Chapter 1

After retiring, I managed to save 700 thousand dollars by living frugally.

My daughter, Jenny Smith, kept dropping hints about how much I had saved.

My heart skipped a beat, and I blurted out, "Just 70 thousand dollars. It is only enough for my retirement."

The next day, Jenny's husband, Ethan Green, slipped me a bank card and whispered, "Luna, the PIN is your birthday. Don't tell Jenny."

On my way home, I stopped by an ATM to check the balance.

The moment I saw the number, my hands were shaking so much that I almost dropped the card.

*****

My name was Luna Smith. I was sixty, and I had just retired.

I spent my whole life as a corporate accountant, always surrounded by numbers.

Caution and attention to detail were in my blood.

Because of my careful ways, I pinched every penny and finally managed to save up 600 thousand dollars by the time I retired.

That money was everything to me. It was the backbone of my life, the reason I could face my old age with confidence.

I only had one daughter, Jenny Smith.

After she got married, I ended up living by myself.

The house suddenly felt huge and awfully quiet.

Jenny and Ethan would visit me once a week and have dinner together.

That used to be the moment I looked forward to the most.

But lately, that anticipation didn't feel the same anymore.

At the dinner table, Jenny would always drop little hints about money. "Mom, prices are going up so fast these days. Money doesn't go as far as it used to.

"Mom, look at my coworker. Her mom gets over 3 thousand dollars a month in retirement, and she's living the good life.

"Mom, you've been saving your whole life. You must have a pretty decent nest egg, right?"

Her words were like tiny needles, pricking at my heart. They didn't hurt, but they were everywhere, making me feel restless and uneasy.

It was Friday again. I cooked up a big spread: grilled ribs for Jenny and pork stew for Ethan, just the way they like it.

Halfway through dinner, Jenny started up again.

She put down her fork and looked at me with concern. "Mom, Ethan and I have been thinking about getting a bigger place. Once we have kids, we'll need more room."

My heart skipped a beat. Here it came.

I grabbed a piece of grilled ribs and dropped it on her plate, forcing a smile. "Moving to a bigger place is a good idea. Your current place is a bit cramped."

Jenny's eyes lit up, and she jumped right in. "Exactly. But we're still short on the down payment. We did the math, and we're about 200 thousand dollars short."

After she finished, she stared at me, fixing me with an unblinking, almost calculating gaze.

That look wasn't the fondness a daughter usually had for her mother anymore. It was more like she was weighing me up, trying to figure out how much she could get from me.

My heart sank.

Ethan kept his head down, quietly eating, acting like some outsider at the table.

But the slight hesitation of his fork betrayed that he was listening.

The air froze solid.

The 700 thousand dollars I'd pinched every penny for, year after year, was so I could live out my golden years with dignity.

It was meant to cover me if I got sick, so I wouldn't have to rely on anyone or drag them down with me. Not to become their personal ATM for every whim and desire.

My silence made Jenny start to get impatient. "Mom, seriously, how much do you have saved up? Just tell us straight, so we know what we're working with."

Her tone had a sharp edge to it, almost like she expected me to hand it over without question.

Something inside me snapped. I felt a cold chill rising from my feet, spreading through my whole body.

I stared at the daughter I'd raised all by myself, and suddenly she felt like a stranger to me.

I took a deep breath and forced a helpless, bitter smile. "I hardly have anything saved up."

I let out a soft sigh, put down my fork, and picked up a napkin to wipe my mouth. "With just my fixed income, how much could I really save?

"If you add up all my savings and investments over the years, it's 70 thousand dollars."

I purposely threw out a number that was neither here nor there.

It was enough to explain why I couldn't help them, but not so little that they'd stop seeing any value in me.

"70 thousand dollars?" Jenny's voice shot up, loaded with disappointment and a touch of scorn. "Seriously? That's it? How could it be so little?

"Mom, don't try to fool us. You've been crunching numbers your whole life. There's no way that's all you've got."

I felt even colder inside.

She wasn't worried about whether I'd be okay in my old age. She was only mad that I couldn't be the bank she expected.

I shrugged, feeling utterly powerless. "Why would I lie about this? That 70 thousand dollars is what I need for my own retirement and medical expenses. I honestly can't help you guys."

Jenny's expression completely crumbled.

She slammed her fork down on the table with a loud, harsh clatter. "Fine, Mom, we get it."

She stood up and pulled Ethan up from his seat, even though he was still eating. "We're full. There's work at the office, so we're heading out."

Ethan looked a bit stunned, but with Jenny yanking him, he had no choice but to get up in a hurry. "Luna, then we'll—"

Before he could finish, Jenny was already dragging him toward the door.

The door slammed shut with a loud bang, and the house was instantly swallowed by silence.

I stared at the table, where most of the food was barely touched, steam still curling up from the dishes.

But inside, my heart felt like it had been dropped into an icy abyss.