My adopted daughter, who I raised for eighteen years, found her biological parents. The very first day she moved into their mansion, she kicked me out. “You must have stolen me back then. You’re so cruel!” I tried to explain I’d found her abandoned in a dumpster, but she wouldn’t believe a word. Later, when I was dying of late-stage cancer, I called her, just wanting to see her one last time. But she sneered, “My parents are throwing me a birthday party. If you’re going to die, do it far away from me!” Then she hung up. The next second, a new post popped up on her SnapChat story. In the photo, she was beaming, arm wrapped around her biological mother. The caption read: “Thank you, Mom, for everything all these years. You gave me a second chance at life!” Just then, a man appeared before me. “Ms. Vance, the orphan you sponsored all those years ago is now worth thirty billion dollars.” “He says, it’s time to repay your kindness.” The man had barely finished speaking when my phone rang again. It was my adopted daughter, Cassie. Her impatient tone from earlier had vanished. “My mom wants to meet you and thank you for raising me all these years.” “Come to the birthday party tonight. I’ll text you the address.” “Make sure you dress respectably. Don’t embarrass me!” “Since you’re incurable anyway, just sell that old apartment of yours and use the money to buy my mom a pink diamond necklace as a welcome gift.” “Oh, and my mom has exquisite taste. The necklace needs to be at least ten thousand dollars. Don’t be so cheap, okay?” My throat tightened at her words. Between my retirement savings and supporting Cassie all these years, I’d barely been making ends meet. Now, all I had left was a few thousand dollars and a small apartment downtown. I’d planned to give up treatment and leave everything to her, but I never imagined she held me in such contempt. I sighed, not bothering to reply, and hung up the phone. Staring at the photo of young Cassie on my screen, I lost myself in thought. I’d never had children of my own. First, I adopted Cassie, who I found abandoned in a dumpster. Later, I sponsored an orphan named Adrian through college. I honestly thought I’d done enough good in my life and would enjoy my golden years. But to my dismay, Cassie had resented me ever since she turned ten. She was convinced her biological parents were wealthy and that I’d kidnapped her from them for my own old age. No matter what I said, she wouldn’t believe me. She even reported it to the police station. I spent half a year tirelessly compiling all the legal adoption documents and records of finding her, just to clear my name of child trafficking. Later, she started running newspaper ads to find her birth parents. Finally, on her eighteenth birthday, she found her biological mother, Victoria, a millionaire. She not only unhesitatingly sent me to a nursing home but also immediately changed her name from Cassie Vance to Cassie Hayes. My heart had shattered more than once, but watching her grow from a babbling toddler, I always loved her. But then I wondered, did she ever truly see me as her mother? Just a few days ago, my cancer had spread, and I developed a sudden fever, needing a family member’s signature for treatment. Over the phone, she snapped at the nurse, “She’s not my real mom. What does it have to do with me?” That’s when I finally understood. All those years, it had been a one-sided devotion. “Ms. Vance.” The man’s voice jolted me from my thoughts. “Mr. Thorne is coming to Sterling City tonight for business. The address is The Summit Grand Hotel.” “He asked me to pick you up first. He believes he can help with your treatment, if you’re open to it…” I gave a bitter smile. “Alright, I’ll go with you.” As I spoke, I replaced Cassie’s photo on my phone. Eighteen years of raising her. I was done. That evening, dragging my aching body, I followed Mr. Davies to The Summit Grand Hotel. After settling me in, Mr. Davies respectfully said, “Ms. Vance, I’ll go meet Mr. Thorne at the entrance. Please wait here.” No sooner had he left than Cassie’s voice, filled with utter disgust, reached my ears. “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
“Hmph, so you found out my real parents are rich, and now you’re sucking up, aren’t you? What a pathetic act!” Only then did I realize she was holding her birthday party here tonight. As she spoke, she yanked my bag roughly. “Where’s the necklace I told you to buy?” I snatched my bag back. “I didn’t buy one.” “And I’m not here for you. I’m waiting for—” “You didn’t buy one?!” She shrieked, cutting me off. “You just came empty-handed? Are you sick or something?!” “You’re not actually trying to ruin my birthday party, are you? Just because you’re alone with no children to care for you, you can’t stand to see anyone else happy, right?!” Just then, her biological mother, Victoria Sterling, sauntered over, a champagne flute in hand. “Cassie, is this your adoptive mother?” Cassie paused, then plastered on a fawning smile. “Yes, Mom. This is my adoptive mother.” She looked at me, enunciating “adoptive mother” with biting emphasis. Immediately, strange looks were cast my way. “So that’s her, the one who kidnapped Miss Hayes and made her suffer so much!” “She’s dressed so shabbily. She’s probably here to shake them down, isn’t she? These types always go for the jugular.” “Why would the Hayes family even invite her? I say just kick her out!” “Exactly. Does she know the Hayes family is meeting Mr. Thorne for a marriage alliance today and wants a piece of the pie?” “Hahaha, look at her, she came empty-handed. Anyone would think she’s here begging for food!” “If Mr. Thorne finds out Miss Hayes has such a classless adoptive mother, I wonder if he’ll still be interested!” Their whispers pierced my ears, but I pretended not to hear. But “Mr. Thorne”? Could it be Adrian, the orphan I sponsored? How