Chapter 2

2

Brenda cried until she was breathless right there in front of me.

She begged me to give up my dreams and tore the $200,000 note in half to show her "mercy."

I asked her if my cousin, Sean, could stay and look after her instead.

Sean went to the same college as me and was also set to graduate the following year.

Even though Brenda had raised me, Sean was her flesh and blood. It only made sense for him to step up.

The moment I suggested it, Brenda started acting like I was trying to murder her.

"I raised you for a decade, and now you're calculating who owes what?"

"I treated you better than I ever treated my own boy! And now you won't even give up one little trip to save my life?"

"Fine. Fine!"

She struggled out of the hospital bed and stumbled toward the window, laughing through her tears.

"I won't be a burden to you anymore, Sadie. I'll just end it all right now!"

"No! Brenda, stop! Don't do anything crazy!"

I lunged forward and grabbed her.

In that moment, I was paralyzed by fear.

After losing my parents at ten, I couldn't handle losing the only family I had left.

So, I promised her. I gave up Kensington and my future career.

Brenda wiped her eyes and said, "Sadie, I won't let your sacrifice be for nothing. This house will be yours once I pass."

I didn't care about the property then, but I figured if I could have a home and take care of her, life wouldn't be so bad.

After graduation, I took a low-paying local job just so I could be home to cook every meal and handle her meds.

Because of the constant care she required, I never had time to date or find a partner.

At first, I was lonely, but then I made peace with it.

Every month, I handed my paycheck directly to Brenda. She said she was saving it for my future.

I figured between my savings and the house, I'd be set for my old age.

But after twenty years of service, her long-lost son Sean suddenly showed up just as she was "dying" for real this time.

I ran into him at the hospital when the doctors issued a critical condition notice.

I had gone home to pack some fresh clothes for her and came back to find Sean in her room.

I was about to push the door open when I heard their voices.

"You're finally home! Mama missed you so much!"

Brenda's voice was full of warmth and love, not a trace of the resentment she usually showed when talking about him.

For twenty years, she told me Sean was a disappointment and a deadbeat she wanted nothing to do with.

Sean was crying too. "Ma, if it wasn't for Sadie, I wouldn't have had to stay away for twenty years. I'm such a bad son…"

"No, you're my good boy. Here, take this. This is Sadie's salary―it's over $400,000. And here's the deed to the house. When I'm gone, kick her out. Don't leave her a single thing, you hear me?"

"She's been living off me for years. I've been generous enough not to charge her rent or food."

The realization hit me like a physical blow. Brenda never saw me as family, let alone a daughter.

The bag of clothes slipped from my hands and hit the floor with a heavy thud.

Both of them whipped their heads toward the door.

There was no guilt on their faces. Sean just smirked at me with pure arrogance.

"Well, since you heard everything, there's no point in lying anymore."

"That's right, Sadie. If you're smart, you'll pack your bags and leave quietly. Don't make me get nasty."