I left the hospital carrying my daughter’s ashes when my husband finally called from wherever he was with his mistress and coldly said, “The bill has been taken care of. Stop bothering me.” I didn’t argue with him. I didn’t allow him to hear my voice break.

He never answered his phone.

I even waited five hours inside his corporate office building until he finally appeared alongside Samantha.

“Don’t embarrass me at work again,” Brendan told me coldly in the lobby.

“If you have money problems, deal with Ximena.”

A compassionate doctor eventually paid personally for one dose of Chloe’s medication, buying us a little more time.

I submitted another emergency request through the portal, but its status remained listed as Under Review for seven straight days.