Before my business trip, I left my daughter an unlimited black card. The only rule: she had to spend at least several millions every month to cultivate good spending habits. At first, I thought that if she spent well, it would motivate me to earn more. But after a while, something felt off. She bought hundreds of luxury items in three days, ten villas in five, and yesterday, she even acquired 100 intimate toys. I secretly flew back, determined to uncover the truth. But the moment I landed, I received a call. Lily, my daughter, had been hit by a car while scavenging for scraps and was in the hospital. They couldn’t even afford the medical bills. Nurse Reynolds’s voice on the phone was scathing, filled with accusation: “Ms. Thorne, I’ve never seen parents as neglectful as you. If you don’t come soon, you might not see your child again!” My heart pounding, I rushed to the hospital. There, I saw her—frail and skeletal. Amidst my anguish, my phone buzzed with a message: another black card purchase for a high-end spa. I immediately stopped Ms. Davies from canceling the card. A cold smile touched my lips. Oh, so you like swiping? Then swipe your fill!
I stepped off the private jet, clutching a meticulously wrapped birthday gift. In my mind, I pictured Lily’s adorable face, lighting up with surprise. But the moment I exited the airport, my phone buzzed with over a dozen missed calls. It rang again. I answered casually. “This is Grace Medical Center. Are you Lily Thorne’s mother?” “She was hit by a car yesterday while scavenging by the roadside. We’ve just finished saving her, but the medical bills need to be paid.” I froze, the words hitting me like a lightning bolt. “How is that possible?” I blurted out, my voice barely a whisper. The nurse’s voice sharpened, rising in volume. “Are you trying to skip out on the bill? Come to the hospital and pay immediately, or we’ll have no choice but to discharge your daughter!” Then, click, she hung up. Bewildered and alarmed, I urged Ben, my driver, to speed to the hospital. Lily? Scavenging for scraps? Even if she ran out of money, we have staff at home, she would never go hungry. Besides, with an unlimited black card, how could she not afford medical bills? The car screeched to a halt. I sprinted into the ward, my eyes falling on my daughter, lying in bed, fragile and skeletal. Both her arms and her right leg were broken, encased in thick plaster casts that made her slender limbs look even more delicate. Her dull eyes met mine and instantly welled with tears. I rushed to her, pulling her into my embrace, gently patting her back. “Shh, my sweet, don’t be scared. Mommy’s here now.” Her face was bruised and swollen in several places, and her exposed arms were covered in scratches and cuts. In just a year, my once vibrant, mischievous little princess had been reduced to this state. Lily’s tears flowed like a dam breaking. She clung to my shoulder, sobbing. “Mommy, Nurse Reynolds said today’s the deadline. If we don’t pay, they’ll kick me out.” Her hot tears seared my chest. I stroked her hair, my voice soft with concern. “Mommy left you a black card, didn’t she? How could you be out of money?” Her small body trembled. Under my encouraging gaze, she finally spoke. “Julian… Julian took my black card and gave it to Cassandra. He said I don’t deserve to be a Thorne, and I’m not good enough for him.” Julian was Mrs. Jenkins’s son, our head housekeeper. Cassandra was the child who was mistakenly swapped with Lily at birth. Julian and Cassandra had grown close. Many people whispered that Julian was destined to marry into the Thorne family and eventually take over the Thorne empire. When Lily was found and brought home, I worried she’d be unhappy, so I immediately sent Cassandra out of the mansion. I gave her enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life. I thought I had been more than fair. I never imagined these ungrateful vipers would dare to bully my daughter. I would make them regret the day they were born. Seeing Lily’s timid, haggard appearance, my heart twisted in agony. “Mommy won’t let them get away with this. No one will ever dare to bully you again, my love.”
The words had barely left my lips when the menacing Nurse Reynolds stormed in, tossing a bill onto the bed. Her eyes narrowed with blatant disdain. “Pay up! Don’t think you can get away with this.” I took in the stench of disinfectant, the dim, crowded ward, and the filthy bed Lily lay on. My patience snapped. With one phone call, Dr. Hayes, the hospital director, rushed in with a dozen medical staff. Nurse Reynolds’s face went white with shock. “Your attitude toward patients makes you unfit to work here. You’re fired.” After his pronouncement, Dr. Hayes immediately bowed deferentially to me, profusely apologizing. “Ms. Thorne, it was our oversight. We deeply regret the distress caused to your daughter.” It was only then that Nurse Reynolds realized the gravity of her mistake. She tried to plead her case, but security guards swiftly escorted her out. I declined Dr. Hayes’s offer to move Lily to a private ward. Instead, I made another call. Within ten minutes, a professional medical team arrived, carefully transferring Lily to a private ambulance. Clad in stilettos, my sharp and efficient assistant, Ms. Davies, followed behind me, respectfully reporting. “During your absence, Julian started his own venture, publicly claiming to be your future son-in-law to gain business advantages.” “He asserted you would eventually let him inherit the company and took many projects from the corporation.” “He also declared he would only recognize Cassandra as his fiancée. Cassandra has appropriated all the assets you prepared for Lily and… even kicked Lily out of the Thorne family mansion.” The more she spoke, the colder my expression became. I had seen a certain shrewdness in Julian, paying for his elite private academy since childhood. But I gave him a little kindness, and he thought he was hot stuff. Cassandra lived as my daughter for over a decade. Not only did she show no guilt, but she was trying to completely usurp Lily’s rightful place. I clenched my fists. They seemed to have forgotten my methods. No one bullies Seraphina Thorne’s daughter and gets away with it! At that moment, my phone buzzed again with a black card spending alert—an entry fee for an auction. “Ms. Thorne, should I cancel this black card immediately?” Ms. Davies