"Grandma's always been in great health. She just got a little worked up, that's all. Stop blowing this out of proportion."
"There's three million dollars on this card. Consider it Clarissa's compensation, plus full repayment with interest for the five years you sponsored her."
"Don't hold your favors over her head anymore. She's sensitive. It'll destroy her self-esteem."
I stared at the bank card in disbelief.
My grandmother was fighting for her life behind those doors, and he'd come out here to buy off my kindness? To protect his mistress's self-esteem?
I knocked his hand away. The bank card flew across the hallway and clattered into a far corner.
Phil's face went ashen.
"Serena, don't push your luck!"
I stared at him, my voice trembling with a fury I could barely contain.
"Self-esteem?"
"She's a parasite who couldn't survive without my charity, and she has the nerve to talk about self-esteem?"
"Where was her self-esteem when she came crawling to me, begging me to pay for her education?"
"Where was her self-esteem when she was rolling around in bed with you in the Maldives?!"
Clarissa flinched as though I'd struck a nerve. Tears spilled down her cheeks again.