The Hour He Never Gave

After Pierce Emery and I got back together, I started "renting him out."

Every time his old flame, Daphne Roach, called him away, I stopped crying and causing scenes like before.

I charged by the hour instead.

Ten grand an hour during the day. Twenty at night. Triple on holidays.

Three months later, my account was up almost two million dollars.

Pierce had promised to help me pick a dress for a banquet, but Daphne called him crying, saying she'd sliced her hand while cooking.

I didn't even look up. I just held out my phone with the payment screen open.

One night, I came down with a brutal fever. While Pierce was driving me to the hospital, his phone rang again.

Daphne.

He stared at the screen for a long second before answering.

Her voice came through shaky and tearful. "Pierce, the thunder's so loud. I can't sleep. Can you come stay with me?"

I quietly pulled out an umbrella and told him to let me out at the next intersection.

He looked at me like he wanted to explain something, but I just smiled.

"Don't forget to transfer the money."

The same thing happened again on the day our daughter went in for her routine checkup.

Except this time, she was the one asking him for money.

The guilt on Pierce's face vanished instantly.

He shot to his feet and pointed at Ellie. "Lucia Leighton, is this what you teach our daughter?"

I calmly pulled Ellie behind me. "What's wrong with it? If she can't get love, she might as well get money. Better than ending up like me and learning that after a divorce."

Pierce went silent.

The tension hung in the air until his phone rang again.

Jared's voice blasted through the speaker. "Hurry up! You promised to ride the Decepticon coaster a hundred times with me!"

At that, Ellie's grip tightened on my clothes.

She'd begged Pierce over and over to take her to an amusement park. Every single time, he said he was too busy with work.

Noticing her reaction, Pierce didn't answer right away this time.

He reached over to pat her head. "Be good, Ellie. Go with Mommy to your checkup today. Once you're better, Daddy'll take you to the amusement park, okay?"

Ellie dodged his hand and blinked up at him. "It's okay. Just send me the money."

Like he hadn't expected that answer, Pierce's face went completely dark.

Before leaving, he snapped, "Lucia, you and your daughter can keep this up if you want. Unbelievable."

The front door slammed shut, making my heart jump with it.

Ellie tugged on my sleeve and stood on her tiptoes, holding up her smartwatch. "Mommy, look. Daddy added so many zeros. Is this enough for my surgery?"

I looked at her face, forcing down the lump in my throat. Then I crouched and pulled her tight against me.

"It's enough. After your surgery, we're leaving this place."

Once I pulled myself together, I took Ellie to the hospital.

While we waited for her exam, notifications started blowing up my phone.

Paparazzi shots of Pierce at an amusement park with Daphne and Jared.

Caption: [Pierce spotted with rumored new girlfriend at amusement park. Child already calling him Dad!]

I zoomed in on the photo, staring at the easy smile on Pierce's face.

I couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled like that around Ellie and me.

My hand shook as I backed out of the post. By the time I refreshed the page, it had already been deleted.

A second later, Pierce called.

"Lucia, don't be mad. Those garbage reporters made everything up. I already paid to get it taken down."

I froze for a second before realizing he meant Jared calling him Dad.

"I'm not mad. Kids don't mean anything by it. Since I rented you out to them, you should enjoy yourself."

I hung up before he could respond.

When Ellie's test results came back, the doctor said her condition was stable.

Her bypass surgery could be scheduled for next month.

The strength drained out of my body. I almost collapsed right there.

Before this, Pierce and I had divorced because Daphne and her son kept crossing lines in our lives.

To teach me a lesson, Pierce hired the best lawyer money could buy and made sure I walked away with nothing.

The day after the divorce, Ellie suddenly collapsed at school.

The doctor diagnosed her with myocardial ischemia. She could've died at any moment.

Staring at the massive medical bills, I didn't even have time to break down. I rushed out résumé after résumé instead.

But because of Pierce, nobody dared hire me.

Not one friend or relative would lend me money either.

As Ellie got worse day by day, I finally gave in and went back to Pierce.

Now, Ellie was finally out of danger.

After confirming the surgery date with the doctor, I went straight to an immigration agency and filed visa applications for both of us.

Right after I finished, a text from Pierce popped up.

[When are you coming home? I made your favorite food.]

I didn't reply.

An hour later, I pushed open the front door.

Pierce was in the middle of serving food to Daphne and Jared.