1 The day before our wedding, my fiancé Kevin demanded I buy him a Mercedes. "You're pregnant and won't be working," he said with feigned helplessness. "I need a car to support us." My mom gave me her funeral savings to help. Three months later, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I begged Kevin for help, only to find his bank account held just three hundred dollars. He accused me of trapping him and forced me to have an abortion. "Plenty of women want to have my child," he sneered. I worked desperately, but couldn’t save my mom. Leaving the crematorium with her ashes in a simple box, I saw Kevin at a car dealership with another woman. "I thought Avery was different," he told her, "but she’s just another poor schemer. Pick any car—I lost the bet." As I turned to leave, he suddenly fell to his knees, begging me to stay. ... "I told you from the start, poor people don't have a genuine bone in their body! I just feel bad for my poor brother, getting his feelings played with like that. She couldn't even keep up the act for long. Three months and her true colors are already showing. So boring." The woman next to Kevin preened, rubbing against his shoulder. I couldn't see his face, only the cold, detached way he swiped his credit card. "A bet's a bet. I guess I misjudged this one. But whatever. Avery's pretty, great body. I'll just think of it as hiring an escort for two years. No real loss." The woman couldn't hide her glee. She pulled Kevin into a brand-new car. I knew this dealership all too well. During the months my mom was sick, I had worked here as a part-time mechanic, taking on the dirtiest, most grueling jobs I could find. I had only come back today to pack my things and quit. As the limited-edition Ferrari sped away, a flamboyant streak of red, I slowly walked towards the entrance. The salesman who had just made the sale was still buzzing. "That's the son of the richest man in the city! Drops millions on a luxury car like it's nothing. I swear, I don't even want to work anymore. Just find me a sugar daddy and I can skip ten years of struggle!" I stood there for a long time, clutching the cookie tin that held my mother's ashes. My manager came out and settled my final wages, sighing as he patted my shoulder. "I added a bonus. My condolences. If you ever want to come back, the door is always open." Less than two thousand dollars in cash. Not even enough to cover half a day of my mom's medical bills. Now, it was all I had to my name. I stumbled home in a daze, only to find my landlord waiting for me at the door. "Avery, you're two months behind on rent. The security deposit isn't going to cover it for much longer." I forced a smile, my hand clenching and unclenching around the cash in my pocket. "Sir, I've had an emergency. I can't pay. I'll move out as soon as I can." His eyes held a hint of amusement. "Bought a new place? I saw your husband come home in a fancy car the other day. You two are full of surprises." I lowered my head, a bitter smile on my lips, unsure how to explain. Just then, Kevin stepped out of the elevator. He saw me and let out an impatient sigh, tossing his bag at me without a care. The landlord addressed him directly. "You know, if you break the lease, you don't get the deposit back. And you still owe for these two months. You don't look like you're short on cash. Don't make things difficult for me." At his words, Kevin's gaze turned icy as he looked at me. "You haven't paid the rent? Is that why you're waiting for me? Avery, do you have to be so damn pathetic? Your scheming is so obvious it's practically hitting me in the face. Is a little bit of money really worth all this?" The word escaped my lips before I could stop it. "Yes." The fifty thousand dollars my mom had saved her entire life, a sum that meant nothing to him, had cost my mother her life. He sneered, pulling a thick wad of cash from his bag and slapping it against my face. "Here. How much do you want? I'll give it to you!" Red bills scattered across the floor. A few days ago, I would have scrambled to pick them up, dignity be damned. But now, they were useless to me. I counted out the amount for two months' rent, handed it to the landlord, and let myself into the apartment. Kevin and I had lived in this place for two years. It was filled with the traces of our life together. My eyes fell on a photo on the wall. The two of us, looking a little shy, leaning against each other, our smiles bright and genuine. It was the first picture we ever took together. We had just graduated. We met in the breakroom of the company where we were both interning. He told me he was an intern from another department. I remember the way his eyes curved when he smiled, how they sparkled as he said he didn't know anything and asked me to show him the ropes. I couldn't forget that innocent, boyish charm. He had pursued me, and I couldn't help but fall for him. I had wanted so badly to build a future with him. I worked my ass off, fighting to get a permanent position, trying to make a place for us in this city. For two years, we supported each other, comforted each other, slowly building our story in this apartment. Now, it was all gone. My dreams for the future were just part of some rich kid's role-playing game. A wave of absurdity washed over me. Kevin, oblivious to my turmoil, dropped onto the sofa. "Satisfied, Avery? You finally got your money. You must be thrilled." "This money-grubbing version of you is disgusting. How did you become like this? You used to have so much pride." "Just think about it. How many times have you asked me for money these past few months? It was just one Mercedes, and it exposed your true nature. Were all those things you said about working hard, about our future, just empty words?" I looked up at him. He was different now. Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his hair impeccably styled. It seemed he was done with the act. The disappointment and exasperation in his eyes were like tiny needles pricking my skin. I didn't answer his accusations. I just said, my voice flat, "Let's get a divorce, Kevin." A strange silence stretched between us before he burst out laughing. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that? To get me to pay back that fifty thousand, you even made up a story about your mom having cancer. You know how much I hate being lied to! Two years together... I was so wrong about you. If we're getting a divorce, I'm the one who gets to initiate it." His voice was laced with anger. He pulled a piece of paper from his bag and signed it with a flourish. "Get over here and sign. Let's get this over with. I don't have time to waste on you." So, he'd been prepared for this all along. I carefully placed the cookie tin of ashes and my mother's framed, face-down photo on a shelf, then walked towards him. I picked up the pen and signed my name without a moment's hesitation. In my peripheral vision, I could see him looking me up and down. A wave of disgust and weariness washed over me. After I signed, he snorted and threw a bank card on the floor. "Your money is all in there. I didn't touch a cent. Consider it my parting gift for two years of my life. I was wrong about you." I turned and gave him one last, long look. I remembered a few days ago, when my mom was on her deathbed. She had whispered that she wanted to see Kevin, that she wanted to know we were okay. By then, he had lost all patience with me because of my constant begging for money. But for my mom, I swallowed my pride and called him. I called all night before he finally picked up, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let me guess, you need more money? What's the excuse this time?" I choked back my anger, my voice a small plea. "My mom... she's dying. Could you... could you just come see her? Just so she knows we're okay. That's all." A loud, mocking laugh erupted from the other end of the line. "Wow, you've really upped your game. You think that'll make me feel sorry for you? Make me believe you and send you money?" "I'm not a fan of this particular drama. You should rehearse it some more. Come up with something more heart-wrenching next time. Maybe then I'll be soft-hearted enough to fall for it." He hung up. When I tried to call back, I was blocked. He never came. Not even after she passed. I'll never forget the last words my mother said to me. "When you have the baby, I won't be there to help you. The first month after childbirth is so important for a woman. I wanted to tell him to take good care of you." "When two people build a life together, they have to understand each other. He's a good boy. You two need to make it work." Even at the very end, she wanted us to be happy together. But what my mom didn't know was that the day after I begged Kevin for money, he dragged me to a clinic for a forced abortion. He said he wouldn't be threatened by a child, that he would crush any ideas I had of trapping him. Right after the procedure, with no time to rest, I was hounded by hospital bills and forced to work day and night. And what was he doing then? Was he out partying with other women? Was he complaining to his friends about how I had tried to manipulate him? I couldn't even muster the energy to be angry anymore. All I felt was a deep, hollow sadness. I picked up the card. It held my mom's life savings. It was her money, and I was taking it back. As I bent down, Kevin scoffed, as if my actions were beneath contempt. I ignored him, put the card away, and started to pack. Fifty thousand dollars. It was enough to buy my mom a decent urn and a proper burial plot. At the thought, a sharp pain pierced my heart. I'm not a crier. I didn't cry while taking care of my mom. I didn't cry when she died. I just kept telling myself that if I tried a little harder, maybe things would turn around. But the grief was just delayed, hitting me now with the full, crushing weight of reality. My mom was gone. Tears streamed down my face, my hands trembling as I packed. