Reborn to Destroy My Husband's Crying Mistress novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: The Mother's Hand

Patrick's POV

The billing office at St. Anne's had a frosted window and a clerk who never looked up.

I stood against the wall and watched Natalie write a check.

She did not hesitate over the amount. She tore it off, folded it once and slid it under the glass.

The clerk read the figure and looked up for the first time.

"This clears the whole account. Three years."

"And a year ahead," Natalie said. "For the ward. In writing, please."

Annie stood next to her in her one good blazer with her mouth open.

"Mrs. Bancroft, no. You can't."

"I can."

"I can't pay you back. I won't ever be able to."

"It isn't a loan." Natalie turned to face her. "The woman who bought your mother's bed used it to make you do something terrible. I'm taking the bed away from her. That's all this is."

"But it's your money."

"It's the first money I've spent that felt like mine."

Annie began to cry.

It was the real kind. It was ugly and quiet, and it did not care who was filming.

Natalie put her arm around the girl's shoulders and said nothing.

I looked at the floor and gave them the room.

The statement was signed that afternoon, in an office downtown with a state's attorney who did not say hello.

Annie read every page twice.

She signed her full name at the bottom of each: Anneliese Presnell.

The attorney slid a paper across the table.

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