Chapter 1Derek took our son to the amusement park for his birthday. I found him in line for ice cream with my stepsister instead.
I ran over and grabbed his arm. "What are you doing here?! Where's Austin?!"
Derek blinked. Pulled back.
"He's at the park. I got him on a ride. Just came to grab Chloe ice cream real quick."
Chloe bit her lip.
"Liv, I'm sorry. But they only sell couples' sizes and I really wanted to try it before it's gone."
I stared at them. Derek's arm around her waist. Her leaning into him. Playing couple.
I laughed. It came out cold. Then I turned and headed for my car—I'd get Austin myself.
My phone buzzed.
"Mrs. Parker? Your son fell from the Velocity Coaster. He's being airlifted to County General right now."
"We told you over and over—children under ten aren't allowed on that ride!"
I couldn't hear anything after that. Everything went cold.
I I turned back to Derek. "Do you know how old our son is?"
He just stared at me, confused.
I looked him dead in the eyes.
"You better fucking know the answer."
"Because if you don't... I swear to God, I'll make both of you PAY."
...
Derek frowned, thinking hard.
"Eight... right? Why—"
I stared at him.
I thought maybe he'd just gotten Austin's age wrong.
But no.
He hadn't even LISTENED when the staff explained the rules.
He just wanted Austin strapped into the longest ride so he could play boyfriend for Chloe.
A laugh bubbled up. Bitter.
"We're done, Derek."
I turned toward the cab pulling up at the curb.
He grabbed my wrist. Eyes wide. Disbelief all over his face.
"You want a DIVORCE? Because I got his age wrong?!"
Chloe stepped closer, gently touching his arm. That sad little smile.
"Derek, it's okay. I know we're SO close, but it's fine."
She glanced back at the truck—they were next in line—and her eyes got all red.
"I already gave Liv my dad. And you. What's one more ice cream?"
Derek immediately turned on me like I was the monster.
"It's TEN MINUTES, Liv. Whatever the hell is going on, it can wait ten minutes."
I yanked my hand free and dove into the cab.
Derek was yelling something. My name, probably.
I didn't look back.
County General's ER was chaos when I got there. Ambulances. Sirens. People crying.
Austin was still in surgery.
A nurse shoved papers at me. Didn't even look up.
"High-velocity fall. Head trauma, chest and abdominal injuries. We need a signature."
My hand wouldn't stop shaking. The pen kept slipping.
I sat outside the OR. The air was stuffy but I was freezing.
My phone rang. My mother's voice exploded through.
"Liv, SERIOUSLY? Derek buys Chloe ONE ice cream and you throw a tantrum?!
They've known each other since they were KIDS—what is your problem?!
Just because you married him doesn't mean you OWN him!"
"Greg won't even LOOK at me now! Chloe FINALLY accepted me as her stepmom and you're trying to ruin EVERYTHING?!"
I stared at the closed OR doors. The red light above them.
"You done?"
"Austin is SIX YEARS OLD. Derek put him on a ride that requires kids to be TEN."
My voice broke.
"He FELL. He's in surgery right now."
I thought she'd ask how Austin was. If the doctors said anything. Something.
The line went quiet.
When she spoke again, her voice was annoyed.
"Well, they didn't KNOW that would happen. Why are you blaming THEM?"
"God, Liv. Fine. I'll apologize to Chloe FOR you. You're so damn petty."
She hung up.
Ten seconds later, my phone lit up with her Instagram post.
Nine photos. Her arm around Chloe. Derek sitting beside them, smiling.
Caption: [My sweet girl's finally home. Mom's heart is SO full. ❤️✨]
Top comment: [OMG gorgeous daughter, handsome son-in-law! What a beautiful family!]
My mother hearted it.
The pain in my chest turned into nausea.
I bent over, trying not to throw up.
I went to close Instagram and accidentally answered Derek's incoming call instead.
"Babe, look—I can't make it to the hospital."
Background noise. Laughter. Clinking glasses.
"Your mom set up this whole welcome-home dinner for Chloe. She thought it'd be weird if you came, so... I'll just grab you guys after? We'll do something fun with Austin tomorrow. Promise. Don't be mad."
