Chapter 1

After my daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, I worked five jobs a day. I pushed myself to the brink of death just to pay for her treatments.

During my late shift tonight, I saw a man in a custom-tailored suit walking with a little girl in a designer princess dress.

They were sitting across from a stunning woman, a famous actress who looked like an angel.

The three of them ordered a meal that cost over seventy thousand dollars.

After they finished eating, the man looked at the girl and asked, "Do you know what to tell your mom when we get home?"

The girl chirped, "I'll tell her we spent the whole night scavenging for scrap metal. I'll tell her we only made enough money for one cheap burger."

The man looked satisfied. The actress smiled and handed the girl a set of expensive gold jewelry.

Before leaving, the man generously tipped every server seven hundred dollars.

My coworker asked me why I was crying.

I told her it was because I just got a seven-hundred-dollar tip.

But it would have been better if that money hadn't come from my supposedly paralyzed husband.

1

On my way home, I saw Ian Rivers and our daughter, Joy, turn into the luxury gated community on the hill.

I pretended to be a maid to sneak past security. I huddled by the wall of a massive villa, listening to them talk.

"Dad, when can we stop pretending to be poor?" Joy asked.

"I go to a prestigious private school, but I have to lie to Mom and say I'm too sick for class. I can't even live in this beautiful house. It's so exhausting to keep up the act."

Ian sighed, his voice full of fake sympathy.

"I don't want to keep lying to your mother either, but she's just too stubborn."

"If she found out I was dating Lola Vance, she would make a huge scene. We have to keep her busy so she won't have time to stick her nose in our business."

At the mention of Lola, Joy's voice filled with excitement.

"I love Auntie Lola. She's a beautiful movie star and she always buys me gifts. She's nothing like Mom, who always looks like a mess and won't even buy me a nice dress."

"Daddy, I wish Auntie Lola was my real mom."

Ian's voice turned serious. "Joy, don't say that again. Jane is your mother. She gave me her kidney years ago to save my life. I'll never divorce her, no matter what."

When they finally came back out, they had changed into filthy, tattered clothes.

Even though I had watched them swap their suits and princess dresses for rags, I still couldn't believe it.

At four this morning, one was sleeping with a pale, sickly face.

The other was supposedly paralyzed, unable to even roll over without my help.

While I was working five jobs and surviving on a single piece of bread a day, they were living a life of luxury.

My legs felt like lead as I walked.

By the time I got back to our dingy basement apartment, I heard the sound of someone scrambling into bed.

In the tiny living room, Joy was reading a yellowed, old book. She gave me a sweet, obedient smile.

"Mom, you're home so late again… It's all my fault. If I wasn't sick, you wouldn't have to work so hard."

"I went out with the landlord tonight to collect cans. We only made enough for one burger. Dad and I split it. We're full now."

Guilt-filled tears rolled down her cheeks.

In the past, I would have hugged her and told her it was my choice, that she shouldn't feel bad.

I would have cooked her a warm meal.

But now, all I could see was her in that designer dress, wearing shoes that cost more than my yearly rent.

"Okay. Go back to your studies," I said coldly.

I walked into the bedroom to check on my "paralyzed" husband.

Ian was lying in the exact same position I had left him in this morning.

But he had forgotten to put on the ragged socks I had mended four times.

"Honey, you look terrible. Are you overworked?" he asked, his voice faking weakness.

"I'm so sorry. You should have had a good life when you married me. Instead, I'm like this, and you have to carry the whole family on your back…"

I looked him over from head to toe.

Ian was right. As long as I was busy, I didn't have time to watch him.

I used to wake up at four and go to bed at one, sleeping only three hours a day. I was always on the move.

How could I have never questioned why my paralyzed husband had perfect skin, no bedsores, and no muscle atrophy after five years?

My heart turned to ice. I bit my lip, unable to even ask the question.

Ian started to panic. "What's wrong? Did your boss yell at you?"

"Don't worry. Take a couple of days off. I'll ask a friend to borrow seventy dollars to get us through."

He was still acting!

He claimed to be heartbroken for me, yet he only offered seventy measly dollars!

Meanwhile, he was throwing away tens of thousands at high-end restaurants!

I felt a chill run through my body. Sweat broke out on my forehead.

Ian reached out to touch my face, but he stopped himself, remembering he wasn't supposed to be able to move.

"Jane, don't scare me. You're so pale. Are you sick? Tell me where it hurts…"

I couldn't take the disappointment anymore. I got up and headed for the bathroom.

As I passed through the living room, I accidentally caught a glimpse of the latest iPhone Joy had hidden under a cushion.

I locked the door and pulled out my eighth-hand burner phone. The buttons were so worn I had to type by feel.

"Mom, Dad, I know I was wrong. Please forgive my stubbornness. Your daughter is begging for your help."

While waiting for a reply, I looked at myself in the mirror. Ten years of misery had made me look twenty years older.

I was pale, covered in wrinkles, and my hair was turning gray.

Nobody would recognize me as the only daughter of the prestigious Sterling family.

The burner phone vibrated twice. The reply came through.

"As long as you're willing to come home, you will always be our daughter."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

But before I went back, I had to see exactly how much they were hiding from me!