The Hour He Never Gave

The second Pierce saw the words 'Property Transfer Agreement', his expression turned ice-cold.

"Wow, Lucia Leighton. Seriously? I actually felt sorry for you. I cleared my whole schedule to pick you up and take you somewhere to relax, and this is the crap you pull? I should've known not to waste my time on you."

He yanked out a pen and signed without hesitation.

Then he threw the pen and documents onto the ground before getting into his car and driving off without a single glance back.

I stood there watching the pen crack in half.

It was the gift I gave him for our third dating anniversary.

The first thing he ever signed with it was our marriage certificate.

I picked up the papers and pulled out the divorce agreement clipped behind the property transfer contract.

Staring at his bold signature, I laughed and cried at the same time.

Once Ellie's surgery was over, we'd really be over for good.

"Mommy!"

I spun around.

Ellie jumped out of a cab and ran straight into my arms.

"Ellie! Why'd you take a cab here by yourself? That's dangerous!"

She buried her face against my chest, voice shaking. "Mommy, I missed you so much. I snuck out."

My chest tightened. "Did anyone bully you while you were staying with Daddy?"

I held her face gently. She shook her head but wouldn't look at me.

My stomach dropped. I reached to check.

She grabbed her sleeve tight. "I'm okay, Mommy. Jared and I were just playing a game. I kept losing, so—"

"Be good. Let me see."

When I wouldn't back down, she finally let go.

I slowly rolled up her sleeve. The second I saw the cluster of red marks covering her arm, my heart almost stopped.

Ellie quickly wiped my tears. "Mommy, it doesn't hurt. Don't cry..."

I clenched my jaw. "Does Daddy know Jared pinched you like this?"

Her lips trembled. "He knows. He was gonna stop it, but Ms. Roach said it was just a game. If I lost, I had to take the punishment. Otherwise, when I grow up, I won't know how to handle losing..."

Just hearing it made it hard to breathe.

"Ellie, don't be scared. I'm not leaving you again. I won't let this happen again."

***

Finally, surgery day came. I watched them wheel Ellie into the OR.

I exhaled slowly and dropped into a chair outside, praying everything would go okay.

Before the surgery even finished, another deposit notification lit up my phone.

I hadn't even opened the note when the OR doors slammed open.

The doctors rushed out, blood still smeared across their gloves.

My whole body went numb. I grabbed the last doctor by the coat. "My daughter's still in surgery. Where are you going?"

I looked inside. Ellie's chest was already cut open.

The line on the heart monitor barely moved.

The doctor shook me off. "Mr. Emery's son had a sudden allergic reaction. The whole hospital's been called over to revive him. We have to pause the surgery."

"You're not leaving!"

My voice cracked. My hands shook as I yanked out my bank card. "How much did he pay you? I'll double it. Just finish my daughter's surgery!"

Scared it still wouldn't be enough, I grabbed my phone to transfer the money right there.

That was when I finally read the note attached to the deposit notification.

It was the fee Pierce paid to pull the doctors away.