Chapter 3
I’d kept the truth from Jack, thinking it would crush him.
I planned to tell the surgeon before the surgery, so they could reassess the plan, but after what I saw today?
I had no more patience for pretending.
He didn’t deserve my sympathy. He deserved what he’d worked for, his final goodbye.
So, I called a realtor, sold the house at a ridiculous price, and didn’t think twice about the loss. All that mattered was that it was done.
With Jack’s power of attorney, I signed the paperwork in a heartbeat, no need for his signature.
When the funds cleared, I transferred every penny, over $200,000, into my mom’s account.
She called immediately.
“Amy, did you mess up the transfer? I thought Jack was supposed to have surgery. Why are you sending me money? I’ll send it back right now, go pay the hospital! His condition is urgent!”
My mom. Always kind-hearted, always thinking of others.
She’d been taken in by Jack’s act too. But no more.
I told her everything, the truth I’d uncovered, the lies Jack had spun.
There was a long silence.
Then, a heavy sigh.
“I can’t believe him… but you’re grown now, Amy. It’s your decision.”
After a moment, she added softly, “If you don’t want to keep the money, I’ll hold onto it for you. Once the divorce is done, I’ll transfer it back.”
She stayed on the line, comforting me, even when I didn’t deserve it.
When we hung up, I looked up at the sky. Clear, open, and endless. But all I felt was the weight of betrayal.
It was time to end this.
I called the lawyer and had the divorce papers ready.
With no assets left, there wasn’t much to split.
By the time I finished everything, it was already evening.
I glanced at my phone. The nurse, Carla, had messaged me several times.
“Olivia’s been in Jack’s room almost all day.”
“They’re whispering, acting jumpy every time someone walks in.”
“I’ve checked a few times, and I’m telling you, something’s off.”
I thanked her, keeping my cool.
The next couple of days, I stayed away on purpose. And just like I predicted, they got bolder.
Olivia started showing up in black stockings under her lab coat, strutting into Jack’s room with a look like she owned the place.
She’d stay for hours.
And when she came out, her legs were trembling.
Even the other nurses started noticing. They subtly hinted that I should come back to check on things.
But I smiled, polite but distant.
Not yet.
Let them get sloppy. Let them dig their own hole.
I’d expose them when the time was right.
