Chapter 3

Jordan clenched his fists, his breathing growing heavy.

In her wheelchair, Sabrina quickly shook her head at him, signaling him not to say anything rash out of anger.

But Jordan slammed his fist down on the table and snapped at me:

"Sloane! I'm done putting up with you, you monster! Go ahead and cut it off if you've got the guts!"

Without another word, I dialed the hospital.

Sabrina frantically tried to stop him. "Jordan, don't do this! Your mom's treatment can't lose its funding!"

With that she tumbled out of her wheelchair again and knelt in front of me, tugging at my wedding dress.

I shoved her away hard, as if she were something dirty.

Sabrina's elbow scraped open in the fall.

But she kept kneeling as if she couldn't feel the pain.

"Sloanie, I'm sorry. I'm apologizing to you for Jordan. Please don't hurt an innocent old woman!"

"Sloanie, please, have a heart. Don't do this on your wedding day..."

Sabrina rubbed her hands together pitifully, begging me, while Jordan stood beside her, angry and helpless.

Finally, with neither side giving in, he mumbled an apology to me, his voice as faint as a mosquito's whine.

But the call to the hospital had already connected, and a nurse answered respectfully:

"Miss Hale, what can I do for you?"

The whole room held its breath, terrified I'd open my mouth and say the payments were cut off.

I glanced sideways at Sabrina on the floor, then spoke without any hurry:

"Didn't the doctor say Margaret Collins's condition has been up and down lately? Why don't you skip her meals today. Going without for a bit will do the old woman good."

I hung up and waved for the servers to start bringing out the food.

Dish after beautiful dish was carried out, but Jordan's face was dark.

He leaned in and spoke low in my ear:

"You're starving my mom on purpose? She doesn't get a single meal, and you make me sit in front of a table loaded with rich food? You're not even human!"

I rolled my eyes and didn't bother answering him.

I turned and kicked the wheelchair, signaling Sabrina to crawl back to it herself.

Then I pushed her over to a table set apart from the rest:

"Come see what delicious food I've prepared for you. You're not leaving until you eat every last bite."

Everyone picked up their forks and looked over curiously.

The next second, they all slammed their forks down on the table.

Their eyes practically blazed.

The table in front of Sabrina was covered in spoiled, stinking leftovers and slop.

Garbage that even pigs out in the country wouldn't touch.

Jordan couldn't stand it anymore. He pounded the table and demanded:

"Sloane! Sabrina saved your life, and she's your best friend! Why on earth are you doing this?"

Without a flicker of expression, I adjusted my corsage:

"Why I'm doing this? You'll understand once the wedding is over."

The truth was about to come out.