Play Poor? Be One

"Shut up!"

The veins in Mason's neck popped, eyes icy.

I gave a short, bitter laugh and turned to go.

Two steps—then his hand was crushing my throat. My vision blurred, skin burning for air.

"Did I say you could leave?" His voice could've frozen blood.

I forced out a ragged taunt. "What? Flexing your power while you still can?"

His grip tightened till the edges of my vision went dark—then he finally let go.

I hit my knees, coughing hard, head spinning.

Judy just stared, confused. I looked right at her. "He's never going to marry you. Because—"

Mason's kick slammed into my stomach, cutting me off. "If I'm not mistaken, your mom's surgery's tomorrow, right?"

A cold tremor ripped through me. He was threatening my mom.

I swallowed the bitterness. Two more days and the divorce would be final. After that, he'd never touch us again.

Another kick slammed into my stomach, curling me on the floor.

Through the blur, I saw him turn gentle with Judy, voice soft. "Judy, don't listen to her. She keeps bringing up that Leonhart heir nonsense just to stir things up. People like that can't get away with it."

Then he looked down at me. "Shiloh, Judy's mom needs someone to look after her. Go do it now."

Tears streaked my face, but I swallowed the ache. "My mom's in the ICU, and you want me to take care of someone else? Do you even have a heart?"

"I don't care about your mom," he snapped, all impatience. "Judy's mom has a bad heart. Watch your tone."

The bitterness spread through me like ice.

I used to think if I loved him enough, he'd finally see me. Turns out, I'd been blind.

Mom's heart transplant was tomorrow. I didn't have the strength to fight.

He took my silence for the same old submission, shot me a glare, and walked out with Judy.

I hauled myself up and went straight to the airport to meet the transplant specialist and collect the donor heart. Only then did I finally breathe easier.

But the next day, I stepped into Mom's ward to find her still lying there—alone.

Her doctor told me Mason had handed the heart over to Judy's mom instead.

The words hit like lightning. Tears blurred my vision, my whole body shaking with rage. He'd put my mom's life on the line without a second thought.

I stormed toward him—only to find him outside the OR, holding Judy close, whispering to her like they were the perfect couple.

"Mason! That was my mom's heart! How dare you give it to someone else?"

A flicker of guilt crossed his face before it iced over. "The next donor heart will go to your mom. What's the rush? It's not like she's dying tomorrow. Besides, it's just a heart. So what if Judy's mom gets it first?"

Just a heart?

My eyes burned. "Mason Leonhart, you're scum! We're done. I want a divorce. From now on, we're nothing."

I ignored his shouted insults and ran, tears streaming.

Outside Mom's room, I gripped my phone, hesitated, then typed a short message: [I agree.]

Wiping my face, I forced a shaky smile and stepped into the ICU.

Holding her hand, I whispered, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll save you. We're transferring hospitals—you'll have surgery this afternoon. Mason will pay for this."

The staff wheeled her bed toward the entrance, ready to load her into the ambulance.

That's when Judy latched on to the bed. She smirked. "Your mom looks awful. Is she already dead? Oh—right. Mason gave my mom the heart, so I guess yours won't last the night."