Chapter 2
Even though I had long decided to cut ties with her, seeing her vicious expression still made my heart ache.
After all, I was the mother who had given birth to her and raised her. Yet she treated me like this.
I obediently stopped struggling and sat quietly in the car.
Because I knew Lily wasn’t simply threatening me.
If I continued to make a fuss, she would really follow through on her words.
After all, in her eyes, her birth mother had long been no different from a beggar on the street.
“That’s better. As long as you obey us, we won’t let you wander the streets. We’ll keep you in the Young house like a pet. After all, Grandpa still needs you,” Lily said.
“You probably don’t understand our family’s wealth now.”
She raised the Cartier watch on her wrist, waving it in front of me to show off.
“Aunt Emily gave me this watch. It cost over $70,000. You could never afford it in your lifetime.”
“As a pauper, you need to know your place. Don’t put on airs in front of us. It won’t do you any good.”
Even though I was Lily’s birth mother, it didn’t stop her from lecturing me with the air of an elder.
Listening to her words, I started trembling with anger.
I really didn’t know what kind of environment the Young family had raised such a failure like Lily in, to make her so utterly disrespectful.
Arriving at the Young family’s gate, I immediately sent a message to my two adopted sons, asking them to come pick me up from the Young house right away.
I didn’t want to stay in this place for another second.
Just as I sent the message, a familiar figure walked out of the house.
“Sister, it’s been so many years. How did you end up in such a sorry state?” Emily said mockingly.
“You’re bringing shame to our whole Reed family!”
Emily’s eyes were still full of disdain for me, just like before. She even unconsciously raised her chin slightly as she spoke.
She seemed to have forgotten that she only got everything she had now because of my generosity.
“Emily, let me go. Let yourself go too,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
She had always been strong-willed since childhood, always trying to compete with me on everything.
For her sake, I had already given up too much.
My education, my family, even half my life I had given to her.
But she didn’t seem to appreciate my good intentions at all.
She was still as arrogant as before.
Emily looked at me mockingly.
“Let you go? Do you even deserve to say such things now?”
“Know your place. You’re no different from a beggar now. From now on, as long as you behave like a good dog in our Young family, you can still enjoy some of the family’s glory and wealth.”
As she spoke, Emily clapped her hands lightly, calling a servant to bring an exquisite gift box and place it in front of me.
“This is the birthday gift I prepared for Dad. It cost over $300,000. I’ll let you see it today to broaden your horizons.”
Emily took out a jade pendant from the box and held it out in front of me. Just as I was about to reach for it, she suddenly slapped me hard across the face.
“Something like this is just for you to look at. Is it something someone of your status can touch? You may not mind the dirt, but I’m afraid Dad will!”
I was stunned by her sudden slap, frozen in place.
After a long while, I finally held back my tears and looked at her.
“If you didn’t want me to touch it, why did you hold it out in front of me?”
Emily chuckled.
“I just wanted to humiliate you properly. Is that not allowed?”
My heart sank as I realized she was simply trying to humiliate me.
Jack, who had been watching all this, showed no signs of wanting to intervene. There was even a hint of amusement in his eyes.
I seemed to have gotten used to such scenes many years ago.
In their eyes, Emily was not only beautiful but also cultured. She could do no wrong.
No matter what she did, they would unconditionally shield her.
And I would always be the one to swallow my anger and grievances.
Most of the time, I didn’t even have the right to argue with her.
Just then, the roar of car engines sounded outside.
My parents also arrived at the Young house, led by Jack’s driver.
Emily and Jack immediately walked over excitedly to help my parents out of the car.
“Dad, Mom!” they called out warmly.
When they walked up to me, I softly moved my lips and called out to them too.
But they just glanced at me coldly before walking into the house with Emily and Jack.
It seemed they were too ashamed to even speak a word to their daughter.
I stood there watching their receding figures enter the house, feeling as if my whole being was being torn apart in pain.