When the Blood Runs Cold

I looked right at the camera and enunciated each word.

"I am Josh Zeller, and I stole all my work and games over the years from Wayne Chapman.

"I'm a total loser!"

…

Jessica's eyes showed she was moved, and she reached out to pull me up. "That's enough. Get the doctor back over there now!"

In a flash, Wayne grabbed his head and fell toward her. "Ms. Stewart, my head is killing me. I think I really hurt myself.

"Frank's doctor is a brain specialist. Let him check me out first."

Jessica caught him, worried, and told the doctor to see Wayne first.

"Wayne's the one in real trouble here! Out of the way! If you make us wait because of that doomed boy, you'll answer to me!"

She shoved me aside hard and hurried into the room with Wayne.

All the doctors went in after her to take care of him.

I tugged at Frank’s doctor's sleeve, almost ready to cry on the floor. "Doctor! My son's life is on the line. Please, you have to operate on him now..."

The doctor pulled away, looking troubled. "Mr. Zeller, if you're looking for someone to blame, you have to blame yourself for not making Ms. Stewart happy. As for Frank, we can only hope for the best."

Then, an alarm blared from the operating room, and a nurse yelled, "Calling for Frank Zeller's family! Frank's in critical condition!"

I raced to Frank's bed. He was pale as a ghost, and his heart had stopped beating.

He was already cold as ice.

Meanwhile, the sounds of bragging from Wayne's room hit me like a sledgehammer.

"Ms. Stewart! Shouldn't we have the doctor check on Frank, just in case?"

"Josh’s son is as worthless as his life. He won't die that easily." Jessica's voice was soft, but it cut through me like ice. "Just take care of yourself. If he dies, the Stewart family will have one less problem to deal with.

"And we'll use the money saved from his treatment to get you that sports car you've been wanting."

I cradled Frank's lifeless form and slumped on the floor, heartbroken.

If only I had not expected so much from Jessica, if only I had sold the key sooner, if only I had seen how little she cared about me and Frank... Maybe Frank would not have had to suffer as much if I had clearer vision.

I brought him to the funeral home and watched as he was turned into a tiny box of dust. Tears streamed down my face.

Before I took the urn home, I wrote up a divorce paper.

Jessica was hardly ever home, but today, there were new kids' clothes on the table. She beamed, holding up the clothes. "Look at the new outfit Wayne and I got for Frank. He can wear it after his surgery.

"Frank's almost five, right? When he's well, I'll throw him the biggest birthday party ever.

"You're happy now, aren't you?"

I gave her a weak smile, looking at her with irony. 'Frank's already seven, yet his own mother doesn’t know his age,’ I thought.

She pulled at my arm, sweetly saying, "The game's big release is tomorrow. You're coming, aren't you, dear?

"We'll need someone to run the game demo. It has to be someone who knows the tech inside out to avoid any hiccups.

"Wayne's not cut out for that, or I'd have him stand in for you."

Maybe it was because of the excitement of the launch that she was so cheerful, not even noticing the urn I held.

I handed her the divorce papers, managing a strained smile. "Sure. Sign this, and I'll be there tomorrow." She signed without looking, her smile soft. "This is Frank's surgery bill, right? After the launch, I'll be right there with him at the hospital."

'Too bad she'll never get that chance,' I thought to myself.

On the day of the big live-streamed press conference, Jessica had me sit in the assistant's spot. Wayne got the vice president's seat.

She clung to Wayne's hand the whole time, chatting with the journalists about the new game and our company's name change.

"Wayne is my rock," she declared. "Without him, I wouldn't be where I am today. He even developed Genyxis, so he's the one I owe the most thanks to.

"Now, let's kick off our game's big reveal!"

I quietly pulled out my phone and messaged our competition: [You can start your game launch now.]

In the next instant, Jessica, who had been detailing the tough journey of the game’s development, and Wayne both turned pale.