Chapter 2
"Is this Ms. Stella? I'm Jennifer, an ER nurse. Your mother Selena was brought in with self-inflicted wounds. The situation is critical."
The nurse's voice was weary but professional. "We need a family member to sign consent forms immediately."
Self-inflicted wounds? My blood turned to ice.
Orion's heart-wrenching sobs echoed in the background: "Luna, please! I found her in the bathtub... there was so much blood..."
Reality hit me like lightning, instantly shattering every doubt in my mind.
"God, I'll be right there." My voice trembled. "Do whatever needs to be done. I'll figure out the money."
"There's one more thing," the nurse's tone became grave. "Your mother requires emergency psychological treatment. The cost is $85,000. Without immediate authorization, we can only provide basic care."
Eighty-five thousand dollars.
Fifty thousand transferred yesterday, now another eighty-five thousand needed.
"I... I understand. I'll handle it."
After hanging up, I collapsed on the bed edge, my entire body shaking.
Phoenix walked in from the living room, his face etched with concern. "What happened?"
"Mom attempted suicide." My voice was like shattered glass. "She slit her wrists in the bathtub."
Blenz Coffee Shop.
When I rushed in, Sierra was already seated at a corner table, a thick stack of legal documents by her side. She looked elegant and composed, as if nothing could shake her calm demeanor.
"I know you're devastated right now," she began, her tone gentle but her eyes sharp, "but there are things you must know."
She slid a bank transfer record across to me. "Phoenix transferred marital assets during our divorce proceedings. That $300,000 investment in the garden project? All moved to offshore accounts."
I stared at the dense numbers on the document, my brain going blank.
"He specifically targets wealthy, naive women to fund his business schemes." Sierra continued, "I was once one of them. The romantic proposals, shared dreams, the gentle gardener image—I experienced it all."
"Our relationship isn't about money." I replied defensively, "He's never asked me for anything."
Sierra smiled bitterly. "Did he ever tell you that you co-signed a $300,000 loan for that garden project? I suggest you check your credit report, honey."
My heart nearly stopped beating.
"That's impossible. I never signed any loan documents."
"Phoenix is very skilled at getting people to sign papers without realizing it." Sierra gathered her documents. "Be careful, Luna. He's destroyed more than just my life."
3 PM, TD Bank branch.
Under the fluorescent lights, everything appeared pale and cold. Financial advisor Karen frowned at her computer screen.
"According to our records, you authorized these transactions last month." She pointed at the screen. "The signatures match our system."
I stared wide-eyed at the credit report: $300,000 business loan, guarantor: Phoenix Rivers, beneficiary: Healing Haven Enterprises.
More terrifying was discovering my savings account had been set up for automatic transfers, sending $5,000 monthly to an unknown account.
"I never signed these documents!" I nearly screamed. "I don't even remember opening a business account!"
Karen looked at me suspiciously. "Ma'am, we have security cameras and your ID was verified. Are you suggesting someone stole your identity?"
My world collapsed in an instant.
My name. My signature. My money.
All used by someone I loved deeply.
6 PM, I sat at the dining table, bank documents spread everywhere.
Phoenix pushed through the door, soil still on his clothes from gardening work. When he saw the documents on the table, his face immediately went pale.
"Luna, I can explain all of this." He frantically flipped through the papers. "I was trying to protect us from Sierra's legal attacks."
"Protect us?" I stood up angrily, "You put my name on loans I never agreed to! My credit is completely ruined!"
Phoenix pulled out his phone, showing me threatening messages from Sierra. "She threatened to sue you too if I didn't cooperate. I thought if I could buy some time..."
"So you secretly manipulated my finances behind my back?"
"I didn't think it would turn out like this!" Phoenix pleaded, "I was just trying to protect you!"
Just as we were arguing intensely, my phone rang.
Caller ID: Orion.
I answered, and Orion's crying immediately came through.
"Luna, the hospital demands immediate payment or they'll stop Mom's treatment." His voice was filled with desperation. "The doctor says her condition is more serious than expected. She needs to be transferred to a specialist hospital in Vancouver."
"$85,000. Tonight, or they'll discharge her."
I felt the entire world spinning.
"There's one more thing..." Orion's voice became hesitant. "I saw Phoenix in Kamloops yesterday. But you said he was with you all day."
I looked at Phoenix in shock, his face instantly turning pale.
"Maybe I was wrong..." Orion quickly added. "I was so scared, maybe I was seeing things. But Luna, we really need that money. Mom kept saying she knew about your problems with Phoenix, she didn't want to be our burden..."
After hanging up, the room fell into deathly silence.
I stared at Phoenix, waiting for an explanation.
But he just looked down at his phone, avoiding my gaze.
All the lies, all the manipulation, all the deception—in this moment, everything became clear.
I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, with the ground beneath my feet crumbling inch by inch.
"Phoenix..." my voice was barely a whisper, "who are you really?"
The silver engagement ring on my finger suddenly felt like a shackle, cold and heavy, binding me to a web of lies I was only beginning to understand.
In the space of one day, my mother's life hung in the balance, my career was in jeopardy, my finances were in ruins, and the man I loved had become a complete stranger.
But the worst part? I had a sinking feeling that this was only the beginning.