Chapter 2 What Happened While I Was Gone

My parents stared at me blankly.

"You don't have to dig through the trash for leftovers even if you're trying to be frugal!"

I was trembling with anger.

I knew the older generation tended to live frugally. Still, they shouldn't risk their health just to save some money!

My parents weren't getting any younger, and my daughter was just seven. Eating spoiled leftovers like this would eventually make them sick. Whatever money they saved up from doing this wouldn't come close to covering their medical bills.

The next second, my mother slapped me hard across the face, her eyes red with tears. "You bastard! Why didn't you just die overseas? What the hell are you doing back here?"

The anger in my mother's eyes caught me off guard, but I still rushed to explain. "Mom, I'm a vice president at my company now. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to come home and visit you."

My father bent down and picked up a brick from the ground.

He charged toward me, shouting furiously, "You bastard! How dare you call yourself a vice president! You've ruined the entire family! I'll kill you!"

I scrambled to dodge him as he bulldozed toward me, his hand holding a brick in the air.

Still, I tried to explain, "Dad, I've been busy working to make money! Can't you at least try to understand?"

Just then, Noelle suddenly dropped to her knees. She started crying, wailing that she was hungry. Her hands frantically pawed through the spoiled leftovers on the ground. Then, she shoved them into her mouth as fast as she could.

I shouted in alarm, "Noelle, don't eat that! I have money! I'll take you out for a big meal!"

I couldn't dodge in time. The brick struck me in the head. A sharp pain shot through me, and my world began to spin.

My father's thunderous roar rang in my ears as he bellowed, "You bastard! We sold everything of value to pay off your debts! What the hell makes you think you have any money?"

Just as my father was about to hit me again, I hurriedly blurted at the top of my lungs, "Wait!"

My father stopped.

I held my head in my hands and asked, "When did I ever ask you to sell your belongings to pay off my debts? I'm a vice president, for God's sake! My annual salary is several million."

"You bastard! Still pretending? I'll beat you to death today! You're no son of mine!"

"Dad, stop! Please calm down and let me explain."

My father refused to listen no matter what I said. He kept chasing me outside the entrance, swinging the brick at me.

In the beginning, I'd assumed they were just trying to save money by digging through the trash for leftovers with my daughter.

But now, it was clear that something must have happened during the years I'd been away. Something I knew nothing about.

Just then, some of the old neighbors came out and saw my father chasing me with a brick.

They all stopped to watch the spectacle. Some even clapped their hands in approval.

"Oliver, that's right! Beat that rotten son of yours to death!"

"Exactly! You'd be doing society a favor by killing him!"

"Noelle's so unlucky to have such a worthless father!"

I heard every word.

Just then, the old security guard came out of the apartment complex.

I hurriedly called out to him, "Sir, please help me!"

The security guard snorted in disdain. "If I weren't worried about losing my job in this economy, I'd beat you up myself."

I had no choice but to hide among the crowd.

When I saw an opening, I quickly grabbed my father's wrist. "That's enough! Stop for a second and hear me out for Christ's sake!"