Landlord Wars(69)

I flattened my hands on the counter of her station. “Can you tell me the room number for Brenda Markos?”

The nurse took me in, her eyes widening slightly before she looked down at her desk. She ran her finger over a clipboard. “Room 224. But there’s already someone in there. One person at a time.”

And that was when I saw Max walking toward me, his bow tie undone, hair perfectly kempt. He was fucking gorgeous, and I hated him.

“I don’t want to see you,” I said, rushing toward the door of my mother’s room.

He grabbed my shoulders gently, and I flinched.

Max dropped his hands and took a step back, and that was when I noticed the strain in his eyes. “Your mother is stable, but she’s with the doctor right now. She had a stroke, Sophia.”

My face crumpled and my body shook. “What?”

He reached for me again, but I stepped back.

Max swallowed, his expression pained. “Your sister is getting coffee and should be back any minute. She found your mother on the floor of the kitchen and got her to the hospital right away. It would have been much worse if Elise hadn’t found her when she did.”

This wasn’t real. This couldn’t be happening. I should never have moved out.

I crouched and grasped my head.

A second later, I sensed Max crouch beside me, but he didn’t try to touch me again. “The best neurosurgeon in town is on her way to see your mother. She’ll be well taken care of, Sophia.” He let out a harsh breath, and I heard the scratch of his hand running over stubble. “About earlier tonight… Gwen and I are not engaged. I’ll never forgive my parents for what they did.”

This was what he wanted to talk about?

I squinted, not believing what I was hearing. “Are you kidding me right now? My mother is fighting for her life, and you’re still the poor little rich boy who can’t manage his society parents.” I shook my head. “Go home, Max.”

His eyes raced over my face, his expression pained, as I stood and moved to meet Elise walking toward us from down the hall.

I gripped my sister in a tight hug, my body shaking.

She pulled back after a moment and looked over my shoulder in Max’s direction with a sad expression.

I refused to look back. This wasn’t about Max anymore. My priority was to my family.

My sister and I made our way into my mother’s hospital room, where I sat at my mom’s bedside and grabbed the hand that wasn’t hooked up to an IV. Her eyes were closed, and she looked pale. Had those dark circles under her eyes always been there? She looked entirely too fragile.

Tears ran down my face, while Elise spoke quietly in the corner with the doctor.

Screw the hospital rules and their one guest at a time bullshit. They could carry me out kicking, because I wasn’t leaving my mom’s side.

Elise came over and hugged me. I wiped the tears off my cheeks and scooted over for her to sit.

After a long moment, she said, “Jack told me what happened at the ball. It’s understandable you’re angry with Max.”

“I’m not angry. I’m empty.”





Chapter Thirty-Two





Max





I found Jack loitering in front of the hospital and asked him to drop me off at Franklin Street, since I’d raced to the hospital in a taxi. I had it on good authority my parents had returned home, and I had a few words for them.

I walked into the mansion, where my dad was making his way across the foyer from the kitchen, still wearing a navy tuxedo jacket and black dress slacks.

He shoved the roll he’d been eating in his mouth and held up his hands. “I had nothing to do with it,” he mumbled around the food. He pulled the bread out of his mouth. “Was your mother and Gwenny’s idea. Gwen convinced your mom that you two were still in a relationship and that it was only a matter of time before you got engaged.” He looked sheepish when he said, “Your mom thought moving up the engagement timeline was no big deal.”

“Even if that were true,” I said, my hands balled as I attempted to contain my anger, “what was the purpose of going behind my back and announcing it to the world?”

My father looked momentarily ashamed. “Like I said, wasn’t my idea.”

I threw up my hands. “But you did nothing to stop it! What the fuck is wrong with this family?”

My mother rushed down the spiral staircase in a long silk robe, looking peeved. “Maxwell, the neighbors can hear you.”

This house was a cavernous black hole. There was no way the neighbors could hear me, even if I cared. “What do you think you’re doing, meddling in my life?”

Her mouth parted in shock. “Gwenny assured me moving up the engagement was no big deal.”

“Your Gwenny is a pathological liar. You should cut her from your life.”

She made the last step down the stairs and stood beside my father, her expression showing the first signs of worry. “We’ve known Gwen since you two were children.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Gwen and I have been over for nearly a year. I’m not dating her. I’m in love with Sophia. Sophia was my guest at the ball, and your stunt sent her running.”

My mother looked at my father, who shrugged as though it was news to him.