could he be involved in a marriage alliance with Cassie? Cassie, hearing their words, panicked. She grabbed my arm. “My mom was kind enough to let you see how the other half lives, and you’re just ungrateful!” Then, her eyes fixed on my ear, she whispered, “Didn’t you say those earrings were a family heirloom from your mom?” “If they’re heirlooms, they should be mine now!” “Quickly, take them off right now, go clean them, and bring them back! Just say you forgot them earlier!” My mother’s only memento, and she wanted me to give it to her biological mother? I forced a bitter laugh. “Cassie, I told you, I’m not here because of you.” “I’m not even in my grave yet, and you’re already eyeing my possessions?” She froze, seemingly stunned that I, who had once doted on her so much, would speak like this. Suddenly, she lunged and yanked my earring. A searing, tearing pain shot through my earlobe, and I cried out. “What are you doing?!” Guests immediately crowded around. Seeing the attention, Cassie immediately adopted a tearful, aggrieved expression. “I transferred you three hundred thousand dollars to get my mom a welcome gift… but I didn’t expect you to blow it on yourself!” “How could you do that?!” “Now I just want you to give me back the earrings. After all, my mom’s money doesn’t just grow on trees!” What… Hearing her words, everyone’s gazes turned even more scornful. Victoria watched, not intervening, then suddenly let out a soft laugh. “Cassie, I didn’t believe you, but it seems you truly were raised by someone like this.” “You’ve suffered so much all these years.” With that, she looked at me with an arrogant smirk, whispering in my ear, “You don’t really think I invited you here to thank you, do you?” “I just wanted to see what kind of person Cassie had to endure all those years.” “Today, you’ll see what real power looks like!” She immediately changed her expression, throwing a wad of cash in my face. “The earrings are dirty, so I don’t want them.” “And this hundred thousand dollars, is that enough to sever ties between you and my daughter?” “I wouldn’t want Mr. Thorne to know that Cassie’s adoptive mother is some dirty, rural woman like you.” Meeting her sneering gaze, I finally realized she hadn’t genuinely invited me. It was merely to humiliate me. Cassie, hearing her mother, smugly linked arms with her. “Heard that? Take the money and get lost.” “Don’t pollute the air in here!” I looked at the cash on the floor, finding it utterly laughable. “Cassie, I used to give you five thousand dollars a month for pocket money. What’s a hundred thousand to that?” Her face instantly flushed crimson at my words. The next second, she suddenly knelt before me and began to sob loudly. “Mom! Are you saying it’s not enough?!” “Please, I’m begging you! Stop hounding me for money! My parents don’t owe you anything!”
The surrounding guests gasped in astonishment. I stood there, my head buzzing. “What do you think you’re doing?!” She wept even harder. “Mom, I’ve really had enough!” “I know you raised me, but all these years, you forced me to work multiple jobs a day to support you. I’ve repaid all my debts to you!” “But why are you still lying?! It was me who sent you five thousand dollars every month!” “You planned for me to return to the Hayes family, just to give all the money to you… but I… I can’t do it!” “Please, I’m begging you, just let me go!” With that, she pulled out her phone and showed a screenshot, clearly displaying images of me supposedly transferring money to her monthly. Except, my profile picture and hers had been swapped. More and more guests gathered, and hearing her words, they began to point and curse at me: “I think Miss Hayes is telling the truth. She knew the Hayes family was rich, kidnapped her intentionally, and is now extorting money from her once she’s grown!” “They say she has cancer. Looks like God finally opened his eyes and is giving her what she deserves!” “Poor Miss Hayes, a young lady who should have been living a life of luxury, abused and forced to earn money to support her!” “Disgusting. She made Miss Hayes suffer in the countryside for years, and now she’s still clinging on.” “The Hayes family is really unlucky, stuck with such a parasitic adoptive mother. Call the bodyguards and throw her out!” Cassie and Victoria stood with their arms crossed, watching me. “The Summit Grand Hotel isn’t a place just anyone can enter. You need to know your place from now on. Go where you belong!” I frowned, pulling out my own phone. “Cassie, are you sure you want to slander me like this?” She froze for a moment. “How am I slandering you?” Seeing me about to open my phone to show the transfer records, she shrieked, “Are you still not leaving?! Do you want me to call security?!” With that, she shoved me. I stumbled back a few steps, nearly falling. The pain from my late-stage cancer-ridden bones flared, and I felt dizzy. Just then, my phone vibrated with a message from Adrian: “Eleanor, I’m almost there. Wait for me. I’m taking you home tonight.” A wave of warmth washed over me. Home. I hadn’t heard that word in so long. Seeing me staring at my phone, she snatched it away. After reading the message, she scoffed. “So that’s why you asked me for so much money? To keep a younger man?” “No wonder you thought it wasn’t enough!” “I can’t believe you, at your age, are still messing around! No wonder you got cancer!” “You probably picked it up from your sordid lifestyle!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I raised my hand and slapped Cassie hard across the face. “Cassie! Raising you with my money, I might as well have fed a stray dog!” Cassie clutched her face, her eyes wide, unable to believe I’d struck her. “Y-you hit me?!” she shrieked. Victoria immediately rushed over. “You lunatic! How dare you hit my daughter!” Just then, Mr. Davies hurried back. “What are you doing!”
