Lissa's eyes reddened as she turned to him.
"Giles, my mom has heart disease. The doctor said we need to have half a million ready. And after the surgery, there's recovery, home care nurses... I didn't know how to tell you..."
Her voice cracked, and the tears spilled over.
"I was going to sell a kidney on the black market if I couldn't come up with the money."
She wept, tears rolling down her cheeks like rain on pear blossoms.
Her acting was terrible.
But Giles bought every word.
He pulled her into his arms, his voice aching with tenderness.
"Lissa, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I didn't want you to worry..."
She leaned against his shoulder, crying even harder.
Giles looked at me and spoke slowly.
"Fine. One million."
A cold smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
He was just like all my exes before him, trying to squeeze money out of me.
I kept my expression neutral.
"Deal."
I took out a pen and paper and wrote an IOU.
Ivy Gilbert hereby owes Giles Weiss one million dollars, to be repaid within one month.
Lissa took the IOU, glanced at it, and tucked it away carefully.
She smiled at me. There was a hint of triumph in that smile.
I smiled back.
Four more days.