The doctor said I have six months to live, at most. When my mom found out, she cried and said: "Scarlett, Mom will accompany you on this last journey." Then she moved into my apartment, cooking different meals for me every day. Until I saw the chat history between her and my brother on her phone: "Mom, how long does Sis have?" "Doctor said six months tops. Keep your girlfriend steady. Once she dies, the apartment is yours." "Why serve her then? No one washes my socks anymore." "Silly boy, we have to put on a full show. By the way, bring some gifts tomorrow to see her. Remember to cry miserably, make her offer the house to you herself." I put down the phone and walked into the kitchen. "Mom, good news." "The doctor just called. It was a misdiagnosis. It's benign." The ladle in her hand fell into the pot with a loud CLANG. Chapter 1 Mom froze in place, her face white as a sheet. "Aren't you happy I'm not sick?" I asked. "Happy! Of course, I'm happy!" She snapped back, her voice high and floating, eyes dodging mine: "This hospital is too unreliable! How can cancer be misdiagnosed? No, we have to go to a big hospital to check again! Tomorrow! Cancer can't be fake!" "No need to check. The doctor was very clear on the phone. It's benign." "Benign?!" "He says benign and you believe him? You've always been stubborn since you were little. Can you joke about life and death?! Did I raise you for nothing? So worrisome!" I looked at my mom calmly. My eyes grew colder. "Scarlett," her voice softened, coaxing, "Mom doesn't distrust you, Mom is scared! What if... the disease comes back? Better safe than sorry! You're fine now, but what about the future? You're alone, how can Mom be at ease?" She approached, holding my hand. "Listen to Mom. Your apartment, and your savings... put them with Mom. Mom will keep them safe for you." "If, Mom says if, something happens to your health again, Mom can take out the money immediately to treat you! Better than you falling ill alone with no one around and money stuck in the bank, right?" This is my mom. She is waiting for me to die. Since childhood, she never liked me. I'm dying, and she's plotting for my little property. This is the "motherly love" I secretly craved for so many years. I slowly withdrew my hand. "No need, Mom. I can manage my money and house." "Manage yourself?" She sneered. "What can you manage? Huh? Look at you, over thirty, no marriage, no man, busy with your broken business all day! Now you almost can't even manage your own life!" She got agitated, finger almost poking my face: "The proposal with Old Man Miller back then, what a good family! Owned three factories! Older, yes, but older men know how to care for people! If you listened to me and married him, you'd be a rich wife now, not working yourself to death and ending up sick?" "Mom," I interrupted her, "Miller is two years older than Dad, and three wives died before him." "So what?!" She glared. "He has a tough fate, brings fortune to the family! You? You bring bad luck! Refusing good fortune, insisting on struggling alone! Now look, an old maid, no one, no home, no one to collect your corpse when you die!" "Do you want this 'fortune'?" She froze. "Finished? If finished, leave." I walked to the door and opened it. "I'm tired." "You're kicking me out?!" She screamed in disbelief. "Scarlett! You're rebelling! I'm your mother! I came to take care of you, and you treat me like this?!" "I don't need your care." "I won't go!" She sat on the sofa, playing rogue. "This is my daughter's house, why should I leave! Call the police if you can! Let everyone see how you abuse your own mother!" Her voice was so loud the whole floor could hear. I nodded, said nothing more, and picked up my phone to call building security. "Hello, security? I'm the owner of Unit 2801. There's a mentally unstable person in my house harassing me, claiming to be my mother. Please send two guards to handle it." Chapter 2 "Scarlett! You dare!" Mom bounced up from the sofa, lunging to grab my phone. I dodged sideways, pushed her out the door, and locked it behind her. She pounded and kicked the door like crazy, crying and cursing. "Ungrateful wretch! I raised you with shit and piss, now you have money and don't want your mom!" Sounds of neighbors opening doors came from the hallway, cautious inquiries. Her crying rose immediately, every word bloody: "My daughter has cancer, I quit my job back home to serve her, cleaning shit and piss... now she's cured, thinks I'm a burden, kicking me out!" I turned and yanked the door open. The couple from across the hall stood there, eyes complex. Mom sat on the floor, hair messy, slapping her thighs, acting the part. "I called security. Are you leaving yourself or waiting for them to escort you?" "What security!" Mom scrambled up, pointing at my nose. "Let everyone judge! Am I your mom? Did I come to take care of you?" "Care for me until I'm dead, discussing how to split my house with your son?" Her expression froze. The neighbors exchanged glances. "You, you nonsense!" Her voice got louder, fierce but weak inside. "I was... keeping it safe for you, since you were dying anyway." "But I told you, it was a misdiagnosis, I'm not sick. Why do you still want me to give the house to Caleb?" "Do you want your daughter dead that much?" Her face turned pale. Ding. Elevator arrived. Security came. Two young guys looked at the scene helplessly. "It's her!" Mom lunged first, grabbing the guard's sleeve. "Comrade, this is my daughter, she's sick, brain confused! Kicking me out, how can I live at my age!" Guards looked at me awkwardly. I took a breath, looking at them: "I don't know her. Take this crazy woman away." Seeing this, Mom collapsed on the floor, wailing: "God! Open your eyes! Daughter doesn't recognize mom—" Crying echoed in the hallway. Mr. Lee from across the hall finally spoke: "Um... Auntie. Why don't you get up first, crying won't solve anything." He turned to