Chapter 2 - THE SEVERED BOND
The sterile scent of rubbing alcohol and white sheets faded as I kept my eyes locked on my attorney.
Blanca did not look up from her screen, her fingers moving with absolute, cold efficiency.
"The bank has officially flagged the application for cancellation," she whispered, her voice a calm shield.
"Your parents' real estate agent just received the automated rejection notification."
"They have no legal recourse to retrieve the initial down payment because the underwriting failed due to guarantor withdrawal."
"They are ruined, Ava."
"They wanted a silent daughter who paid their bills while they called my survival a personal drama," I replied.
"Now, they can sleep on the street they built with their own selfishness."
The door to my hospital room was suddenly pushed open, but it was not the nurse.
My mother, Eleanor, stood in the doorway, her expensive silk scarf wrinkled, her eyes wide with a frantic, desperate rage.
"Eva! What have you done?" she shrieked, her voice echoing down the quiet medical corridor.
"The bank just called! Our loan was canceled!"
"Our entire life savings is gone!"
"How could you do this to your own family after everything we did for you?"
I did not move my head from the pillow, my eyes cold and entirely empty of any childhood attachment.
"You told me that whether I lived or died was my problem, Mother," I said, my voice dropping.
"I am simply following your advice."
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"Family takes care of family."
"And now, you can take care of your own house."
