The Hour He Never Gave Chapter 10
All the color drained from Pierce’s face. “Gone… Ellie’s gone?”
He grabbed the wall like his legs were about to give out. “No. That’s impossible. You’re lying to me, right…?”
His hands started shaking. The documents slipped from his grip and scattered across the floor.
A divorce decree. A savings passbook.
“What is this? The old divorce decree?” He reached for me. “This is my fault. Stop scaring me and take me to Ellie… I stopped loving Daphne a long time ago. I only did all that because you only cared about money, not me ! wanted a reaction out of you.”
“A reaction?” I snatched up the passbook and threw it at his face. “You used my daughter’s life to get back at me? You’re disgusting. This passbook was Ellie’s.”
My hands shook as I forced it open and pointed at the transaction history. “She saved for almost a year because she wanted you there during her surgery.”
Pierce’s eyes widened as he stared at the entries.
A thousand dollars from birthday money. Five bucks from chores.
Ellie deposited every single dollar herself.
Before every deposit, she counted the bills over and over until the edges turned soft.
She was $180.20 short of ten grand.
The image of her counting money made my eyes burn. My nose stung. “She even secretly sold a bunch of her toys. I had no idea. The only one she kept was that doll you gave her for her birthday. She hugged it every night. While you were off with your side chick and your bastard kid, she held that doll and thought about you. She loved it so much she couldn’t bring herself to sell it. And then Jared broke its arms and legs.”
My voice cracked. “Before the surgery, Ellie gave me the passbook. She said she hadn’t saved enough for the rent and hoped you’d give her a discount. She wanted to rent you for one hour. Just one hour to wait outside until her surgery was over.”
Tears finally spilled down my face. “And what did you do? While Ellie was waiting for you, you ‘rented out’ her doctor. You don’t deserve to be her father.”
Pierce collapsed to the floor, silent for a long time.
I grabbed my bag and walked out without looking back.
The only reason I came today was to pick up the divorce decree mailed here.
***
An hour later, the recording of Daphne’s call blew up all over the headlines.
The same outlets that used to gush over her little vacations with Pierce flipped on her overnight and plastered her real face everywhere.
“Shocking Twist! Why Was Pierce’s Daughter’s Surgery Really Suspended?”
“Former Flame Exposed as Heartless Mistress-Child’s Life Nearly Lost Over Petty Drama!”
The comments that used to tear me apart switched targets fast.
Now they were ripping into Daphne and Pierce instead.
Every knife they’d aimed at me came flying right back at them.
Their phones were probably melting down by now. Good.
I turned off my screen, pulled on sunglasses and a mask, then headed to another hospital.
After remarrying, I spent years saving for Ellie’s medical bills and donating to hospitals. Caldwell Medical Institute was one of them.
I only wanted to do something good. Never thought it’d save Ellie’s life.
While the ambulance got mobbed by reporters, doctors from Caldwell came in through the emergency entrance.
They moved Ellie safely and fast, finishing the surgery before the anesthesia wore off.
Afterward, I bought their silence and buried the story.
Every piece of surveillance footage that caught us got bought out.
All so Ellie could recover somewhere quiet.
The doctor spotted me and immediately walked over.
“Ms. Leighton, your daughter’s awake. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
My chest tightened as I rushed into the room.
Ellie sat quietly on the bed. The second she saw me, she smiled.
“Mommy.”
Her tiny hand was sweaty as she held onto my pinky.
“Mommy, I need to tell you something. During surgery, I saw Daddy. He told me not to be scared. He said to stay strong and brave. He said he’d always watch over us from heaven.”
I went still.
Beside me, the doctor lowered his voice.
“All her vitals are normal. But her memory may have been affected…” He paused. “She believes her father is already dead.”
