Left for Dead Came Back for Everything novel Chapter 114

During those days, her leg felt better than it had in three years.

After returning to Riverport, she had tried searching online for the same brand, but found absolutely nothing.

Tucked under the bottle was a light gray sticky note with a slightly clunky smiley face drawn on it.

"Protect those knees. It's more important than anything. If the scones were good, please leave a five-star review."

Eliza held the note, staring at it for a long time.

Last night, when she stood in the doorway in her slippers, her left ankle had been slightly swollen—probably from standing too long in the dance studio during the day.

The lighting was so dim that a normal person would never have noticed. But he saw it.

He saw it, said nothing, and had this delivered first thing in the morning.

A rush of warmth flooded Eliza's chest. She carefully folded the note and slipped it behind her phone case.

Then she put on the knee braces and gently tucked the ointment into her bag.

...

Lunch break.

It took every ounce of Eliza's courage to dial Miriam's number.

It rang seven or eight times before it connected.

"Eliza! Did you get the money?! I knew that man from last time had his eye on..." Miriam's voice came through loud and frantic, laced with excitement.

"Mom, I need to ask you something," Eliza cut her off flatly.

"That loan shark contract Miles signed. The co-signer signature is my name, and they used a copy of my ID. Did you know about this?"

The line went dead silent for two seconds.

Then Miriam's voice skyrocketed in pitch: "What co-signer? I don't know anything about a co-signer! What are you talking about!"

"Mom." Eliza's voice turned dangerously low.

"The signature on the contract is in your handwriting. I recognized it immediately. Stop pretending."

"We're past the point of acting with each other."

Another two seconds of silence, followed by the sound of Miriam bursting into wails.

The crying on the other end of the line hitched.

Then, Miriam's tone snapped from a sob into a vicious shriek.

"Eliza! Do you even hear yourself right now?!"

"You ungrateful brat! Do you think raising you was easy? You think your wings are fully grown now?!"

"What if they beat your brother to death! What if they chop off his arms and legs! He's your own flesh and blood! Are you just going to watch him die!"

"I'm a mother! What else was I supposed to do! Who else could I turn to but you! Your father is stuck in a hospital bed, and your brother is the only son this family has! If you don't step up, who will!"

Eliza closed her eyes.

Her temples throbbed painfully.

She didn't want to talk anymore.

Every time she tried to reason with Miriam, it was like throwing water against a brick wall—the water just slid down, and the wall didn't move an inch.

"Mom, I've already had a lawyer draft a formal notice."