Chapter 2
“I treat her like my own daughter too. I don’t mind you treating her as long as it doesn’t cost our family’s money. But what if? What if we spend all that money and she doesn’t make it? We need to think about our future, right?”
“Divorce is a last resort. Just hand over all the property to me for safekeeping first. Bella isn’t my biological daughter, so after the divorce, I won’t have any obligation to care for her. Even if she really doesn’t make it, you can declare personal bankruptcy, and then we can remarry. That way, your future will be secure, won’t it?”
I scoffed internally. The moment she learned my daughter was sick, she was in a frantic rush to divorce me and split the assets.
But she did remind me of something. Right now, I have a parental obligation to Liam. After a divorce, no matter what, I wouldn’t have to bear any responsibility for him.
I looked at the divorce papers. If Eleanor was determined to let Bella go untreated, then I wouldn’t reveal that her son was the one who was sick.
“I’m not one to fight over a bit of property. We’ve been through so much these years, don’t you trust me?”
Seeing my silence, Eleanor raised her voice, asking incredulously.
“It’s only been two hours since the medical report came out, and you already have the divorce papers ready. How can I trust you?”
Hearing me say that, she instantly exploded.
“Honey, honestly, how have I treated Bella all these years? Now she’s become a burden on the family, and isn’t what I’m doing for our future?”
Each word, “burden,” made my face turn ashen.
I pointed at Eleanor, my voice stern.
“She’s a living, breathing person, not a burden!”
Seeing me on the verge of exploding, Liam forcefully pushed Bella.
My already frail daughter was knocked hard to the ground, crying out in pain.
“You old man, if you yell at my mom again, I’ll kill her! She’s just a waste of money living anyway!”
Liam shrieked at me hysterically, his eyes filled with a ferocity I’d never seen before.
I’d never seen such a vicious side to Liam. Turns out, his previous obedience was all an act. He was nothing but an ungrateful monster!
Liam pointed at my nose and cursed.
“What? You wanna lay a hand on me? Go on, try it! Domestic abuse can make you lose everything, you know!”
My fists clenched, wanting nothing more than to slap him across the face.
I’d been better to him than my own daughter for four years, and I even thought about getting a loan for his bone marrow transplant!
“Come on, hit me here! Do it!”
He patted his own face, acting crazed.
“Liam, how have I taught you? Kneel!”
Eleanor’s stern voice rang out. She turned to me, her voice softening.
“My son is being unruly. I’ll make him apologize to his sister right now.”
The moment before so arrogant, Liam gnashed his teeth and knelt in front of Bella, deliberately turning his head away, his face full of resentment.
Eleanor squatted in front of Bella, gently smoothing the stray hairs from her temples.
“Bella, your brother was just impulsive. I’m making him apologize to you. We’re a family, we should be understanding of each other, right? I know what just happened makes you feel wronged, but Mommy feels wronged too!”
“A minor illness is one thing, but this is leukemia! Do you want to make Daddy, Mommy, and your brother live a life of hardship with you, or do you want to become a star in the sky, watching us be happy every day?”
“But… as long as our family is together, I’ll be happy,” Bella said with innocent sweetness.
“Bella, you’re still little, you don’t understand,” Eleanor sighed deeply, shaking her head.
“We’re just an ordinary family, we simply don’t have the money to treat you! Didn’t Dad always say not to bother others? I’m not your real mother! Why should I suffer with you?”
“Think about it, during treatment, you’ll be hooked up to tubes, in pain and discomfort. Our family’s entire savings will be spent on you alone. Daddy and Mommy will be busy to death every day, and your brother will be mocked at school for not being able to afford designer brands. Is that what you want?”
I glared at Eleanor through gritted teeth. She truly was a woman with a viper’s heart. Knowing she couldn’t convince me, she turned to manipulate my daughter.
When I found out Liam was sick, I was willing to take out a loan to save him. But when it came to my daughter, she was actually convincing her to die!
“Thump!”