Mr. Davies panicked when he saw me. He immediately pointed at Cassie and the others. “What do you think you’re doing laying hands on her?! I’ll call the police!” Cassie looked at Mr. Davies, then pointed at him fiercely. “Eleanor, is this the kept man you’re supporting?” “You’re meeting here, at a hotel? A man and a woman, it’s not hard to guess what you’re up to!” Mr. Davies recognized Victoria and naturally deduced that Cassie was her regained daughter. His face instantly darkened. “So the Hayes family has no decency whatsoever!” Victoria’s face turned black. “This is outrageous! No one in Sterling City has ever dared to speak to me like that!” “You two just wait! When my husband and Mr. Thorne arrive, I’ll make you beg on your knees!” Hearing that, Cassie’s chin shot up, her confidence renewed. Mr. Davies was about to say something, but I spoke first. “Cassie, I should never have been soft-hearted enough to pick you up from that dumpster.” “I’m telling you, I will pursue legal action for your slanderous accusations against me!” Cassie burst into laughter. “Dumpster? Eleanor, aren’t you tired of telling that lie?!” “How come no one else found me, only you did?” “Don’t think I don’t know, your own mother died of cancer, and you knew you might inherit it, so you kidnapped me!” “You still expect me to repay you? Dream on!” My heart twisted painfully in my chest. It was true, I’d worried my mother’s cancer might be hereditary, which was why I’d never dated or married. When Cassie first learned of it, she had looked at me with sympathy and said, “Mom, don’t worry. Cassie will be your family from now on. I’ll always stay with you.” I thought she understood this was a deep pain in my heart. But now that she was grown, she was ripping open old wounds. Yes, the sweet, obedient Cassie was long gone. Just then, Adrian called me. He must have arrived. I answered the phone, glancing at Mr. Davies. “Okay, we’re coming out now.” Suddenly, Cassie snatched my phone again, catching me off guard. She shrieked into the phone, “Who are you, another one of Eleanor’s lackeys?! She’s not leaving unless I say so!” “Hmph, you offended the Hayes family. You’ll have to bow down and kowtow fifty times before you leave!” Adrian on the other end of the line paused, then said coldly, “The Hayes family?” Cassie scoffed. “That’s right!” “I’m warning you, if you dare to stand up for her, I’ll make sure you don’t leave Sterling City alive today!” With that, she slammed the phone down. My head was buzzing. Adrian Thorne was worth thirty billion dollars. How dare a mere ten-million-dollar family like the Hayeses speak to him like that? Then, Victoria said with disgust, “What are you still standing around for?” “Why aren’t you forcing this woman to kowtow on the ground?” “Once she’s done, throw her out.” “If Mr. Thorne sees her, it’ll ruin the Hayes family’s image. I’ll fire all of you!” Hearing this, several bodyguards quickly surrounded me. I was pushed, my body losing balance, and my knees hit the marble floor with a heavy thud. My bones, already fragile from late-stage cancer, sent a searing pain through me with the impact. The onlookers even clapped, cheering them on. “She deserves it for causing trouble at the Hayes family’s birthday party!” “If they don’t teach her a lesson, she’ll come back trying to extort money again!” “Just throw her out already, she’s such an eyesore.” Mr. Davies tried desperately to intervene, but one man was no match for a crowd, and he was quickly restrained. Cassie walked up to me. Before I could react, she slapped me hard across the face. “I almost forgot! This slap is for you!” “If you ever dare to show your face in front of me again, it won’t be just a slap!” Just then, Adrian’s furious voice boomed from the doorway. “Stop! I’d like to see who dares to touch her in my presence!” Behind him, the CEO of Hayes Group, Richard, looked utterly bewildered.
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