Maya’s POV
The baby kicked hard, reminding me it was still there, listening to everything. I rubbed the spot absently, trying to process what my mother had just told me.
Fifty million dollars. Richard Stone’s peace offering—or his final manipulation.
Dr. Patterson appeared in the doorway. “Maya, could I speak with you outside for a moment?”
In the hallway, she pulled out her tablet showing vital signs. “Your mother’s declining rapidly. Heart rate is becoming irregular. Her kidneys are failing.”
“How long?” My voice cracked.
“Days. Maybe a week if we’re lucky.” She looked at me kindly. “But Maya, you should know—she’s been refusing pain medication.”
“Why?”
“She says she wants to be lucid. That she has things to tell you while she still can.” Dr. Patterson closed her tablet. “I respe
