My adopted daughter knelt before me, refusing to get up after causing a hit-and-run accident. “Mom, I just got accepted into MIT. I have a bright future ahead of me. If I go to prison, my life will be over. Please, I’m begging you, save me…” I agreed. During my two years in prison, neither father nor daughter visited me once. After my release, I discovered it had all been a scheme by my husband and daughter. They had already transferred all my assets to themselves. The daughter who had once cried and begged me to take the blame now cursed me as a criminal, an ugly old fool, and kicked me in the chest. I died from cardiac arrest. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day we received the MIT offer. “Mom, Dad, I got accepted into MIT!” Keira Thompson exclaimed excitedly. “That’s my girl! MIT is one of the top universities in the country. Well done, sweetheart,” Jack Thompson beamed. “Honey, didn’t you just get a $500,000 year-end bonus last month? Let’s use all of it to buy our daughter a BMW. She deserves it.” This conversation felt eerily familiar. I suddenly realized I had been given a second chance at life. “Dad, I’m still young. Buying a car would be too flashy. Besides, Mom worked hard for that money. I can’t bear to spend it,” Keira said sweetly. In my previous life, I always thought she was a considerate, filial, and kind girl. It wasn’t until I went to prison that I discovered how evil she truly was. “But sweetie, I promised you a BMW if you got into MIT, remember?” Jack said, glancing at me expectantly. He was a stay-at-home husband, and all our household expenses came from my income. In my previous life, I felt guilty for not giving him a child. How foolish I was. “Why are you looking at me? You made that promise, not me,” I said coldly. Father and daughter exchanged shocked glances, their eyes wide with surprise. In my previous life, they always acted in concert – one playing the innocent flower, the other the doting father – constantly squeezing money out of me. And in my previous life, I always thought my adopted daughter was considerate and my husband was open-minded, treating her like his own flesh and blood. Watching them act now made me feel sick to my stomach. “Have you lost your mind? Our daughter got into MIT, and you won’t even buy her a car? What kind of mother are you? Or do you not see Keira as your real daughter?” Jack shouted at me. “Dad, don’t say that. $500,000 isn’t a small amount, and Mom’s company needs cash flow. It’s okay if we don’t buy the car,” Keira said, still playing the “understanding” card. “Fine, how about a $300,000 car then? Surely that’s not too much to ask?” Jack yelled at me. “Have you lost touch with reality? Since when is a $300,000 car considered cheap? If you’re so capable, why don’t you buy it for Keira yourself?” I scoffed. Jack was dumbfounded that I would say such a thing. Keira also wore an expression of disbelief. In my previous life, this tactic worked on me every time. I always fell for it, thinking they were good people. “Mom, Dad, I don’t want a car anymore. Please stop fighting. It’s all my fault,” Keira said pitifully, tears welling up in her eyes on cue. In my previous life, I would have hugged her and fulfilled all her demands. But this time, I knew she was a vicious demon. Watching her cry made my blood boil. SLAP! I struck her hard across the face. Father and daughter stood frozen in shock. Keira stared at me, terrified and confused. “Oh, there was a mosquito on your face. I was too hasty and hit too hard,” I said, feigning concern as I reached out to caress her reddening cheek.
The next day at the office, I immediately changed all my bank card PINs, mobile payment passwords, and began planning to transfer my assets. This time, I couldn’t let Jack get his hands on my money. Later, I requested Keira’s GPA from the school. I was shocked – with such low scores, there was no way she could have been accepted to MIT. In my previous life, Keira had shown me her GPA and offer letter several times. I believed her completely then, but now I realized both must have been forged. That afternoon, I went to a private detective agency and asked them to thoroughly investigate Jack and Keira. I suspected they might actually be father and daughter. Twelve years ago, Jack took me to an orphanage. Among dozens of children, he chose Keira. When Keira first met Jack, she displayed a natural affinity for him. At the time, I thought they just clicked, that it was fate. I liked her too. But now, thinking about how they could team up against me, I realized their relationship could only be that of father and daughter. If that was true, it was truly chilling to think about. They had been playing this long game for twelve years, slowly emptying my bank accounts. A week later, I received a credit card alert at the office. My supplementary card had been used to spend $300,000. I had forgotten to cancel that card. I had given Jack a supplementary card for groceries and household expenses. I didn’t need to guess to know that $300,000 was for buying a car. I quickly called the bank to cancel the supplementary card.
