My family's old estate was demolished, and we received a six million dollar payout. On the day the money was distributed, my parents stuffed the bankbook into my younger brother's pocket and then handed me a bag of moldy local specialties. My dad avoided my gaze: "You'll get married sooner or later. Giving you the money is just giving it away to outsiders. Your mom dried these sweet potatoes herself; don't be ungrateful." I smiled. To treat his lung cancer over the past five years, I had spent over four million dollars out of my own pocket. Even the $1.2 million imported targeted therapy drug currently being processed was paid for by me in advance. Right in front of them, I took out my phone and swiped to the chat with the pharmaceutical agent. "Ms. Smith, the drug has arrived. Should we make the payment and lock in the order now?" I replied word by word: "I don't want it anymore. Process the refund and give it to the next person in line." 1 It was Thanksgiving, and the house was bustling with activity. The table was covered in heavy, greasy, and salty dishes—all things I didn't like. My mom, Martha, smiled so broadly her face wrinkled, constantly putting food on my plate. "Chloe, eat more. Mom specifically bought these ribs. It's rare for our whole family to gather together for the holidays." My younger brother, Liam, sat opposite me, jiggling his leg, his face glowing. His wife, Sarah, was busy calculating on her phone, grinning from ear to ear. My dad, David, sat at the head of the table, a cigarette pinched between his fingers. Under the swirling smoke, his expression was somewhat obscured. "Ahem, let me say a few words." David cleared his throat and looked around. "It's the holiday season, and our family has double the joy. The compensation for the old estate's demolition has also come through." I put down my fork, waiting for what came next. On the phone, Liam had solemnly promised that the six million would be split evenly between us siblings. To be honest, I didn't lack that three million. Although my logistics company wasn't huge, the cash flow had always been healthy. What I cared about was the attitude. For so many years, I had been dragging this family forward like an old ox. When David was diagnosed with a lung tumor five years ago, I was the one running around finding specialists. I was also the one who drained my savings back then to keep him on the expensive imported targeted therapy drug. That drug cost tens of thousands of dollars per injection. Over five years, millions had been poured into it. And Liam? Besides stretching out his hand for money, he just cried poor. If they could just treat us equally this time, even if it was just a gesture, I would feel comforted. David pulled a bankbook from his pocket and picked up a red plastic bag from by his feet. "Chloe," David called my name and stubbed out his cigarette hard. I had told him more than once to stop smoking. But relying on the targeted therapy, he always did whatever he wanted, even complaining that I was trying to control my old man. "You've always been sensible and the most filial since you were little." Hearing these words, my heart sank. This was his opening line every time they wanted me to give up my interests. "About this six million, your mom and I discussed it for a long time, and we've decided to give it to Liam." David pushed the bankbook in front of Liam. Sarah was quick; she grabbed the bankbook and clutched it tightly, afraid it might fly away. Liam chuckled: "Thanks, Mom and Dad." Only that red plastic bag was left on the table. David pushed it in front of me. "Chloe, these are dried sweet potatoes and peanuts from our hometown. They were grown by our family, all organic." "You'll get married sooner or later. If this money is given to you, it's just a bargain for outsiders." "Your brother just had a second child, the pressure is high, and he needs to buy a bigger house." "As for you, your conditions are good, and you're a boss. Don't bicker with your own brother over this; don't be ungrateful." It was supposed to be a lively holiday moment, but the room was terrifyingly quiet. I looked at the plastic bag; it was a bit dirty, with mud spots on it. This was the fair treatment I got after five years and millions in medical bills. This was what they called treating us equally. Dried sweet potatoes, peanuts. Who will speak up for me? I didn't speak, just quietly looked at David. He felt a bit guilty and turned his head to look at Liam. Martha tried to smooth things over: "Chloe, your dad is in poor health, he still needs to rely on this money for his retirement. Although it was given to your brother, he said he'll be responsible for taking care of us in our old age." I glanced at Liam, who was swiping on his phone, planning what new car to buy. Relying on him for retirement? The sun will rise in the west. Since you rely on Liam, then I don't need to play the part of the great, filial daughter anymore. I picked up my phone and opened the chat with the pharmaceutical agent. It showed: [Ms. Smith, it's time to transfer the 1.2 million advance payment for the next course of treatment. We need to lock in the order.] That was David's life-saving drug. Supply that was extremely difficult to get domestically. My finger paused on the screen for a second, then I replied: [I don't want it anymore.] The other side replied instantly: [Ms. Smith, are you sure? If this is cut off, the goods will immediately be given to someone else. It'll be hard to get back in line.] I replied: [I'm sure.] After sending this message, I placed my phone face down on the table. "Okay." I stood up and picked up the plastic bag. "I'll accept this holiday gift." "Since the six million was given to my brother, then Dad's future retirement and medical care are also entirely my brother's responsibility now." Liam patted his chest: "Of course. I'm the pillar of this family, unlike some outsiders..." Sarah rolled her eyes beside him, seeming to notice something was wrong, and hurriedly stopped Liam. David nodded in satisfaction: "You really have to rely on a son for old age." I smiled, a somewhat cold smile, turned around, and left. "Alright, then I'll be going now. Remember what you said today." Behind me came Martha's shout: "Chloe, we haven't even finished eating, why are you leaving? You're becoming more and more outrageous." 