Chapter 4

Three days passed. I didn’t receive a single dollar.

What I did receive were countless insulting messages from my mother, Victor, and those meddling relatives.

I packaged all the evidence and sent it to my lawyer, preparing to file the lawsuit.

Monday arrived, the day of an important partnership meeting with the Rivers Group.

Just before the meeting started, a sudden commotion broke out downstairs.

I walked over to the window and looked down, frowning.

My mother was sitting on the ground, her hair disheveled, crying loudly with tears and snot running down her face. In her hands she held up a sign:

“Suzy York, Executive at Nova Cloud Group. An unfilial daughter who abandoned her sick mother and drove her own brother to despair.”

Victor stood beside her, holding his phone and livestreaming, his voice choked with fake emotion.

“Everyone watching, please tell me if this is fair! My sister works as a director at a big company, earning hundreds of thousands a year, but she refuses to pay a single dollar for our mother’s medical bills!

“My mom saved every penny to help her buy a house, and even when she got sick, she didn’t dare go to the hospital to save money for her!

“And now my sister wants to destroy us. She’s suing us and trying to wipe us out!

“Is this what people call an independent woman? Is this the kind of partner the Rivers Group works with?”

The number of viewers in the livestream shot up rapidly, and the comments were filled with insults directed at me.

Everyone in the conference room turned to look at me.

Some with contempt, some with sympathy, and some simply eager to watch the drama unfold.

My whole body trembled with anger as I strode quickly down to the lobby.

The moment my mother saw me come out, she rushed forward and clutched my legs.

“Suzy! I’m begging you! Please don’t sue us!

“Your brother just got his job. You can’t ruin him! Take the money if you want. It’s the money meant to save my life. Take it all! I won’t get treatment anymore. I’ll just die, okay?”

Her move of playing the victim instantly ignited the crowd’s anger.

“How could you be so heartless?”

“Your mother gave birth to you and raised you, and this is how you repay her? What an ungrateful daughter!”

Victor shoved the phone right up to my face and shouted.

“Suzy! Do you see this? Mom is kneeling and begging you! Do you have any heart at all?”

I took the security guard’s megaphone from nearby.

“Are you done performing yet?

“You say I abandoned you? Last week when you were in the hospital, I was the one paying the medical bills and taking care of everything for you. Where was Victor? He was out house hunting.

“You say I took your life-saving money? That hundred thousand was my salary I left with you! You used my money to buy Victor a house, and now you turn around and accuse me of stealing it?

“And Victor, didn’t you say you were a valued employee at the Rivers Group? Is causing a scene in the company lobby your idea of professionalism?”

Victor’s expression changed, but with the support of the livestream viewers who didn’t know the truth, he stiffened his neck and shouted, “Stop slandering me!

“I got that job through my own ability! You’re the one throwing your money around to bully your own family!”

I let out a cold laugh. “Through your own ability? Fine. Then let’s see if you still have the ability to keep that job after today.”

My mother straightened up, trembling with rage, and raised her hand at me. “You dare ruin your brother’s future!

“Today I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your father, you unfilial daughter!”

The slap came swinging down with force.

I instinctively closed my eyes and tried to dodge.

But a hand caught my mother’s wrist firmly in midair.

The entire lobby fell silent.

I opened my eyes and saw Ethan standing in front of me.

“Mr… Mr. Rivers?” Victor froze on the spot.