“She said that already,” Warren interrupted her for me. “Four times before asking about the money, which you got defensive about. No one’s attacking you, Linda.”

Mother quieted down at Warren’s tone.

Something warm shifted inside me.

Has anyone ever stood up for me like that? Especially to my mother?

She had grown up wealthy, unlike Father, and had the claws and ego only someone who lived a pampered life with zero problems could have. Including the ability to be harsh without any consequences.

At least until now.

No one has ever been on my side like this before.

I had no siblings. Even the people she hired would bow their heads to her when it was time.

I was always the punching bag when she got angry. Always wrong. Always not good enough.

I’m so tired of it all.

But I never had the luxury to pout and whine like her. Even though I wanted to rage. Wanted to throw things. Wanted to scream and cry and throw a fit that was twenty years overdue.

But people like me, the ones who had to take care of their parents’ emotional needs, we had to be the ones holding it together because she sure as hell wouldn’t.

“Warren, can you wait outside?” I asked. I didn’t look at him, but I could feel his nod and the slight brush of his hand against my back as he left. It lingered even after he wasn’t by my side anymore.

His message was clear.

I’m here if you need me.

He was in no rush to leave and closed the door slowly, his eyes on me as if waiting for me to change my mind and call him back. I wanted to. I didn’t want to do this alone.

It felt so nice to lean on someone, but this wasn’t something I could say in front of him.

“Why did you do it?”

“I told you; I deserved the money. I put in years of work, and for him to ruin my reputation like that⁠—”

“Hurt yourself. Why did you hurt yourself?”

She looked down at her nails, the polish just barely at the tips after the nurses helped file them. She balled her fists as if to hide them. Pain flashed across her face.

I knew my mother was immature. A child inside an adult’s body. But, for the first time, I could see it.

See how broken she was. How scared.

I couldn’t help but pity her.

“It ran out,” she whispered.

“Ran out?” I echoed, unable to believe what I was hearing. Please let this be another lie. Please. Please. Please.

I took a deep breath, begging myself to hold it together.

“It’s been seven years since I got the money,” she snapped. “You really expected any of it to still be around?”

At that, the words were falling from my mouth before I could stop them.