. She grabbed the banister, pulling herself upstairs.
In the bedroom, she started packing. Her stuff was meager–cheap thrilt–store clothes, drugstore makeup.
ree years of scraping by in the Blair house, and she had less than a housekeeper
Three
Drained and dizzy, her vision blurred. She collapsed to the floor.
up!” The next morning, her mother–in-law, Liana Blair, burst in and shook her awake
“Wake up!”
Chapter 21
Sylvia stirred, her whole body some. Hours had passed since the blood draw, but her lega velit i
She dragged herself up, leaning against the wall,
Liana saw her struggle but didn’t ease up. “Don’t you know Joanna’s in the hospital? Byron and Zack were there all night looking after her. Where your
Joanna was the daughter of Liana’s old friend, her favorite, the daughter in law she’d always wanted.
But Byron’s grandfather, Edward, had other ideas. He’d picked Sylvia, even going to a small village to bling her back to marry Byron.
Sylvia later found out the truth: her grandfather was a famous doctor who’d saved Edward Blair’s life.
Years ago, the two men had agreed to her marriage to Byron with a handshake,
“You’re supposed to know medicine, aren’t you?” Liana barked. “Make some blood boosting tonic for Joanna take it to the hospital to help her get
better.”
Sylvia, still slumped in a chair, slowly pulled herself up after a long pause,
“Do it yourself!” she shot back, unfazed.
Liana, already halfway out the door, whipped around, her eyes burning with anger. “What did you just say?”
She couldn’t believe Liana was talking back like that.
“I said I’m not doing it!” Sylvia fired back. “If you’re so eager to see Joanna, make it yourself. It’s got nothing to do with me!”
Liana had no idea why the pushover was suddenly acting so tough today.
“You!” Liana stammered, shaking with fury. “I’m calling Byron right now to make him divorce you!”
Before she could grab her phone, Sylvia slapped a stack of papers on the table. “I already drew up the divorce agreement. Tell Byron to come sign it.”
Liana grabbed the document, her face turning red. “You’ve got some guts, Sylvial Think you can scare Byron with this trick? Aren’t you tired of these games?”
“I was naive before, too blind to see what your family’s really like,” Sylvia said, her voice calm and firm. “But I’m done with all of you now.”
She picked up the suitcase she’d packed the night before and headed for the door
“Go! Get out! And don’t come crawling back!” Liana yelled, but as Sylvia actually walked away, she stomped her foot in frustration.
She muttered, under her breath, “Ungrateful freeloader After years of living off the us, she just leaves?”
And then she thought of her sore back. Sylvia’s homemade medical patches were the only thing that worked. No one could make them now.
Worse, if Edward found out, Liana knew she’d be doomed.
Sylvia checked into a cheap motel. Her savings, left by her grandfather, were running low. She unpacked her few clothes and called Byron.
“When are we going to the county clerk’s office?” she asked.
“Sylvia, I don’t have time for your nonsense,” Byron said, his voice cold as ice. “Drop it”
Background noise, yelling, chaos, hinted he was swamped. He hung up.
Sylvia’s jaw tightened. She called again.
Chapter 2
“Byron,” she said firmly, “I say it once more. We re going to the county clerk’s office. Now
Byron tugged at his gray tie, irritated, as paparazzi swarmed him, shouting for interviews
“Fine,” he snapped into the phone, his tone frosty. “You want a divorce? Meet me at the police station.”
Sylvia hung up, left the motel, and headed to the station. When she got there, a crowd of reporters blocked her view.
She couldn’t see Byron, so she called him.
Surrounded by bodyguards, Byron pushed through the crowd, his sharp features tight with annoyance.
Before Sylvia could bring up the divorce, he pulled her aside.
“Joanna’s DUI got leaked,” he said. “The paparazzi are all over her. She’s in the entertainment business, and this could tank her career. You need to tak the blame. Say you were driving drunk.”