I cut him off.
"Did my mother not tell you that your son is in the hospital because of YOU?"
"What? Austin—what happened?"
My voice came out flat. Dead.
"County General. If you're any kind of father, you'll get here and see what you did."
I waited all night.
Watched nurses rush in and out of the OR.
Listened to machines beeping, people crying, doctors shouting codes.
Derek never came.
Around 2 a.m., my phone buzzed.
[Your mom says Austin's fine. Chloe's totally jet-lagged and just fell asleep. Don't wanna wake her up. I'll come get you guys first thing tomorrow morning.]
I stared at the text until the screen went blurry.
Then I opened the divorce papers I'd drafted three months ago.
Forwarded them to Derek.
I'd been THINKING about divorce for a long time.
But right then, I stopped thinking.
My mother married Chloe's widowed father Greg when I was sixteen.
Chloe had a crush on Derek since high school. He picked me.
So they decided I OWED her.
But I never did a goddamn thing wrong.
So why the hell should I keep paying?
Chapter 2
The ER lights finally went out at dawn.
A nurse rushed over, shoving papers at me.
"Your son's critical. We need a specialist from out of state for the surgery. I need his insurance card and birth certificate right now. Do you have them?"
I jumped up and drove straight home.
But when I got to the door, the lock rejected my code. Over and over.
The code was Austin's birthday.
I was about to call Derek when the door suddenly opened.
He stood there shirtless, hair a mess. The second he saw me, he put a finger to his lips.
"Shh. Chloe's sleeping."
When he noticed me staring at the lock, he looked uncomfortable.
"Chloe kept forgetting the old code. We all talked about it and just changed it to her birthday."
"We all?"
"Your mom, Greg, and me."
I'd sold my grandmother's house to make the down payment on this place.
I'd been paying the mortgage alone ever since.
But when they decided to change MY door code, nobody bothered asking me.
I pushed past him and headed for the master bedroom.
Derek stepped in front of me.
"What do you need? I'll get it for you."
The door was half-open.
Chloe. In Derek's pajamas. My slippers. Sitting on my bed.
Austin's little pillow and blanket were dumped next to the trash.
She pulled the collar tight around her neck.
"Liv, this isn't what it looks like. Derek just let me sleep here so I could adjust to the time difference."
Derek jumped in quickly.
"I slept on the couch. I swear."
The noise woke my mother and Greg.
Greg walked out, his face cold.
"My daughter finally comes home and you're giving her shit about sleeping in a room?"
My mother grabbed my arm.
"It's just a ROOM, Liv. Why do you have to make everyone miserable?"
I shook her off and walked to the safe.
Chloe's clothes were piled next to it.
I shoved them aside. Two torn square wrappers fell at my feet.
My eyes burned.
Derek's face changed instantly.
"It's not—that's not what you think."
"Chloe had takeout last night. Those are glove wrappers. Not condoms—"
I didn't say anything.
Just bit down hard on my lip to keep my hands from shaking.
Kicked the wrappers aside, opened the safe, and grabbed Austin's documents.
Derek watched me, looking more and more uncomfortable.
"Where's Austin? Why didn't he come home with you?"
I slammed the safe shut and turned on my mother.
"NOW you care about Austin? Maybe you should ask HER why she didn't tell you!"
"Ask her why she kept quiet while you put a SIX-YEAR-OLD on a ride that requires kids to be TEN."
"He FELL. He was in surgery all night. He's still in the ICU!"
Derek went completely white.
"ICU? How—"
My mom looked away, guilt flashing across her face.
"Kids fall all the time. How bad could it be?"
"I didn't tell Derek because I didn't want everyone worrying and ruining Chloe's welcome party."
My son was on life support in the ICU.
To her, he was just a minor inconvenience that couldn't be allowed to ruin Chloe's special night.
Derek stepped toward me.
"I didn't know it was that serious. Let me go to the hospital with you."
I looked at him coldly.
"The staff WARNED you. Kids under ten can't ride that coaster."
