Your Borrowed Life Expires After New Year

"But now you want to take all our savings—that is over a million dollars—and hand it to your ex-girlfriend for some investment?" I asked.

My voice was calm, but all three of them visibly stiffened.

Elias looked like I'd struck a nerve. He pushed Jamie aside and pointed his finger in my face.

"Myra!" he shouted. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You think there's something going on between us? Jamie and I are just friends! She's trying to help us. You're being completely unreasonable!

"A computer just needs to work. Why does it have to be expensive? And lilies? You can't eat them. They wilt in a few days! Grow up, will you? Stop obsessing over every little thing!"

"Every little thing?" I repeated.

Suddenly, I wanted to laugh. So five years of sacrifice, of careful devotion, amounted to nothing more than petty concerns in his eyes.

"Yes! Every little thing!" Elias' voice grew more righteous. "We're getting married soon. We have decades ahead of us. Can you think long-term for once?

"Stop acting like some nagging wife, checking my phone, questioning how I spend money! I'm exhausted trying to hold this family together, and you're still not satisfied?"

Claire immediately rushed to shield her son, glaring daggers at me. "Look what you've done! You've upset Elias! His health is already fragile. If something happens to him because of this, can you live with yourself?

"A computer and some flowers. You actually have the nerve to bring that up? So what if you're a kidney match? Donating an organ makes you think you can control my son?"

Her voice rose, shrill and cutting. "Listen here, Myra. Don't think having that kidney gives you power over this family! The Barretts don't need you that badly! If you ruin my son's chance at this investment over something so petty, I'll make you regret it!"

Jamie stood to the side, playing peacemaker while fanning the flames with every word.

"Claire, please calm down," she said. "I'm sure Myra didn't mean it that way."

She then turned to me, eyes brimming with tears, the picture of wounded innocence. "Myra, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't mentioned the investment, you two wouldn't be fighting.

"I just saw how worried Elias was about money and wanted to help. I didn't mean anything by it."

Tears slid down her cheeks, delicate and pitiful.

Elias immediately pulled her into his arms, his voice tender. "It's not your fault, Jamie. Don't cry. This is on me."

He then looked up at me, his expression filled with disappointment and disgust. "Myra, look what you've done to Jamie. She's trying to help us, and you treat her with nothing but suspicion! What kind of person are you? How can you be so cruel? I was wrong about you!"

I stood there watching them hold each other, watching Claire's face twisted with contempt and distrust. And in that moment, I understood. I'd been wrong from the start.

I shouldn't have given up my dreams. I shouldn't have poured everything I had into this. I shouldn't have believed a man who promised he'd cherish me forever.

And I definitely shouldn't have agreed to donate my kidney.

"Fine." The word came out soft.

They all froze. I lifted my head and gave them a smile they couldn't quite read.

"Do whatever you want with the money. As for the house, I'll go along with whatever you decide, as long as it makes you happy."

Elias and Claire exchanged a glance, their eyes gleaming with the smug satisfaction of victors.

"That's more like it," Claire said with a sniff. "If you'd been this agreeable from the start, we wouldn't have had this problem."

Elias visibly relaxed. He let go of Jamie and walked over to me.