Chapter 2

I smiled and gently moved the child blocking my way. "If you want to find him, then ask him for money. Why come to me?"

"You're my mom! It's your duty as a parent to spend money on me!"

"But you're an adult now. After you turn eighteen, I'm not obligated to support you anymore. Didn't you say your dad and stepmom were great? Go ask them for money."

My daughter smashed the bowl and chopsticks in my hand. "No wonder Dad says you're a heartless woman, even my stepmom defends you! What kind of mother are you? Dad was right, you're nothing compared to Mom Yang!"

"Fine! If you won't take care of me, Dad will!"

"Alright, let's see how he plans to take care of you."

My daughter left again.

This time, she didn't come back for half a month.

It wasn't until her teacher contacted me that I found out she had borrowed money from a classmate to go find her dad.

She disappeared without a trace. Her classmate was worried sick because it was her living expenses.

But being timid, she didn't dare to speak up.

It was only when the teacher noticed something was wrong and "pressured" her that the classmate tearfully confessed.

I rushed to the school, paid off my daughter's debt, and apologized profusely to her classmate.

Even her teacher complained, "How are you raising your child? Borrowing money and not repaying, not even attending school! I know you're divorced and raising a child alone isn't easy, but you can't neglect her upbringing for the sake of earning money."

I managed a strained smile at the teacher.

He continued, "When is Samantha coming back to school? She's been absent for several days."

I shook my head. "I don't know. She hasn't returned home since our big argument."

The teacher frowned, looking displeased. "You're her mother. How can you not care about your own child?"

I remained silent.

Was it that I didn't care?

She rejected my concern, despised it.

She felt I was pressuring her, interfering with her life.

To her, I was a constraint.

Seeing my silence, the teacher gave me an ultimatum.

"If Samantha doesn't return soon, the school will expel her! You should really talk to her!" I quickly agreed but then pushed the matter aside.

Just as the school was about to expel Samantha, her father, my ex-husband, contacted me.

"How have you been lately?"

I replied impatiently, "Just get to the point. I don't think we need to exchange pleasantries."

On the other end, my ex-husband laughed heartily. "What kind of mother are you? Samantha came straight to me, saying I'm the only one who treats her well! Look at you, can't keep a husband or a daughter. You're just as useless as ever."

I retorted, "How dare you justify your betrayal?"

He was unfazed. "Betrayal? I found true love!"

"Alright, just say what you have to say."

"Samantha doesn't want to stay with you anymore. Give me custody and arrange her transfer. From now on, she's none of your concern!" The conversation fell silent until my ex-husband, growing impatient, assumed I disagreed.

I smiled slightly. "Fine."

I quickly completed everything my ex-husband requested.

I didn't want to handle Samantha, this burden, any longer. Let her be someone else's problem, not mine.

On the day we finalized the custody transfer, Samantha showed up.