"But you didn't listen. You just wanted Austin on the longest ride so you could run off and buy Chloe ice cream."
Derek's face drained of color. His mouth opened but nothing came out.
I didn't let him speak.
"Derek, if you care about Chloe so much that you'd risk your own son's LIFE, why the hell did you marry me?"
"YOU chose me. But everyone acts like I stole you from her. Like I owe HER."
"She wants something, I have to give it up."
"Now you've nearly gotten your son killed for her."
I stared him down.
"If anything happens to Austin, I want both of you dead."
Chapter 3
Derek looked stunned.
"Liv, that's going too far!"
"Chloe and I are just friends. I've looked after her like a sister since we were kids."
"How does that make us what you're implying?"
Greg's expression darkened.
"Derek and Chloe grew up together. They've always been close."
"He's taken care of her for over a decade. Just because he married you doesn't mean they can't even talk anymore, does it?"
"Who the hell do you think you are, trying to force them apart?"
My mother glared at me with pure disgust.
"Everyone SAW how Derek treated Chloe growing up."
"You married him and now you want to OWN him? Make him cut off his best friend?"
"Your son's hurt and instead of looking at YOURSELF, you're here making up lies about Derek and Chloe."
"Liv. Do you have no shame?"
Chloe's eyes filled with tears.
"Liv, you DO blame me, don't you?"
"I shouldn't have asked Derek to come with me. He just wanted to take care of me since I'm rarely home."
"If you're angry, take it out on me. Don't drag Derek into this."
Derek immediately looked at her, his face full of concern.
That one look told me everything I needed to know.
I clutched the documents tighter and pushed past them all.
"Liv, wait—"
Derek took two steps after me.
By the time I got back to the hospital, he still hadn't shown up.
I'd just finished the paperwork when my assistant called.
"Liv, the contract signing is today. Where are you?"
"My son's in the ICU. I need time off. The contract's done—someone else can sign it."
She sounded panicked.
"But Derek brought your sister in today. He's telling everyone you're stepping back to take care of Austin and that SHE'S taking over your position and projects."
"I knew something was wrong. That's why I'm calling."
Ice shot through my veins. I called Derek immediately.
"What gives you the right to give Chloe MY job?"
His voice was calm, like he'd already decided everything for me.
"You were upset earlier because of Austin. I know you didn't mean what you said, and I'm not holding it against you."
"But you can't do your job properly in this state. Staying in that position will just hurt the projects."
"It's better if you step back and focus on Austin. Chloe can handle things temporarily. This arrangement is what's best for you."
He made it sound so damn reasonable.
I was shaking with rage.
"I spent a YEAR on that project! You have no right to take it!"
Derek sighed.
"I'm not taking it away. I'm asking you to help Chloe out. She's going through a messy divorce and needs a solid job to fight for custody of her kid."
"It's just temporary. You're not losing anything by stepping back from one project."
I gripped the phone so hard my knuckles went white.
My whole life, when Chloe wanted my room, I had to move.
She didn't want to see me, so I couldn't come home for four years.
Now she needed a job, so I had to hand over everything I'd worked for.
My voice came out cold and flat.
"No."
"If you touch my project, I'll hand the contract to your competitor myself."
"Liv, don't be childish!"
His voice hardened.
"You're not seriously going to destroy the whole company out of spite, are you?"
"It's a temporary position. One year at most."
His tone softened again, trying to sound reasonable.
"I already talked to the doctor. Austin's treatment is all arranged."
"Just focus on taking care of him. When he's better, come back to work. Isn't that better for everyone?"
"Besides, if we hadn't gotten married, Chloe wouldn't have left the country heartbroken. She wouldn't have met that asshole and married him."
"We OWE her this much."
I finally exploded.
"I don't owe her a damn thing!"
"She left on her own. She got married on her own. She picked the wrong guy on her own."
"Why does her shitty life mean she gets to take my husband and my career?"
"You're too emotional right now."
Derek's voice went flat.
"After Chloe's launch event wraps up, I'll come to the hospital."
He hung up.
Right then, a sharp alarm started blaring in the ICU.
