Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
“And your account pin?”
“Five-eight-two-three,” I rattled off. That I didn’t know off the top of my head, until I found it scribbled on the back of her account papers in her desk. Honestly, it amazed me that more siblings didn’t rob each other blind.
Not that they should, of course.
“Thank you for that information, Mrs. Kim.” Tip-tap-tap he went on the keyboard. “Now, the financial review is rather simple. You only have one personal account with us now, after choosing to close your investment and business accounts. The total in your remaining account is...” He flipped the screen around, letting me see the number.
$42,176
“Forty-two thousand dollars,” I whispered.
It didn’t come near enough to pay back the money Sue cost me from my college and trust fund, but that was enough to pay for IVF, and put first month’s rent and a security deposit down on a better apartment in a good neighborhood. It wasn’t everything... but it was a start.
“Okay, what about the marital accounts?” I asked.
“Your husband and partners removed your access to those accounts three months ago,” the manager said without inflection. “As of today, they have not reversed that decision.”
I didn’t say any more on the topic. I didn’t want the guy questioning why I didn’t already know that.
“Very well. Let’s get started on the transfer.” I riffled through Sue’s bag, taking out the folder I brought. I brushed against my phone screen doing so, and the home screen came to life—reminding me that I had seven missed calls from Satan.
No doubt, Dan was trying to get ahold of the police so that he could get more information on the accident that killed me, but I was still amazed that I faked him out the first time. I wasn’t going to test my luck. I just had to hope he’d give up and go away.
Sue’s phone rang at that moment, and I flicked my eyes to the— MENTARY SCHOOL flashing on the screen.
“One moment, please.” I got up and crossed the room, answering on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Hello? Hello, Mrs. Kim, is that you?”
I glanced back at the manager. “I am Ms. Kim,” I replied, slipping in the slight correction. “Is something wrong?”
“Yes, I’m sorry to interrupt your day, but Lily is in the nurse’s office. She’s been throwing up for the past half an hour, and she wants to go home. I tried all three of your husbands first, but didn’t get an answer. What time will you be by to pick her up?”
“Throwing up?” I cried, snapping up. “Why? What—?”
Stop! a voice snapped in my head. Just because you want to be a mother, doesn’t mean you can pretend to be someone else’s. Her teacher is looking for Lily’s parent, and that’s not you.
Hang up the phone.
I swallowed hard, chest tightening. “I’m sorry, I can’t help. Please continue trying to get a hold of her fathers until you reach one of them.”
“But, Mrs. K—”
I hit end, and then nearly pitched across the room and threw up in the toilet. Everything about leaving a little girl crying and throwing up in a sterile nurse’s office felt wrong, but everything had changed. When I thought it would just be me and Omma hiding out in the manor in her final days, I didn’t care about any lies I had to tell.
But now there were three men and a young child involved, and keeping up the deception was both way too dangerous, and way too creepy. The only thing to do now was take the money, and leave. There was no life left for me to live in Lantana.
Clearing my throat, I put away Sue’s phone. “Okay,” I rasped. “Let’s get started on that transfer.”
“—WHY DIDN’T YOU PICK up?!”
“I had a meeting! What the fuck’s your excuse?!”
“You know I have to turn my phone off at work. That’s why your phone is always supposed to be on!”
“I told you, I had a meeting!”
“Lily?!”
“Lily!”
The door flew open and three men fell through it, nearly colliding and ending up as a pile on the carpet.
We stared at them.
“Uhhh... what are you guys doing?” I asked.
Nari opened her mouth for another spoonful of broth. She was tucked up tight in her ladybug bed, kicking her little feet under the covers.
And by ladybug, I meant ladybug. The circular bed had little bug feet for legs, antennae on the headboard, and red-and-black polka-dot sheets. It all paired nice with the green, shaggy carpet masquerading as grass, the beautiful meadow painted on the walls, and the clouds and sun on the ceiling.
“What are we doing?” Rhodes snapped, untangling himself from his fellow brothers in matrimony. “What are you doing? Why did you take Lily out of school?”
“Why?” I fed her more soup. “What do you mean why? I left all three of you a voicemail, telling you Lily was sick and needed to be picked up from school. Didn’t you listen to it?”