I was under anesthesia when it wore off too early. I couldn’t open my eyes, but I heard my son’s wife tell the surgeon: “If something goes wrong, don’t call her lawyer. Call me first.”

Then I saw the grown man who stood beside my operating table and chose silence.

“You had every opportunity to choose me,” I said quietly. “You chose her instead.”

Vanessa pointed furiously at him. “He signed everything!”

“You told me it was temporary!” Daniel shouted back.

“You wanted your mother’s money!”

“And you wanted her dead!”

The room exploded into chaos.

The detective stepped between them immediately.

“Mrs. Cole. Mr. Whitmore. You’ll need to come with us.”

Vanessa laughed bitterly through clenched teeth. “You think you won? You’re still alone, Evelyn.”