me, "Miss Scarlett, we shouldn't interfere in family matters, but it's not good for her to sit there crying." His wife pulled his sleeve gently. "Don't meddle, you don't know the truth." "Security," my voice clear, "She has mental issues, harassing me for a long time. If she continues, I'll call 911." Hearing "911," the guards hesitated no more, lifting Mom by her arms. "What are you doing! Let go! I'm her mom! Real mom!" She kicked, glaring at me venomously. "Scarlett! You dare! You will die badly! This house will be my son's sooner or later! Just wait!" Chapter 3 Growing up, the phrase I heard most was "Money-loser." When I was six, I tiptoed to hang clothes and accidentally tore Caleb's shirt. Mom grabbed a belt and whipped my calves until they were swollen for two weeks. On my eighth birthday, there was a small bowl of braised pork, oily and shiny. While they talked, I quickly snatched the smallest piece. Before I could swallow, a slap landed. Mom dragged me by the hair to the yard. "Starving ghost! Daring to steal brother's meat?" Her spit sprayed on my face. That night, I was stripped of pants, kneeling on a washboard. Caleb squatted in front of me with his bowl. He threw a half-eaten piece of meat on the ground, stomping it into the mud. "Money-loser, only fit to eat this." Later I got into the best high school in the county. Dad smoked, saying after a long time: "Girls, what's the use of studying? Go work early, save tuition for your brother." My homeroom teacher came, banging the table: "It's a waste if this kid doesn't study. I'll figure out the tuition." Only then did I barely step into high school. I spent all free time washing dishes in the back of a small restaurant. Half the money earned had to be handed over as "food money." What about Caleb? Grades a mess, fighting, parents called to school. Mom smiled apologetically there, came back and gave me a cold face: "It's all you! Bad example! If you weren't so useless, would your brother be bad?" Dad raised his hand to hit. That slap landed solidly on my face. I washed his socks, cleaned his room. He caused trouble, I got scolded. Meat in his bowl, leftover soup in mine. He could act spoiled for new sneakers. I got scolded for "being insensible" just asking for a textbook. "You're the big sister, yield to your brother." "Brother is the only male, the family depends on him." "Girl, studying is useless, you'll belong to another family." 高考 scores came out, I was second in the county in science. Dad said: "What's the use? Money-loser! Marrying early for a bridal price is the right way!" At night, I overheard them discussing. "Old Man Miller, over fifty, wife died, willing to pay $18,000." "$18,000! Enough for a down payment for son in the city!" "Just a bit old..." "Older men know how to care! The girl read too many books, heart went wild, marry her off quick!" I went cold all over, got up in the dark, and ran. When the bus started, I had only one thought: Run. Run out even if I die. Never come back. Chapter 4 The day I was diagnosed, I was alone in the hospital. The doctor said gently: "Best notify family." I shook my head: "None." Really none. Cut off contact for ten years. Blocked numbers, deleted social media. Doctor advised hospitalization. I refused. Don't want to treat it. Since I'm dying, I want to die beautifully. Crowded hospital, others had someone to share joy and sorrow. Me? I sat in the hallway, covering my face, tears flowing through fingers. A cleaning lady stopped in front of me, patting my shoulder: "Girl, what's wrong?" "Auntie," I looked up, "I'm dying." She was startled, then hugged me: "Nonsense! Treat it if sick!" "It's true. Dying." "No one cares about me." I buried my face in her faded uniform, voice muffled. "No one loves me. My dad, mom... only like my brother." "Should I not have been born..." "Silly child, what nonsense. Parents love daughters. Misunderstanding?" She sighed, "Tell family. Blood is thicker than water. If you are really sick, won't they come? Won't they hurt for their own daughter?" I shook my head, then nodded, mind a mess. Maybe? Maybe if I die, they will regret, will hurt? I'm so cheap. Decided never to contact, why miss home when dying? I called my mom. Rang many times before connecting. Mom's voice, impatient from nap: "Hello? Who?" "Mom..." My throat tight, "It's me." Silence for seconds, voice spiked, sharp: "Scarlett?! You know to call?! You—" "I'm sick." I interrupted, fearing she'd hang up. "Cancer. Late stage. Doctor says... maybe three months." Dead silence. Then, I heard her gasp. Tone changed completely. "Scarlett? Where are you? Which hospital? Child, why didn't you say earlier!" Voice trembling, like crying. "Don't be afraid, daughter, don't fear... Mom is here. Tonight... come home tonight, Mom cook your favorite braised fish, okay? Don't think about anything, come home." "Why didn't you contact Mom for so many years, you don't know how worried Mom was..." Holding the phone in the busy hospital lobby, I cried like an idiot. Suddenly felt lucky. The disease didn't seem so scary. At least Mom finally willing to look at me. Two days later, she appeared at my door with a big suitcase, dusty. Hugged me immediately, tears on my neck: "My poor daughter... Mom is here, Mom will take care of you." She really started "taking care" of me. Up early late to sleep, cooking soups, forcing me to eat folk remedies. Tucking me in at night. In school, I hated talking. Classmates always talked about family. Parents took me to the park. Mom made celery dumplings I hate, we fought. Dad picks me up, give you a ride? ... I envied, jealous, then hated my birth. If back to school days, I could say, my mom tucks me in after lights out. That night, I cried hugging the quilt. Later, I saw the chat between Mom and Caleb. Heart leaked a big hole, unpatchable.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "389984", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel