"Enough, Mom. You two can drop the act."
"I already told you. Unless you transfer the shares to me and Desmond, don't even think about me deleting that video."
"It's already past ten million views, by the way. Your call."
The small smile that had started to form on my lips dissolved.
"Also, why has Dad's phone been off? Desmond needs his expenses reimbursed and the finance department says they can't sign off without Dad's approval."
"Tell him to call them and sort it out."
She hung up.
I held the phone in my hand, staring at the screen. Nothing left in my eyes but a hollow, bottomless disappointment.
My husband watched me sit in silence for a long time before he finally asked.
"Is she coming?"
I shook my head.
"No. She said to tell you to call the finance department so Desmond can get reimbursed."
"She didn't ask about me?"
"She said we were faking it. That the whole thing was just a trick to make her delete the video."
My husband closed his eyes. When he opened them, something had settled there, quiet and final. He took my phone, scrolled through the contacts, and dialed a number.
"Frank Hull. Those documents I asked you to prepare. Bring them to the hospital."
Summer sat on the couch and spat in disgust, her eyes full of impatience.
"Stubborn old fools. Really pulling out all the stops. Let's see how long you can keep this up."
"Summer, didn't you say yesterday you'd buy me some new clothes? When are we going?"
Her mother-in-law wandered out of the bedroom.
Summer's face instantly rearranged into a bright smile.
"Mom, let's go right now. We'll pick up a couple things for Dad too. My parents have more money than they know what to do with. Might as well spend it."
By the time they finished shopping and got home, it was already evening. That was when Desmond called.
"Hello? What's up?"
"That video your parents posted. Is it true? The whole company's losing its mind over it."
Summer frowned, confused.
"What video?"
"See for yourself."
After hanging up, Desmond sent her a link.
Summer tapped it open. In the video, my husband and I sat side by side on a hospital bed.
"Hello, everyone. We're the parents from the viral video about favoritism toward a younger brother."
"Since that video blew up, the two of us have been subjected to an enormous amount of undeserved hatred and abuse."
"So we'd like to set the record straight."
"First of all, we don't have a son. We only have one daughter: Summer."