Chapter 2

Marjorie choked.

"Last Christmas, you made a big pot of stew and brought our house a few scraps. Who was that supposed to feed? Even a dog would call it too little."

The area went quiet for a moment.

Marjorie's face turned purple.

Richard stomped his foot. "How can you talk like that? Do you have no manners?"

"Enough." I raised a hand and cut him off. "Dad, don't bother. She's been married to me all these years and hasn't given me a child. She even forced me into IVF with her. The fact that I didn't dump her already is generous enough. I can't pay this money. Do whatever you want."

Then I grabbed the sales agent, Leah, and started to leave.

Marjorie lunged suddenly and grabbed Leah's arm.

"Miss! Miss, listen to me! That money is my daughter's life-saving money! Refund it! Give it back!"

Leah jumped in fright and stepped back.

"Ma'am, please don't get worked up..."

"How can I not get worked up? That's my daughter's life!" Marjorie clung to her. "Refund part of it if you have to! Half would be enough to save her! We'll pay the handling fee. We'll pay the penalty. Just refund it!"

Leah was being dragged around unsteadily.

"Ma'am, calm down! The money can't be refunded like this. Only the purchaser can sign the refund paperwork, and the process takes seven business days..."

"Seven business days?" Marjorie's voice went shrill. "Can my daughter wait seven business days? She's dying right now!"

"Then I really can't help you. Those are the rules..."

Richard lunged over too.

"Miss, please be kind. Make an exception. We're begging you!"

The two of them really did break down, clutching at the sales agent and pleading.

The whispers around us grew louder.

"That's heartbreaking. Those two old people, reduced to begging a saleswoman..."

"Is that man even human? His in-laws are falling apart like that and he's just standing there on his phone?"

"Damn, I think he just ordered a tie for over fifteen hundred dollars. My God, what a wastrel. How did they end up with a son-in-law like him?"

Leah was terrified. She quickly pulled free and hid behind me.

Her voice trembled. "Begging me or Mr. Cole won't help, because the contract wasn't signed under his name. It was signed by a Mrs. Grace Cole."

Marjorie's eyes widened at once.

She whirled away from the agent, threw herself at me, and grabbed my collar as she screamed, "Jason Cole! You used our Hayes family's money to buy your mother a house! How can you be so vicious?"

Richard hurriedly pulled her back and sobbed as he tried to persuade me. "Jason, son, I'm begging you. Ask your mother to come cancel the contract and refund the money. Please take pity on us. We're begging you."

As he spoke, he reached out to clutch at my hands again.

I pointed at them in disgust. "Enough. Stop groveling. That doesn't work on me."

"Then what works on you? Tell me! I'll buy it for you! I'll give you my life!"

"What would I do with your life?" I looked down at her, then my eyes shifted. "If you transfer the apartment you two are living in to me and move out immediately, I might be able to find a way to get the medical fees. What do you think?"

Marjorie froze.

Richard trembled with rage beside her.

"You... you're an animal! Hannah treated you so well! Back then, when you had no money for college, our family paid for you! Have you forgotten that?

"At a crisis like this, you're still thinking about our apartment. Are you even human?"

I leaned against the white wall behind me and sighed.

I lost my father when I was little. My mother raised me through bitter hardship.