Chapter 2

The room fell silent in an instant.

Mother's arm trembled slightly as it dropped to her side. The look she gave me was filled with disappointment.

"Cassian, when did you become so selfish?

"When your father passed away, he specifically told you to take good care of Logan and Sienna. And now, look at you—over a million dollars, you want to drag them into court! Are you trying to anger me to death?"

Mother grew more and more emotional as she spoke. Sienna hurriedly handed her a glass of water.

My right cheek still burned from the slap. I stared at Mother, unwilling to back down.

"Mom, I'm your child too! I only want fairness!"

My eyes reddened as the words forced their way out, carrying years of pent-up grievance.

Logan let out a sneer.

"Cassian, how old are you now? Why are you still acting like a kid who didn't get his candy? Fairness? Didn't Mom give you twenty cents? What are you still making a fuss about?"

Sienna quickly chimed in.

"Exactly! Cassian, why are you being so childish? I think you just dislike Mom and are deliberately looking for an excuse to drive her away! Was this something you and Vivian planned all along? Cassian, how can you be so heartless?"

Logan angrily added, "That's right, Cassian. You keep talking about how well you treat Mom, but who knows how much she's suffered at your house? Otherwise, why would Mom give all the money to the two of us?"

Fury surged through me. I forced the words out through clenched teeth.

"Mom, have you suffered at my house?"

Mother's gaze shifted away. She turned her head and said nothing.

Seeing this, Logan thought he had caught me in a lie and immediately looked smug.

"Cassian, let me tell you something. Mom's staying at my place tonight. Tomorrow, you will bring Vivian over to apologize to Mom and personally take her back. Otherwise, I'll go to the police station and report you for elder abuse!"

At that moment, whatever hope I had left completely died. I spoke coldly, "Fine. I'll be waiting."

With that, I turned and walked out.

On the drive home, tears blurred my vision.

The humiliation of those two coins, the sting of the slap—none of it hurt as much as Mother's silence while they twisted the truth.

At last, I understood. From the day Father died, Mother had only two children: Logan and Sienna.

When I got home, I quietly went to Mother's room. I pulled out a suitcase and began packing her things.

My wife, Vivian Langston, saw what I was doing and looked puzzled.

"Why did you come back alone? Where's Mom?"

My hands paused for a moment as I folded the clothes, but I answered calmly, "Mom plans to stay at Logan's place for a while. She asked me to bring her clothes over."

A trace of worry flickered across Vivian's face.

"Mom needs insulin injections every day, and diabetic meals have to be prepared separately. Does your brother really have the patience for that?

"And every Monday, someone has to take her to the hospital to check her leg. Will he have time?"

My wife kept talking, her words full of concern for Mother.

My nose stung.

If Vivian knew that after caring for her mother-in-law so attentively, she was now being accused of abusing the elderly, who knew how much it would hurt her?

"Don't worry about it," I said softly. "I already told Logan. From now on, the three of us will take turns looking after Mom."

My wife froze. After all, Mother had lived with us for seven years. Not once had Logan or Sienna ever suggested taking her in themselves.

"Cassian, what happened? Tell me."

At last, Vivian sensed something was wrong and kept pressing me for the truth.

Seeing that I couldn't hide it anymore, I finally told her everything.

After listening, she remained silent for a long time. Then she walked over and began packing the suitcase with me.

When we finished, Vivian brought over a thick stack of receipts.

"Didn't he say he's going to report us to the police?" she said. "These are all the records from the hospital visits I took Mom to. And these are the bank transfer records showing the money we sent her every year."

At that moment, her calmness was almost frightening.

I took the documents and stayed up all night organizing them into spreadsheets and printing everything out.

Early the next morning, I called a same-city courier and had them deliver Mother's luggage—along with the printed documents—to Logan's house.

I thought that after seeing the evidence, the three of them might at least feel a little ashamed.

Instead, the very next day, the family group chat exploded.