“Mom, please,” he begged, a pathetic whine creeping in. “I’m sick. Look at me. My kidneys—”

“Are failing because you’re poisoning yourself,” I finished, the words like ash in my mouth.

He choked on his next breath. The room went silent.

“Paige pulled the pharmacy logs, Colton,” I said, stepping to the bed, looking down at the stranger I’d given birth to.

“You’ve been taking heavy metals to skew your blood tests. You tortured yourself, and you tortured me, to keep the money flowing. You used my love as a weapon.”

He had nothing left. He looked away, jaw tight, a sullen, hateful glare settling over his face.