Chapter 1

Maya’s POV

When Adrian brags over video chat that he made an extra $500 this month, I smile as I press Jamie’s tiny thumb onto the organ donation form.

When he asks what kind of cake I want for our anniversary, I smile as I reach for the pills I’ve been saving.

“Chocolate it is, then. I’ll bring one home tomorrow,” he says. “You and Jamie deserve a real treat.”

“Sounds good.”

I smile and put my phone down.

Then I pull Jamie’s cold body against my chest and swallow every last pill.

Adrian still has no idea.

Jamie is never going to get the heart we’ve been waiting for.

And my stomach cancer is already terminal.

As I sink onto the bed, voices drift out of the video call I forgot to hang up.

“Come on, Adrian, you’re spoiling Chloe rotten. They found Jamie a matching heart a week ago. Why are you still keeping it from Maya?”

“And what about Maya’s stomach? One day of your company’s profits could cover her treatment a hundred times over. Why wait until tomorrow? Just tell her the truth already!”

“All this for some dumb gold-digger test?”

Adrian laughs.

“Chloe insisted on the bet. I figured, why not prove how loyal Maya is?”

His childhood friend Chloe huffs.

“Don’t get cocky. For all you know, she’s packing up the kid to run off with some other guy tonight.”

“She’s stuck around for three years. Why would she bolt tonight?”

Adrian says.

“Besides, she’s sitting there waiting on her chocolate cake.”

“Ugh, you’re impossible!”

Having lost the bet, Chloe pounds her fists against his chest, pouting.

Still laughing, Adrian promises to cheer her up with a $700,000 shopping spree.

Their laughter spills out of my phone and fills the room.

I lie on the bed as blood soaks into my pillow.

So there was a heart for Jamie.

There was money to save us.

And all of it was just a game to Adrian.

He pictured me sticking by him no matter what.

He pictured me grabbing Jamie and running off to some rich man who’d take care of us.

The one thing he never pictured was Jamie and me deciding to stop being his burden.

……

“Jamie… do you hate Mommy?”

I hold his pale hand in the hospital room.

The transplant team stands a few feet away, faces grave, waiting for him to take his last breath.

Jamie smiles and gives the tiniest shake of his head.

“When I’m gone, you and Daddy won’t have to work so hard anymore, Mommy.”

His voice is weak, but he’s trying so hard to sound proud.

“And my organs can help three people get better. So I’m a superhero, right?”

My whole body shakes as I force a smile.

“That’s right, baby.” My voice cracks.

“You’re the bravest superhero in the whole world.”

Jamie closes his eyes.

And just like that, my little boy is gone.

Later, I hold his body, so much lighter now, tight against me, then slowly lay him down on the bed.

My tears soak into the pillow beneath him.

Jamie had a matching heart.

He didn’t have to die.

Adrian…

Adrian!

I try to scream his name, but all that comes out is a broken rasp.

Pain rips through my body.

My stomach twists, and every breath comes weaker than the last.

I cough up blood and slump against the pillow.

My phone slips from my hand and hits the floor.

One of Adrian’s friends yells from the other end of the call.

“Holy shit, Adrian! The call’s still on!”

“Damn it! What if she heard us?”

Adrian picks up the phone.

“Relax. She never checks her phone when she’s with Jamie. Just hang up.”

The screen goes dark.

So does everything around me.

I close my eyes.