her heart hammering against her ribs. She found her aunt, Martha Ka

ha cried, grabbing Stella's

his expression grim. He led them

his voice low and direct. "It's acute kidney

Stella. "The cost," she whispered, her

st-op care... you're looking at a

into a dark, suffocating abyss. Her own savings w

to Stella's arm like a lifeline. "Stella, you have to do someth

oney would be the ultimate humiliation. But

shaking as she dialed his number ag

napped. "I told

teady. "Bryant, I need your help. My mother is in th

"Stella, are you done with these pathetic games for attention? I know your mother

aggers. He thoug

e's at Presbyteria

lawyer call mine to discuss the divorce settlement. Stop

hun

ir washed over her in a suffocating wave. She pressed a hand to her stomach, a

pity and disappointment. "Guess I can't count on you for anything.

went numb. She wiped her tears,

nd thought, but for a one‑million‑dollar life‑saving sum, he could

payment plan, to do anything. That's when the enterta

tailored tuxedo. On his arm was Sienna Steele, radiant in a wh

EO and Sienna Steele Make a St

ray strand of hair behind Sienna's ear, his eye

her mother's illness was now playing the

mach. She stumbled into the nearest

r. Her pale face was streaked with tears. A stark,

, a broken, hollow sound

marriage, her life. A c

eady now. She scrolled past Bryant's n

thing left to hold on