2 Walking out the door, I threw the plastic bag into the trash can. All the dried sweet potatoes spilled out, some already moldy. Just like my decaying, moldy familial affection. Returning to the company, I called the Chief Financial Officer. "Check how long until the guarantee we provided for Liam's trading company expires?" "Ms. Smith, there are still three months." "Notify the bank that we won't renew the guarantee upon expiration. Also, send a formal letter to Liam demanding he immediately return the three batches of loan payments he borrowed, totaling eight hundred thousand." The CFO was clearly stunned for a moment: "Ms. Smith, that's your own brother..." "Business is business." After handling these matters, my phone vibrated. It was from the pharmaceutical agent: [Ms. Smith, the procedures are done. The supply over there has already been transferred to another patient in urgent need of targeted therapy.] For the next week, all was calm. Liam was busy looking at cars and houses; his social media was full of it. Sarah posted pictures of newly bought designer bags and jewelry, with the caption: [A man who spoils his wife will prosper. Thank you, hubby.] David and Martha enjoyed the compliments from their neighbors, saying they had raised a successful son. Until the eighth day. David ran out of his medication. That medication was a special injection that required regular visits to the hospital for administration, and it required a supply order confirmed by my signature. So, the phone call came to me. It was Martha, her tone anxious. "Chloe, your dad needs to go to the hospital for his injection. That doctor said the medicine hasn't arrived and asked you to contact them immediately." I put the phone on speaker while pruning my plants. "Mom, I'm not buying the medicine anymore." There was a full five seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a piercing sound. "What did you say? What nonsense are you talking about? That's your dad's life-saving medicine!" "I know. Wasn't that six million given to Liam? Let him buy it." Martha became anxious: "That money is for your brother to buy a house! Besides, you've always been the one buying that medicine. You have the channels. Your brother doesn't know anything about this." "If he doesn't know, he can learn. He has all the money; do you really expect an outsider like me to pay?" "Chloe, how can you be so cold-blooded!" David's voice cut in, sounding full of energy. It seemed the attack hadn't started yet. "So what if I gave the money to Liam? He is the root of the Smith family. You, as spilled water, have no right to control how your old man distributes his money." "Since I'm spilled water, naturally, this water won't flow into your medicine jar either." My tone was calm. "Over these five years, your medical expenses, nursing care fees, and nutritional supplements add up to over four million. Consider it my repayment for you raising me. From now on, we are even." I hung up the phone and casually blocked the number. The world was quiet. 3 But I clearly underestimated their level of shamelessness. The next day, I was in a meeting. The receptionist ran in, panicking. "Ms. Smith, this is bad! Someone is unfurling a banner at the company entrance and live streaming!" I frowned, got up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down. Downstairs at the company, a banner with black characters on a white background was starkly displayed: [Heartless Daughter Chloe Smith, Worth Millions Yet Refuses to Support Severely Ill Elderly Father. Heaven Cannot Tolerate This!] David sat in a wheelchair, covered with a blanket, his face pale. Martha sat on the ground crying to the heavens, slapping her thighs while wailing. Liam held up a phone, loudly complaining to the surrounding crowd and the audience in the live stream. "Family, you be the judge." "My sister is a big boss, drives luxury cars, and lives in a mansion. My dad got cancer, and she won't give a single cent. She even stopped his medication." "This is forcing her own father to death!" Sarah chimed in from the side: "People like this just have black hearts. She doesn't even care about her own parents; she must be unethical in business too." The surrounding crowd, unaware of the truth, pointed fingers, and the popularity of the live stream skyrocketed. A few radical influencers looking to piggyback on the trend even started rushing toward the company's main entrance, claiming they were going to help educate this unfilial daughter. My assistant was pale with anger. I adjusted my collar and turned to walk out. I was going to let them know that some spectacles are not that easy to join in on. When I reached the company lobby, the security guards had already blocked a group of people. Seeing me come out, Liam immediately aimed the camera at me. "Look, this is Chloe. Everyone, take a good look at this face." "Chloe, you actually have the face to come out. Dad is dying of pain. Hurry up and get the money, 1.2 million, not a cent less." Liam roared at me, spit flying everywhere. I looked at him and sneered. "Liam, that six million demolition payout hasn't even warmed your hands yet, has it?" Liam's eyes flickered for a moment: "Dad gave that to me. What does that have to do with medical