Chapter 2 - THE NUMBER MY FATHER LEFT BEHIND
The door opened.
Mason stood there.
His expensive jacket was slightly wrinkled, and the faint smell of whiskey followed him into Daisy's room.
His eyes moved from me to the phone in my hand.
Then to the urn.
For a fraction of a second, something almost human crossed his face.
Confusion.
“Elizabeth?”
I said nothing.
He stepped inside.
“Where's Daisy?”
The question should have destroyed me.
Instead, it made me strangely calm.
I pointed at the urn.
“She's here.”
Mason stared at it.
His expression hardened.
“What does that mean?”
I looked directly into his eyes.
“It means our daughter died three days ago.”
He laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because his mind refused to understand.
“Stop.”
“She died Monday.”
“That's not possible.”
“You weren't there.”
“I was working.”
“You were in Dallas.”
“I had a business emergency.”
“You were drinking champagne with Sabrina.”
His jaw tightened.
“You're doing this because you're angry.”
I stared at him.
“You didn't even know she was dead.”
He looked toward the urn again.
Then something unexpected happened.
He began shaking.
Only slightly.
His lips parted.
“Daisy?”
I nodded.
“She asked for you.”
The lie came naturally.
Not because I wanted to hurt him.
Because I needed him to understand that there would never be another chance.
“She asked for Daddy.”
Mason's eyes filled.
For a moment, I almost remembered why I had loved him.
Then he looked at the phone.
“Who were you talking to?”
“Someone my father trusted.”
His expression changed immediately.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
His face became cold.
“Elizabeth.”
“I said no.”
He took one step forward.
I stepped backward.
That was when Brenda appeared behind him.
“What is happening?”
Mason turned.
“Elizabeth is calling someone about Dad's estate.”
Brenda's face changed.
“Your father left you something?”
I looked at her.
“Apparently.”
Mason's eyes narrowed.
“What exactly did Callahan tell you?”
I smiled faintly.
“You'll find out.”
Then I walked past them.
Mason grabbed my wrist.
Not hard.
But hard enough.
“Don't make this ugly.”
I looked down at his hand.
Then back at him.
“Ugly?”
My voice was quiet.
“Our daughter died while you were deciding whether her medicine was too expensive.”
He released me.
I went downstairs.
The Ross family was gathered in the living room.
Sabrina sat beside Mason's mother, Margaret.
She stood when she saw me.
“Elizabeth, I'm so sorry about Daisy.”
I looked at her.
“Are you?”
Her face tightened.
“I cared about her.”
“Did you?”
Mason came downstairs behind me.
“Enough.”
I turned toward him.
“No.”
Everyone fell silent.
“For three years, I was told I was overreacting. I was told Daisy's illness was expensive. I was told to stop asking questions.”
I looked at Margaret.
“Your granddaughter died.”
Margaret lowered her eyes.
Then Mason said something that made me realize I had underestimated the family.
“Daisy's treatment was covered.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
He pulled out his phone.
“I authorized the payment.”
I felt the room tilt.
“Then why did Megan reject it?”
“She didn't.”
I froze.
Mason looked toward the doorway.
“Megan?”
She stepped into the room.
Perfect suit.
Perfect hair.
Perfect expression.
“I never rejected anything.”
I laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
“I have the email.”
“So do I,” Megan replied.
She turned her phone around.
The email was real.
But there was something different.
Her signature was not at the bottom.
Someone had copied it.
Mason looked at me.
“You see?”
I didn't answer.
Because suddenly the question wasn't whether Mason had ignored Daisy.
It was who had manipulated all of us.
Megan looked nervous.
“Mr. Ross, there's something else.”
“What?”
“The medication request wasn't submitted from the hospital's normal account.”
“Then where?”
She hesitated.
“Your private family office.”
My stomach dropped.
“Who has access?”
Megan looked at Mason.
Then Margaret.
Then Brenda.
“I don't know.”
My phone vibrated.
Mr. Callahan.
DO NOT TRUST ANYONE IN THAT HOUSE.
A second message followed.
INCLUDING YOUR HUSBAND.
I stared at the screen.
Mason noticed my expression.
“What did he say?”
I locked the phone.
“He said the truth is bigger than Daisy.”
Nobody moved.
Then Margaret whispered something that chilled me.
“Elizabeth…”
“What?”
She looked terrified.
“Your father warned us.”
I frowned.
“About what?”
Margaret swallowed.
“About Mason.”
The room went silent.
Mason turned sharply.
“Mother.”
But Margaret was already crying.
“I thought he was bluffing.”
I stared at my husband.
“What did my father know?”
May you like
Mason said nothing.
And for the first time, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
