Chapter 2

After hanging up on Ryan, I stared at my test results, my lips trembling.

In my previous life, I had been too soft-hearted. That was how the three of them drained me dry.

In this life, not a single cent of my money would go to them!

That same day, I contacted an agent and listed the old apartment I'd lived in for 30 years.

It was the last thing my husband and I had left behind together, but selling the apartment offered me more security than relying on my three ungrateful sons.

The agent worked fast. A buyer showed up the same day and paid the full price, 1.73 million dollars.

As soon as the money came through, I checked myself into the hospital and chose a private room.

Less than two hours after I got into the ward, the door was pushed open.

Victor walked in wearing a designer suit, followed by his wife, Jenny White, and daughter, Molly Sutton.

"Mom, we heard you were hospitalized, so we came to see you."

Victor scanned the room and pulled a face. "Mom, why are you staying in a room like this? It's too basic. Want me to move you to a VIP suite?"

He paced around like a tenant inspecting an apartment, criticizing the furnishings. He did not even spare a glance at the IV attached to my hand.

Jenny chimed in, "That's right, Susan. With Victor's business doing so well, this is nothing for us."

I sneered inwardly. They claimed to be doing well financially, yet they wouldn't have shown up if they weren't hoping to squeeze some money out of me.

I ignored them.

Seeing that I wasn't as warm as usual, Victor exchanged a look with Jenny, then pushed Molly toward me.

"Mom, Molly won first place in her piano competition last week! The judges all said she's a genius!"

Molly lifted her face and held the trophy out proudly. "Grandma, look! My instructor said that if I join the international piano program, I'll become famous someday! The fee is 50 thousand dollars. Grandma, you'll help me achieve my dream, right?"

I laughed bitterly inside. 50 thousand dollars?

In my previous life, after their family immigrated to Merunica, Victor was the one who severed ties with me most decisively.

Knowing how it would end, if I still gave them money, I'd truly be an idiot.

I glanced at them briefly, then turned to the window. "Oh? That's impressive."

Victor's smile stiffened. He clearly hadn't expected me to act this way.

He sat closer and resumed weaving promises, implying I should use the money in the Family Bond Fund to pay for the piano program.

He even told me that Molly would take care of me once she succeeded.

When I still didn't respond, Victor nudged Jenny and said, "Take Molly downstairs to buy some juice. I need to talk to Mom."

Jenny immediately caught on and pulled Molly away.

As soon as the door closed, Victor dropped the act and sat by my bed. "Mom, you heard everything. What's 50 thousand dollars to you, right?"

I looked straight at him. "I don't have money."

"No money?" His voice shot up. "How could you not have money? The three of us put three thousand dollars into the account we set up for you every month. That's over 800 thousand dollars in eight years!

"Molly is your only granddaughter. If you don't want to spend your money on her, who are you going to spend it on?"

I didn't bother looking at his forced smile and turned away instead. "That's up to me. I don't have money. I said I have no money. Don't come to me."

My change in attitude caught him off guard.

In the end, Victor grabbed my hand, tears streaming as he played the pity card. "Mom, can you really bear to see Molly's talent wasted? It's an international piano program! People fight to get in! If you don't help her now and she never becomes a pianist, will your conscience be clear?

"You raised the three of us with so much hardship. Why don't you help Molly as well? If you don't give us the money, you'll ruin her future! She'll resent you for life, and you're going to regret it!

"Besides, 50 thousand dollars for a bright future is worth it! Your money just sits there anyway. Spending it on Molly is money well spent!"

Hearing his self-righteous justifications, I nearly laughed from sheer anger.

So this was my good son, already skilled at guilt-tripping his own mother.

I yanked my hand back and stared at him coldly. "It's my money. Who I spend it on and how I spend it is my business. Molly's future is your responsibility. Don't drag me into it."

Seeing how firm I was, Victor finally snapped. He jumped to his feet and pointed at me, shouting, "You're pushing it, Susan Jenkins! We didn't set up that fund for you so you could turn into a tightwad!

"It's just 50 thousand dollars! Why are you so stingy? You're senile! You don't even care about your sons anymore! Fine! If you won't give it, don't expect me to take care of you when you're older!"

With that, he stormed toward the door, his footsteps heavy against the tiles.