bills!" "Mom and Dad gave you six million, yet you refuse to pay even 1.2 million for medical bills, and you come looking for me, the daughter who didn't get a single cent?" I faced the camera, my voice clear and powerful. The murmurs around us quieted down a bit. Martha climbed up from the ground, pointed at my nose, and cursed: "That's your brother's startup fund! You're so rich, what's wrong with pitching in this little bit!" "My money was earned through hard work. It's not for filling your bottomless pit." At that moment, a police car arrived with sirens blaring. Several police officers stepped out. "Who called the police?" "I did." I stepped forward and pointed to the security camera overhead. "Officers, these people are gathering to cause trouble, disrupting the normal business operations of this company, and are also suspected of defamation. I have complete surveillance footage, as well as all transfer records and medical receipts from the past five years." Hearing this, Liam's arrogance immediately extinguished. "This is a family matter. The police have no jurisdiction." "Unfurling a banner at the company entrance and live-streaming defamation is no longer a family matter." The officer looked at the banner and frowned. "Take them all back to take statements." David suddenly yelled: "It hurts! Oh, it hurts so much." He was really in pain; the withdrawal reaction from stopping the medication had begun. That kind of pain that penetrates deep into the bones cannot be endured without the specific medication to suppress it. He curled up in the wheelchair, breaking out in a cold sweat. Liam panicked: "Dad, Dad, what's wrong?" Sarah, however, subconsciously took a step back, afraid of getting involved. I glanced at David and the others, feeling no sympathy. "If it hurts, go to the hospital. Asking me for money is useless. You have six million in your hands; you can buy the medicine at any hospital." "Stop putting on a show here." 4 At the police station, the mediation did not go smoothly. Liam insisted that the six million was a gift and did not include any obligation for support. The police officers' expressions changed as they looked at the thick stack of evidence I provided. Over five years, a full 4.8 million. Every single transaction was clear, including records of me paying off Liam's gambling debts and buying Sarah a car. "Mr. Smith, from a legal perspective, your sister has already over-fulfilled her support obligations." "You, on the other hand, took the six million demolition payout but let your father's medication run out. This is truly unjustifiable." Liam stiffened his neck, full of disdain: "My dad voluntarily gave that to me. It's his money; he can give it to whoever he wants. But my sister is richer than me, so she should pay for his medical expenses!" This kind of robber logic left even the police officers speechless. In the end, because David's condition had indeed flared up, they had to send him to the hospital first, while warning Liam that if he dared to cause trouble at the company again, he would be detained directly. I thought they would quiet down for a few days, but unexpectedly, they doubled down. Since hard tactics didn't work, they resorted to underhanded ones. Sarah started a crowdfunding campaign online. The title was: [Heartless Female CEO: Severely Ill Elderly Father Urgently Needs Life-Saving Funds.] The text was tear-jerking, packaging herself as a filial daughter-in-law who, despite being poor, did her utmost to care for the elderly. It described me as an ungrateful wretch who turned her back on her family once she got rich. It claimed my parents made Liam drop out of school despite his good grades just to support my education, doing everything to lift me up, while I turned ruthless after achieving success. But the truth was, Liam was expelled for fighting, and it was only because my grandmother threatened suicide that I was able to finish my studies. Otherwise, I would have been married off long ago, becoming a tool for them to collect a bride price. Coupled with a video of David groaning in pain on his hospital bed. The netizens, unaware of the truth, were whipped into a frenzy once again. Although I had explained myself at the company entrance last time, a new narrative had taken hold. Who cared about the previous plot twist? My company's phone lines were jammed, and some people even sent me funeral wreaths and photoshopped obituary photos. What's worse, some directly contacted my partners, demanding they stop doing business with me, or else they would call on netizens to boycott their products. That evening, the CFO knocked and came in, looking grim. "Ms. Smith, two major suppliers called to say they want to suspend supplies, fearing it will affect their brand image." "Also, the bank is inquiring about the public opinion situation." I lit a cigarette and looked at the night view outside the window. After smoking three cigarettes, I took out my phone and made a call. "Lawyer Jones, please prepare the lawsuit materials. We are not suing them for defamation; we are filing to recover the gifted assets." "The grounds are that the donee failed to fulfill the obligation of supporting the donor." Although that six million was given to Liam by David. Most of the 4.8 million I gave to David was under the guise of making payments on his behalf, so there was still a chance to recover it. Moreover, I had an even bigger surprise for them. Half a year ago, while cleaning up one of Liam's messes, I accidentally overheard a conversation between Liam and Sarah. I kept my wits about me and recorded it, but for the sake of family harmony, I suppressed the matter. I just didn't expect it would come in handy now. Now, it was time for everyone to have a good listen.
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