Chapter 2

The moment Mom accepted the Instagram follow request, I tapped straight into her profile.

Her latest post featured a photo in a massive living room, where sprawling floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the gorgeous, neon glow of the city skyline.

In front of her sat a table overflowing with seafood.

The caption read, "Got the dividends from my investment project today. Time to treat myself."

To pay off the non-existent debt she had fabricated out of thin air, I had spent the last three years making meals out of stale white bread smeared with a bit of peanut butter.

Yet all the agony I had endured through clenched teeth was nothing more than a project to her.

Suppressing my revulsion, I went on the offensive.

"Is that your place in the photo? The night view outside is incredible."

Mom immediately fired back several more photos.

"Of course it is! I bought it using the money my daughter sent over. You can see the city tower and the river from here. I might not compare to a CEO like you, but I've got some assets of my own."

I studied the photos closely.

There weren't many buildings that offered views of both landmarks simultaneously. Combined with that classical interior design, it didn't take long for me to pinpoint an upscale neighborhood on the north side of the city.

No wonder we had never crossed paths all these years. She had hidden herself away in the wealthy district, leaving me to struggle alone in the urban slums.

Just as I was about to fish for her exact address, my phone rang. It was Connor Russell, the owner of the barbecue joint.

"Walking out like that is pretty heartless, don't you think? What am I supposed to do about my business tonight? I don't care! You have to come in today. Otherwise, forget about this month's pay. And that stray cat by the door? I'll snap its neck right now!"

The money was secondary, but an injured kitten had wandered into the shop a while back. Seeing how helpless and alone it was—just like me—I had been feeding it ever since.

I swallowed my anger and agreed. "Fine. But after tonight, I am definitely gone. If you refuse to pay me, I will call the police on the spot."

When I rushed into the restaurant, it was completely empty. Connor and the other staff members were nowhere to be seen.

While I was still wondering what was going on, a group of heavily intoxicated men barged in.

The moment they saw me, their sleazy eyes scanned my body from head to toe. "Hey, we saw you when we ate here the other night. Nice legs, sweetheart. Let me get a feel."

I slapped their hands away and turned toward the kitchen.

But the ringleader grabbed me by the hair and yanked me backward. "Bitch, who do you think you are, ignoring me? Guys, teach her some manners."

They began violently smashing the restaurant's tables and chairs against my body. I felt as though my spine had snapped, and the pain forced me to curl into a tight ball on the floor.

Someone started pawing at me while I couldn't move, and I fought with everything I had to crawl toward the exit.

Within a few steps, they caught up and dragged me violently into the alleyway next door.

An endless barrage of fists and boots rained down on my head and torso, soaking my clothes in blood.

Just as my consciousness began to slip away, I heard someone mutter quietly, "That's enough. No bodies."

Only then did the man stop and use the toe of his boot to shove my face aside. "Remember this. Don't be so arrogant next time."

I lay paralyzed on the dirt for a long time, unable to stand, before managing to slowly crawl back into the restaurant.

Connor was casually smoking a cigarette. The moment he saw me, he flicked the burning butt straight at my face. "Where the hell did you run off to? The shop got trashed like this, all because you went out looking for trouble! Now that the customers are gone, you're paying for the damages!"

I pulled out my phone to call the police, but a notification popped up on my alternate account. Mom had sent me a video.

"Let me show you something amusing. I thought my daughter had learned to endure hardship after three years, but the moment she believed the debt was cleared, she let her guard down and even dared to quit.

"She has no idea that the owner of the restaurant is a friend of mine. Looks like I'll have to extend her training period. Let's call it a birthday present from me."