Outside, snowflakes fell in a silent flurry, drifting down to cling to my hair, their icy chill brushing against the corners of my eyes, freezing me from the inside out.
Madeline buried her face deeper into her scarf, her eyes blinking up at him with an almost childlike look of grievance." I just wanted to see you, nothing more."
She tilted her head slightly, her tone gentling further as she added. "And I also wanted to come and thank Amara. She even contributed to the surgery funds."
It felt as though I had been stabbed clean through. I forced myself to take a deep breath, rising slowly from my knees. As I stood, my knees cracked painfully after kneeling for so long.
One step at a time, I moved closer, my body shaking with suppressed fury. Then, without a second thought, I raised my hand and slapped her with hatred. "You don't need to thank me. I never had any intention of giving you a single cent. If I could, I would take back that money right now and leave you to die all by yourself!"