Chapter 2

2、

My mother tried to grab my arm again, but I shoved her hand away with disgust.

"This is a pyramid scheme. They only target gullible seniors. Go if you want, but leave me out of it," I said.

My voice was loud enough to attract the attention of the people nearby.

An old man standing close by frowned and nodded.

"I think Lydia's right. These experts are usually just selling junk to rob us blind," he muttered.

"Yeah, my wife got scammed by a group like this last year," another neighbor added.

As the murmurs of doubt grew, Winnie quickly jumped in to explain herself.

"No! You've got it all wrong! This is Blue Whale Milk, developed by the world's top biologists! It cures everything and adds years to your life!"

An elderly woman with a cane shuffled forward. "How much is it, dear? I want some for my grandson so he can grow taller."

Winnie smiled brightly. "Grandma, it's thirty thousand dollars a bottle, or three hundred thousand for a case. It'll help him get into Harvard!"

The crowd gasped. Three hundred thousand dollars for a case of milk? That was insane.

"Other scammers ask for a few hundred. She's trying to steal our whole lives!" someone yelled.

"Winnie, we watched you grow up! How can you have the heart to cheat us like this?"

I let out a cold laugh. "What kind of milk is worth that much? Are you insane, Winnie?"

"At least make your lies believable. Since when does whale milk cure cancer or make you live longer?" I challenged.

Winnie didn't miss a beat. "Whales live for hundreds of years because they drink this from birth!"

"Our research shows it's packed with DNA and H2O gene sequences. It repairs your body at a cellular level," she claimed.

I almost burst out laughing.

"Winnie, do you even know what H2O is?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Of course I do! It's the latest genetic technology developed by the government!" she stammered.

She turned to my mother and looked like she was about to cry.

"Auntie, this milk is meant to save lives. You and Uncle have struggled with high blood pressure for years. My boss had a stroke and recovered in a month thanks to this!"

Whale milk is mostly fat. Telling people with high blood pressure to drink it was basically an execution sentence.

My mother flared up at my questioning. "You didn't even finish college! What do you know?"

"Winnie studied abroad. She's basically a scientist. If she says it works, it works!" she screamed at me.

Winnie hugged my mother, looking victimized. "It's okay, Auntie. Lydia is just uneducated. She doesn't mean to be cruel."

"She's always been jealous because you love me. But if it weren't for that accident, I'd still have my own mother..."

My mother couldn't handle Winnie's tears. She pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Oh, you poor thing. I'm your mother now. You're my real daughter," she cooed.

What a beautiful family moment. I thought my heart was already dead, but seeing her love Winnie so unconditionally still stung.

A sharp pain flared in my chest. When I spoke, my voice was thick with emotion.

"Mom, who is actually your daughter? That accident wasn't even―"

"Enough!" my mother barked, cutting me off.

"Lydia, you're an embarrassment. You won't help Winnie, and now you're trying to ruin her career. You're evil!"

I felt helpless. "Mom, can't you see? She's just a predator. This is a scam!"

Slap!

My mother's hand connected with my cheek so hard my head spun. "Stop lying!" she shrieked.

"I raised Winnie! She would never lead us into a trap!"

With my mother's public endorsement, the neighbors lost all their hesitation and began cheering for Winnie.