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Kevin went to open it. I looked over. The woman was familiar. It was the girl from the dealership. She smiled at Kevin. "Brother, I was worried she might do something crazy, so I came to protect you. Poor people can get really scary when they're desperate. Did you get the papers signed? I'm here to take you home." Kevin's expression softened instantly. "You're always so thoughtful." The woman smiled demurely, then her gaze shifted to me. "A pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you from Kevin. I thought you might be different from the other low-class people, but it turns out you're just a bad actress and a liar. Such a 'devoted daughter.' Now that you have your money back, you can drop the act. Go on, bring your mom back to life. Wouldn't want all those ominous words to come true, would we?" Her mocking tone, her dismissive eyes... the rage simmering inside me finally boiled over. She could say whatever she wanted about me. But not about my mom. On pure instinct, I lunged forward and punched her square in the face. As Kevin roared my name, she crumpled to the ground. "Avery, are you insane? Did I hit a nerve? Do you have any idea who you just touched?" Did it matter who she was? I had nothing left to lose. I ignored his threat, dragged the woman to her feet, and slapped her hard across the face. But before I could release any more of my fury, several large men in black suits burst through the door and pinned me to the floor. The woman scrambled up, crying, and ran into Kevin's arms. "Brother, I'm okay! I provoked her on purpose! I recorded the whole thing on a micro-camera. Now I can sue her!" I was forced to my knees, unable to move, my teeth gritted in silent rage. She pulled a tiny camera from her collar and gave me a sinister smile. "I've got it all on tape now. Brother, you have to make her pay for hitting me!" Kevin looked at me, his face grim. He took off his shoe and slapped it against my cheek, then swung his hand hard. The pain was sharp and immediate. Tears sprang to my eyes. A flicker of pity crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by disappointment. "I never thought we'd end up like this. You were so close, Avery. You were so close to passing my test. But you had to go and show your true colors at the last minute." "We had two years together. I really did love you. This slap is for Sarah. Let's just go our separate ways. You and I were never meant to be." The woman, Sarah, still seemed unsatisfied. "Kevin, you're just too soft. That's why this gold-digger was able to fool you for so long. Look at her, she's not even sorry. I bet if she knew who you really were, she'd be on her knees begging you to take her back." Kevin looked down at me, his eyes filled with a pity that felt like a slap in the face. In the two years we were together, he had never once given me a gift. In fact, I was the one who was constantly trying to satisfy his demands. Perhaps that was another part of his "test." But when it came down to it, I didn't owe him a thing. My voice was cold and detached. "Does it amuse you to play with people's hearts? In this relationship, I have never wronged you. I may not be good enough for a rich heir like you, but you have no right to insult me." "From the very beginning, you were the only one who was ever in the wrong." The words were barely out of my mouth when another angry slap came down. "I was in the wrong? I wasted two years of my life on you! Do you really think those cheap gifts you gave me can make up for two years of my youth? You know I'm a rich heir. Do you have any idea how valuable my time is? A person like you could never understand." Kevin's face was flushed with anger. Sarah, the woman beside him, laughed as if enjoying the show. "See, Kevin? Didn't I tell you? People like her never learn. You try to be nice, and she takes advantage of it." "She needs to be taught a lesson. Once she's scared enough, once she knows she's wrong, then she'll apologize." Sarah leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. "Devoted daughter, your apology isn't enough. Now I want you to drag your liar of a mother out here and have her apologize to my Kevin. Don't make me go get her myself. Things could get ugly, and an apology won't be enough to fix it then." Kevin smiled coldly. "That's right. Since you won't accept my kindness, I don't have to be kind to you." "When you do something wrong, you have to admit it. Even if it's your mother, even if she's an elder, there are no exceptions! And to think I was actually sincere with her. I can't believe she was in on your scheme. Like mother, like daughter." "I bet it was your mother who taught you to use a pregnancy to control me, to make me devoted to you. You thought I'd be scared of the baby in your belly, that I'd have no choice but to give you whatever you wanted." As he said this, his eyes turned red. "And you still dare to say you never wronged me?" A storm of grief and rage erupted within me. I couldn't control it anymore. With all my strength, I broke free from the bodyguards' grasp and lunged for Sarah, grabbing her by the collar. They could hit me, they could insult me. I had been a fool to trust them. But my mom had done nothing wrong. I would not let anyone tarnish her memory. I swung my fists blindly, completely out of control. The bodyguards reacted quickly, shoving me hard to the ground. The force of the push sent me crashing into the shelf. The cookie tin and the framed photo toppled over. The photo hit the floor with a sickening crack, the glass shattering. The lid of the tin flew off, and my mother's ashes spilled across the floor. Everyone froze. Especially Kevin. He stared at the mess on the floor, muttering to himself. "This... this is impossible... Sarah investigated. Your mom wasn't really sick. How can there be ashes and a memorial photo?" He looked at me, his whole body trembling. "How... how could this happen?"
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