Chapter 2

The maid, Tammy Ernst, dragged her legs across the floor, using her hands to crawl forward.

"That's Miss Cassidy's ashes!" she cried.

Mom froze for a moment, then looked down at Tammy in her tattered clothes.

She let out a derisive laugh. "Three years gone, Tammy… and you've really perfected the beggar act! It was Cassidy who made you do this, wasn't it? Where is she, really?"

Tammy seemed stunned into silence, unable to answer for a long time.

Mom's impatience boiled over. She shouted at Tammy, "Tell me right now! Say it, and you can come back to the Porter household, take care of Rachel, and live like you used to."

Unable to hold back, Tammy began to weep.

"Madam… Miss Cassidy is no longer here. After that bone marrow transplant three years ago, she came here, and within a month… she vomited blood and died."

"Lies!" Mom snatched the water bottle and poured my ashes into the toilet, flushing them away.

Tammy raised her hands to stop her, but she could do nothing. She collapsed in despair, wailing, "She's already dead! Why can't you even leave her ashes alone?"

Grabbing a broom, she struck her own legs with all her strength.

"That night, she kept vomiting blood. Even a few bottles of painkillers didn't help. I carried her to the hospital myself… and got hit by a car, ruining my legs. But I couldn't save her."

I crouched beside Tammy, my eyes burning with heat.

Though she was just a maid, Tammy had loved me more than Mom ever did.

Watching her breakdown, Mom's anger began to shift into confusion.

Before she could speak, Rachel was brought in, supported by someone. Her rosy cheeks and proportioned frame gave no hint of illness. She looked around, puzzled. "I just saw Cassidy and Tammy get out of the car together… Where's Cassidy?"

Tammy continued, "After Miss Cassidy died from donating her bone marrow, I didn't have money for an urn. I had to use a water bottle… Madam, how could you flush her ashes away?"

Rachel's face paled. "Tammy, don't say that. Bone marrow donation is safe… it doesn't kill people. If Cassidy hadn't wanted to donate to me, she could have just said no. There was no need to hide and have you play beggar to make me feel pity."

Tears glimmered in Rachel's eyes as she smiled at Mom.

"I know Cassidy would never donate to me again, and I understand. She already saved me once—I can't be greedy and ask her to save me a second time. I don't blame her for hiding from us. At least, after I'm gone, Cassidy will still be here to accompany Mom."

Her words faltered as tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Mom held her tightly, her voice firm yet full of promise. "Rachel, don't worry. As long as I'm here, you won't die. And as long as Cassidy is alive somewhere in this world, I'll dig through the earth to find her if I have to!"

Then Mom turned to Tammy, her tone icy.

"Cassidy… always acting, huh? At least make your lies believable. The money from the jewelry she stole back then must be almost used up. Tell her this: if she doesn't show up to donate to Rachel, I'll make sure no one in this city dares hire her!"

But three years ago, I hadn't taken a single piece of jewelry from the house. Tammy couldn't stand to see me falsely accused, so she had left with me that very night. Every time we rented a place afterward, we'd be kicked out the next day. Later, we learned Rachel had been bribing landlords.

Finally, this basement had been offered to us by a street thug—someone unafraid of the Porter family, someone who wouldn't take Rachel's money.

But less than a day after we moved in, my body burned with unbearable pain. At first, medication helped, but soon, even that failed.

During the last week of my life, I vomited blood daily; the floor was forever stained. On the final day, I vomited so much that my body went into shock.

My thoughts drifted back as I watched Mom at the doorway, calling me.

The phone responded with a mechanical tone: the number no longer existed.

Mom frowned, opening our chat. She typed: [Cassidy, you only have yourself to blame for this. From today, I won't give you a single cent for living expenses.]

But Mom… three years ago, you had already called the bank and frozen every account under my name.

Seeing the bodyguard pour a basin of cold water over Tammy, I tried to intervene. The water passed through me and struck Tammy hard.

Tammy was terrified, unable to speak.

Thinking Tammy was defiant, Mom slapped her.

"Stop pretending! Where is Cassidy?"

Tammy screamed uncontrollably, "Miss Cassidy is already dead! Dead! Stop tormenting me!"

She crawled to a corner, shivering in defeat.

Seeing Tammy trembling in fear, Mom's eyes softened slightly.

Then Rachel screamed and fainted to the floor.

Mom immediately turned and carried her to the hospital, the bodyguards following.

The next moment, a masked stranger entered, carried Tammy away and took the water bottle containing my ashes.