Chapter 2: The Emergency Room Ultimatum
The hospital emergency room corridor smelled of heavy bleach and stale coffee. My mother lay on a gurney, three black stitches stark against her pale forehead.
“Evelyn,” she murmured softly. “You shouldn’t have done that. You can still fix your marriage. Don’t ruin your life because of my clumsiness.”
An invisible weight squeezed my chest. Even now, bleeding and humiliated, her instinct was to absorb the blame to protect me. It was this kindness that the Lawson family had taken advantage of.
“Mom, rest,” I whispered, kissing her hand. “I promise you, no one is ever going to hurt you again.”
The automatic doors of the emergency room slid open.
Garrett marched into the waiting area, flanked by Victoria and his younger sister, Mindy. The bright red mark of my hand was still visible on his cheek.
“So, you hide in a hospital like a coward?” Garrett roared, his voice echoing off the tiles. “Do you have any idea what you just did? My business partners walked out! You ruined my reputation! You are going to go back to that hotel and beg my family for forgiveness!”
Mindy crossed her arms and sneered. “Seriously, sister-in-law, what is wrong with you? My brother works hard to provide for you. A poor woman doesn’t belong at a VIP table anyway.”
I looked at this terrible family. They showed no concern for the injured woman lying behind the curtain. They were only angry that I had fought back.
I stood up and pulled the privacy curtain shut to shield my mother from them.
“Beg for forgiveness?” I repeated calmly. “Garrett, kneel right here. Apologize to my mother three times, admit you are wrong, and maybe we can discuss your future.”
Garrett’s face twisted into an angry snarl. “You do not tell me what to do. I am the man of the house. If you do not apologize right this second, I want a divorce.”
Victoria’s eyes lit up immediately. She shoved past Garrett. “Yes! Divorce her! I have been sick of looking at your miserable face for three years! My son is a successful executive. Any woman in the city would love to have him. Especially his new assistant, Paige.”
I knew about Paige. She was an ambitious young woman who spent her days fetching Garrett coffee and flattering him. They already had a backup plan.
I looked at Garrett. He did not deny it. He just puffed his chest out with a smug expression.
A sudden, weightless clarity washed over me. You cannot reason with selfish people; you can only cut them out of your life.
I reached into my bag and pulled out my hidden phone. I dialed a private number I hadn’t used in three years. It rang once.
“Miss Vance,” a deep voice answered. It belonged to Douglas, the chief director for the Vance Group and my late father’s most trusted advisor.
Garrett laughed out loud. “Who are you calling? Your local friend to come fight me?”
I ignored the noise and spoke with total authority. “Douglas, it’s Evelyn.”
There was a moment of silence before Douglas answered with precision. “Miss Vance. You have finally called us back.”
“Save the pleasantries,” I said. “I need you to execute two directives immediately. First, freeze every single credit card, bank account, and line of credit associated with Garrett Lawson that is connected to my accounts. Cut his funds instantly.”
“Understood, Miss Vance.”
“Second, send our primary legal team to meet me at the hospital in twenty minutes. I am ending my marriage.”
Every word sounded heavy in the quiet room. Garrett’s smug expression began to vanish. He did not know the full scale of the Vance Group, but he understood the words ‘freeze accounts’.
“What game are you playing?” Garrett demanded, taking a step forward. “Where are you getting a legal team? Have you been hiding money from me?”
I stepped out of his reach. “Also, Douglas, audit the hotel event billing. Notify the management that I am withdrawing all financial support for Mr. Lawson. The bill is to be settled by him personally.”
“Executing the plan now, Miss Vance,” Douglas replied before hanging up.
I put the phone back into my bag. I met Garrett’s eyes, which were now filled with sudden panic.
“Didn’t you just ask for a divorce?” I smiled calmly. “I grant your request. But before we sign the papers, we are going to settle everything. You were right about one thing, Garrett. Someone is walking away with nothing. But it won’t be me.”
Garrett’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Then it chimed again and again. A rapid series of text notifications filled his screen. He pulled it out, his hands trembling as the bright display lit up his pale face.
Bank Notification: Your primary credit card ending in 0372 has been suspended.
Bank Notification: Access to your checking account has been permanently revoked.
Bank Notification: Your line of credit has been frozen by the primary account holder.
The color drained from Garrett’s face completely. Those cards were the source of his lifestyle. He had assumed the money came from an endless well or a lottery win. He never suspected I was the one controlling the funds.
“Evelyn… what did you just do?” his voice trembled.
“What are you scared of, brother?” Mindy asked, completely unaware of the reality. “She is just playing games! You make good money! We don’t need her!”
Victoria agreed quickly. “Exactly! Let’s leave her here. Come on, Garrett, let’s go home.”
She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the exit. Garrett walked out slowly, looking completely lost. Right before he left, he turned around with a bitter glare.
“You’ll pay for this, Evelyn. I will make sure you get nothing!”
I watched the doors slide shut. He wouldn’t even be able to afford a cab ride home.