inquired. A faint smile played on my lips. “Not so fast. Cancel it just before 7 PM.” “Also, Lily and I will be attending the underground auction tonight.” “Understood, Ms. Thorne. I’ll make the arrangements.” Ms. Davies respectfully agreed. So, they like money, do they? I’ll give them a grand gift tonight. “Also, investigate how Lily got her injuries.” Thinking of the myriad of cuts and bruises on my sweet daughter’s body, I felt a fresh wave of anger and heartache. The icy aura radiating from me startled Lily. She cautiously tugged at my sleeve. “Mommy, are you mad at me?” “I’m sorry, Mommy. I won’t say bad things about my sister anymore. I can give her anything.” “Please, don’t abandon Lily.” Watching her trying so hard to please me, my throat tightened. What in the world have they been filling her head with? How could I ever abandon her? “Mommy isn’t mad at you, my sweet. Mommy’s mad at herself for not protecting her precious daughter better.” “What belongs to Lily, no one can take away. And Mommy would never abandon you, my love.” Hearing my words, her eyes suddenly lit up, shining brighter than stars. Then, she lowered her head again, murmuring softly. “But Julian said Mommy would definitely prefer the more outstanding Cassandra, and if I wasn’t obedient, I’d be sent away.” “He said he was the son-in-law chosen by Mom and Dad, and whoever he chose would be the Thorne family’s daughter.” I let out a short, humorless laugh. Where did Julian get such confidence? He was Lily’s senior at school, seemingly accomplished and popular, the type young girls usually adored. At the time, I was concerned Lily wouldn’t know anyone after returning, so I allowed Julian to continue staying at the Thorne mansion to look after her. I hadn’t realized I was inviting a wolf into the fold. I gently lifted Lily’s chin, gazing into her tear-filled eyes. I spoke each word clearly and deliberately. “Lily Thorne, you are the only child of my family and the Thorne Corporation. You will inherit everything.” “There’s no such thing as a ‘sister’ you need to impress or appease, and you don’t need a husband to ‘help’ you. You will be a future CEO, a powerhouse in your own right.” “Do you understand?” My little girl’s expression slowly cleared, and she nodded vigorously. That’s more like it.
At 7 PM, I led Lily into the opulent auction house, nine floors beneath the city center. Here, anything could be bought. “Esteemed guest, please proceed to the private lounge on the third floor.” A woman in a stunning evening gown, seeing my exclusive badge, immediately greeted us with a respectful bow and ushered us upward. This badge wasn’t simply a matter of wealth; it required both immense fortune and power. Fewer than five guests could access the third floor. The people on the first floor, any one of whom could easily be a millionaire, were relegated to simple seats. “Eat up.” The private lounge was adorned with expensive, delicate pastries and high-end drinks worth thousands. I placed a plate of butterfly cookies in front of Lily. Through the one-way glass, I spotted Cassandra and Julian in the crowd below. Cassandra sat in the center, surrounded by her classmates like a princess. I saw her fair, delicate skin and her wearing the latest designer couture. Then I looked at my own frail daughter. It felt as though someone was twisting a knife in my chest. The auction soon began. Cassandra announced it was her birthday, and she wanted to make a grand gesture for the entire class, bidding on whatever caught their eye. Every time she placed a bid, I wildly outbid her. “Who’s that on the third floor? Always going against me. Aren’t they afraid of offending the Thorne family?” Cassandra fumed, seeing a piece of jewelry originally priced at a million skyrocket to five million because of the competition. “Don’t worry, darling. Money’s just a number. Once this is over, I’ll find out who it is and make them apologize.” Julian softly reassured her, pulling out a black card to soothe her anger. Lily watched me, unsure, as I only raised bids but bought nothing. I thought she might want something specific. With a flourish, I produced a black velvet box. “Those items out there are just ordinary. This is Mommy’s birthday gift for you, my sweet.” “See if you like it?” She took it, stunned. Inside, nestled on the velvet, was an exquisite emerald necklace, once worn by a British princess. It was priceless, a one-of-a-kind treasure. All the items in today’s auction combined couldn’t buy it. “It’s too precious. I don’t deserve it…” The girl didn’t even dare to touch it. I took it directly from the box, my tone brooking no argument. “Only you deserve it, my little princess.” I fastened it around her neck myself, my expression serious. She hugged me tightly, as if she had received the most precious treasure, the first time she had initiated such an embrace. “Thank you, Mommy.” Thank you, Mommy, for not disliking me, for accepting me despite how broken I am. A warmth spread through my heart. I vowed then and there to give her only the best, and anyone who had bullied her would face dire consequences. After a few whispered moments between mother and daughter, I stepped away to take a work call. When I returned, I saw Lily surrounded by a group of students on the first floor. “Lily Thorne, Cassandra didn’t even invite you. How thick-skinned are you to tag along?” “Today, Miss Thorne is treating the whole class to this exclusive auction. She’s bought something amazing for each of us, but not for a little beggar like you!” “What cheap junk is that around her neck? It looks so fake and green.” Brittany, a short-haired girl, roughly yanked the necklace from Lily’s neck, leaving a red, bruised mark. “I bet she’s still dreaming of being a rich heiress. The nerve of her, still claiming to be a Thorne! Hahaha.” After Jake, a jock-type guy, finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter, throwing insults like “slut” and “imposter.” In the chaos, someone snatched her crutch. Several hands shoved her, sending her tumbling to the ground. Seeing this scene, I understood almost instantly how Lily had gotten her injuries. Suppressing the explosive rage that threatened to consume me, I began descending the stairs, simultaneously pulling out my phone to snap pictures. Photography was strictly forbidden in such a venue, but I was an exception.
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