Chapter 4
Zach froze for a moment, then his voice shot up several decibels.
“Ellie! How DARE you curse my mother dead?!”
For all of Zach’s flaws–his vanity, arrogance, and unfaithfulness–the list was endless. His
only redeeming quality was how devoted he was to his mother.
And I mean genuinely devoted. Out of his $10,000 monthly salary, he’d give $9,500 to his
mother and $500 to me, while eating my food and living in my house–all while claiming he was the one supporting me.
To prove his accusation, he shoved his phone in my face.
“See for yourself! This is the death registry list!” he shouted. “Open your damn eyes and
look who’s on it!”
On the list, one name had been brutally circled with a red marker, making it stand out–Lisa
Collins.
Lisa Collins… my mother’s name. The ID number listed alongside it was indeed my mother’s
information.
How was this possible?!
Just this morning, a few hours ago, my mom had made my favorite bacon sandwich before
I left for work.
She had watched me eat while congratulating me on finally getting rid of “that garbage Zach,” even excitedly suggesting we book a fancy restaurant for dinner to celebrate my new
lease on life.
I knew my face must have turned ghostly pale and rigid
Zach clearly caught my stunned expression and misinterpreted my reaction.
“Nothing to say now, huh?! Ellie, you’re so set on getting back at me that you won’t even
handle your own mother’s funeral arrangements? She’s dead, and you’re here working like
11:5
The Deadly Maternal Trap My Husband Built for Himself
30.0%
Chapter 4
nothing happened? Do you have any conscience left?! If your patients knew what kind of heartless person you are, who would trust you with their lives?!”
Despite being almost certain there was a mistake, I nervously pulled out my phone and dialed my mom’s number.
The phone rang and rang, with no answer.
Zach stood across from me with a smug look on his face.
“Why keep pretending?” he said coldly, his voice filled with malicious delight. “Just sign the waiver and go claim your mother’s body from the morgue! Ahahaha!”
Zach walked away laughing, but I ignored him, continuing to redial my mom’s number.
Just as I was about to give up and rush out of the office to drive home and check on her, the
call finally connected.
“Hello?” Avoice I knew better than any other came through.
It was my mom! Really her!
In that moment, all the tension drained from my body, and I practically sobbed into the phone: “Mom! What took you so long to answer?! You scared me half to death! I called so many times! Where were you?!”
“I was looking for my health insurance card!” my mom complained on the other end. “I’ve been turning the house upside down! My phone was charging in the living room, so I didn’t hear it. I remember having it the day I came to your hospital to see you, but now it’s vanished into thin air! So strange…”
I let out a long sigh of relief, collapsing back in my chair, feeling completely drained.
As I listened to my mother’s rambling, I suddenly remembered the scene from two weeks ago when my mother–in–law, Linda, had come looking for me.
Two weeks earlier, I’d been working non–stop at the hospital for over a week. Forget going home–even grabbing a quick nap in the on–call room had become a luxury.
My mom was beside herself with worry. She knew how busy the hospital was and wanted
1158
The Deadly Maternal Trap My Husband Built for Himself
33.3%
Chapter 4
to see me but didn’t want to disturb my work, so she quietly made an appointment in my clinic.
I was surprised when I saw the familiar name on my patient list, and only realized what she was up to when my mom walked into my office carrying a thermos.
Worried about getting me in trouble for wasting hospital resources, she hurriedly encouraged me to drink the soup she’d brought while reminding me to take care of myself. Once I’d finished, she quickly gathered her things and left.
Just as my mom walked out, before I could call the next patient, the door to my office was violently shoved open with a BANG by my then–mother–in–law, Linda.
The Deadly Maternal Trap My Husband Built for Himself
