Semua Bab I Saw My Mom in His Family Photo: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Ten minutes later, I arrived at the student's neighborhood.The security guard at the gate stopped me. "Can I help you, sir? Who are you here to see? Do you have an appointment? This is a high-end community. We can't let you in without a resident's approval."I looked at him and opened my mouth. "I'm looking for my mother. Anna—"Before I could finish speaking, the guard suddenly snapped to attention and shouted past my shoulder, "Good afternoon, Mr. Mercado!"I turned around just as a white BMW sped past, splashing mud all over me."Who's that?" I asked.The guard replied, "That's Mr. Mercado. His wife owns the largest penthouse in the neighborhood. She's a big deal. Annalise Fowler, the incoming CEO of Orion Tech. I've worked here for three years, and I see Ms. Fowler driving her husband and son home almost every day.""Every day?" I repeated.The guard smiled. "Well, not literally every day. She travels for work sometimes. But they have a son in college. Whenever the semeste

I said, "As for the second baby she lost…"I paused for a few seconds. At this moment, the old scar on my left hand seemed to throb with a dull ache."When I was five, Mom found out she was pregnant again. She was thrilled and insisted you take her back to her hometown. On the highway, a truck lost control and rammed us into the guardrail."That had been the darkest moment of our lives.Five-year-old me was pinned under the backseat. My left arm was broken, and all I could see was blood.Meanwhile, Dad was in the passenger seat with glass embedded in his neck and chest, completely knocked out.In that critical moment, Mom was the first to crawl out of the wreckage. Risking her life, she crawled back in to drag Dad and me out of the overturned car.Unsurprisingly, she miscarried. "The evidence the lawyer found shows that Mom had orchestrated that crash."I closed my eyes as a wave of hopeless, icy dread washed over me.I would never forget that day. My left hand required 38 sti

At my question, cold sweat broke out across Mom's face.Claiming that the people outside had the wrong address, she tried to slam the door and brush it off.But I blocked her immediately and flung the door wide open to face Carlos and Harold. "Mom says you have the wrong house. Is that true?"Carlos glanced inside. Seeing Grandpa's thunderous expression, Dad's profound disappointment, and Mom's sheer terror, he nervously nodded and tried to drag Harold away.Harold, however, refused to go quietly. He shot me a glare.Just as Mom let out a breath of relief, I pulled out my phone and displayed the photo. "If they have the wrong house, Mom, then maybe you can explain why you and this gentleman are looking so cozy in this picture."Mom froze, utterly speechless."Mom? You didn't catch my question? Let me ask again. If you don't know the two people standing at our door, then what exactly is this?"I thrust the photo I'd snapped at the neighborhood entrance right into her face.Her

Mom glared at me. "I am still your mother! How dare you speak to me like that!""Then can I speak to you like that?" Grandpa's voice was heavy and commanding, instantly silencing everyone in the room.His gaze swept past Mom's pale face before resting on Carlos and Harold."Annalise, on the day you married Noel, you swore an oath to love and care for him forever. You broke that promise, so everything happening now is your own doing."Grandpa's tone was terrifyingly calm. "Effective immediately, you are terminated from your position as deputy CEO. Someone will be by tomorrow to handle the transition, and your upcoming promotion is officially revoked."Hearing this, Carlos lost his mind. He shrieked, "You can't do that! The company doesn't just belong to you!"Grandpa didn't even grant him a glance. He kept his eyes fixed on Mom. "The lawyers are auditing the company assets you embezzled over the years. If you want to stay out of prison, I suggest you cooperate fully with the inves

Mom opened her mouth, but in the end, nothing came out."You've only ever loved yourself," Dad said before turning his back on her and walking away.Mom collapsed onto the floor like a deflated balloon.She knew that no matter how much she tried to show her devotion now, we had already seen through her selfish nature.The gold digger who had built her career on her husband's family, only to use their wealth to support a side piece, was now stripped of her final shred of dignity.Yet, she still refused to sign the divorce papers.She showed up at our door every day, sometimes weeping, sometimes making a scene, and sometimes bringing gifts to win me over.But I never forgot how she had treated Dad or me. I wouldn't fall into the same trap twice.If she could abandon Carlos and Harold that ruthlessly, there was no guarantee she wouldn't do the same thing to Dad and me down the road.Dad remained adamant about the divorce. No matter what tactics Mom tried, he refused to give in.