That evening, as I approached our building, I saw a new BMW X2 without license plates parked outside. As soon as I entered the house, Keira sweetly brought me my slippers. “Welcome home, Mom. You must be tired from work.” Seeing her fake smile, I wanted to slap her again, but I couldn’t reveal my hand before the investigation was complete. “Hmm, your dad bought you a car?” I asked casually. “Mom, I kept refusing, but Dad wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t do anything about it,” she said, feigning innocence and helplessness. “I’ve cancelled your supplementary card. From now on, I’ll give you $10,000 a month for household expenses. If you need to buy anything big, let me know and I’ll handle it.” “What do you mean? Shouldn’t we reward our daughter for getting into MIT?” Jack angrily demanded. I almost exposed them. With a 1.2 GPA, that trash wouldn’t get into MIT in her next life. Fortunately, I held my tongue. “I’m thinking of our daughter’s best interests. She’s still young and just got her driver’s license. What if she gets into an accident and meets her maker?” I said seriously, cursing her. Jack jumped up, slamming the table. “How dare you curse my daughter?” At that moment, I was certain Keira was Jack’s biological daughter. “I’m just worried about her safety. I care about her,” I said. “Hmph, you’re just stingy,” Jack shouted. “Mom, are you upset that Dad spent your money to buy me a car?” Keira asked, tears in her eyes. I stroked her head and said gently, “How could Mom ever be reluctant to spend money on you? I’m just worried about your driving skills. If something happened to you, how could Mom go on living?” You want to act? I can act too! “Mom, I got into MIT! One of the top universities in the country. If it were someone else’s mother, they’d throw a celebration dinner and buy expensive gifts. But you haven’t done anything. Don’t you love me anymore?” she said, tears flowing. Her acting was truly impressive! I continued stroking her head and said, “The government is promoting frugality now. Throwing a dinner party would be too wasteful. Besides, we should be low-key. Being too showy will make people jealous. As for gifts, isn’t that BMW a gift?” “Mom, you don’t love me anymore. You know what? I didn’t want the car to show off or for my own convenience. I had a dream. Mom, you’ve sacrificed so much for me over the years. I wanted to drive you on a road trip across the country.” “I’m touched that you have such intentions, but don’t you think something’s odd?” I asked. “What’s odd?” she asked, confused. “You should earn money yourself to buy a car, then take me on a road trip. It’s like saying you’ll treat me to dinner, but I end up paying. Isn’t that strange?” I said seriously. She was stunned, wanting to argue but unable to. “Chloe Johnson, are you even a mother? How can you crush our daughter’s good intentions like that?” Jack said, winking at Keira. “Mom, you’re too much. You don’t love me anymore…” she cried as she ran out. “Keira…” Jack chased after her. I suddenly remembered the notice at the entrance of our complex: Last night, the security cameras were damaged. The property management has contacted repair technicians. Residents, please secure your belongings and lock your doors and windows. Were they setting a trap for me? I was alone now, and with the cameras down, there would be no witnesses if they framed me. Realizing this, I immediately called my assistant, Chen. She lived only a mile from my house. Then I called five other employees, saying there was an urgent meeting at my home. I told them to come as quickly as possible and that I would reimburse their travel expenses. At 9 PM, I heard the front door open. I walked out of the study. “Have you been home the whole time?” Jack asked. “Yes.” “I don’t believe you. Didn’t you go look for Keira?” “She’s not a child anymore. She can take care of herself.” “Are you even Keira’s mother? How can you say such heartless things?” “We can’t protect her forever. She has to walk her own path in life,” I said calmly. After arguing with him for about fifteen minutes, Keira returned, panic-stricken. As soon as she entered, she knelt before me: “Mom, I hit someone and ran away. Can you take the blame for me? Please save me. I don’t want to go to jail. I just got my acceptance letter from MIT. My life is just beginning…” Hearing these familiar words, my anger flared. I wanted to strangle her right there. In my previous life, I was so foolish to take the blame for her. “Keira, don’t be afraid,” I said, hugging her and pretending to comfort her. “Mom, will you help me?” she asked pitifully. “Of course I’ll help you. You’re my precious daughter.” “Mom, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me. You still love me. I swear, when you get out of prison, I’ll repay you double.” “What do you mean, ‘get out of prison’?” I pushed her away, feigning surprise. “Mom, didn’t you say you’d help me? Aren’t you going to take the blame for me?” she asked, confused. “When I said I’d help you, I meant I’d hire a good lawyer for you to seek leniency,” I said. Keira was dumbfounded. “Chloe, if you hadn’t upset our daughter, she wouldn’t have run out, and this wouldn’t have happened. You should take responsibility and take the blame for her,” Jack argued forcefully. “Why don’t you take the blame for her? Keira, listen to Mom. Your dad is just a stay-at-home dad, a few years in prison won’t matter much. But Mom is different. I run a company, I earn the money. If I go to prison, who will pay for your college?” I said. Jack was speechless, his face turning red with anger. “Mom, Dad can’t take the blame for me. After I hit that woman, I got out to check on her. She suddenly grabbed my ankle. I screamed, and the woman didn’t see me, but she must have heard my voice,” Keira said. I sighed and put my hands on Keira’s shoulders. “Keira, don’t try to run away from your problems. You need to be brave and take responsibility. Turn yourself in. You’re young, a few years in prison won’t matter much. Besides, you’ll still have Mom. When you get out, you can come work at my company.” Keira’s mouth formed an O shape, unable to believe that her once doting adoptive mother had changed so much.
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