A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

“Auntie, my little sister won’t stop crying.” For all his usual composure, Max was still just a child. His voice trembled as he looked at the neighbor, fear flickering in his eyes.

The neighbor scooped up the baby and gently touched her forehead.

“She’s burning up! Max, call your parents right now. I’ll take your sister to the hospital–if her fever keeps climbing, she could end up with brain damage.”

Everything became a blur of frantic motion. Max dashed to the end of the street, shoved a dollar bill into the payphone slot, and fumbled with the buttons, dialing wrong several times in his panic.

Scott didn’t pick up. Max immediately tried Yvonne’s number–no answer there either.

Gritting his teeth, he abandoned the phone, rushed back to their cramped apartment, dug out the emergency money Yvonne had left him, and sprinted toward the hospital.

He ran around like a headless chicken, lost and desperate, until finally a nurse stopped him and led him to the pediatric clinic, where he found his baby sister and the neighbor waiting.

The baby was fast asleep in the neighbor’s arms, a fever patch pressed to her forehead. Her cheeks were still flushed, and tears clung to her lashes–she looked heartbreakingly small and helpless.

“Auntie, my parents aren’t answering. Here, take this money first. I’ll pay you back once they come home,” Max said, thrusting the crumpled bills

toward her.

at the sweat–soaked Max and gently pushed the money

parents for it later. Your sister caught a chill–she’s had her shot, and once the

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bundled up at

wrinkled bills and

you,” he whispered in a low, earnest voice–trying his best to

lips together, her eyes falling to his faded coat. She said nothing more, but the worry lingered

new parenting books appeared in

Marian dropped by one afternoon, carrying a

“She’s better now.”

outside to play, make sure you wash your hands when you come back. If you touch the baby without washing,

who wasn’t shy at all–in fact, she grabbed Marian’s finger and giggled, the sound sweet

heart.

but he quietly took

started going out less and