Chapter 2

The day after Jenny stormed out, I was on edge the whole day.

No calls, no texts.

Normally, even if she was upset, she'd send me a message the next day, something to smooth things over. But this time, nothing.

I could tell she was truly disappointed, even angry.

She was angry at me for not living up to her expectations as a mother, for not giving her the value she wanted.

I sat on the couch and stared at the TV, but my mind was blank.

My retirement, once so peaceful, now felt as if a layer of dust had settled over it.

All afternoon, I kept wondering if I was wrong. Should I hand over the money and give Jenny what she wanted?

But that 700 thousand was my last shred of dignity and security. If I gave it to her, what would I do then?

Was I really going to end up like those old folks on the news: lying in bed, sick, waiting for my kids to decide if I was worth the cost of medicine?

I couldn't bear to imagine it.

As the evening rolled around, the doorbell rang out of nowhere.

I thought maybe Jenny had finally come around and was back to see me. My heart skipped a beat with hope.

I rushed to the door and peeked through the peephole. But instead, it was Ethan, my son-in-law.

He came alone.

I was a little confused, but still opened the door. "Ethan? Why are you here by yourself? Where's Jenny?"

Ethan stood at the doorway, looking a bit awkward, with a hint of a flattering smile.

He brought a box of donuts. "Luna, I came to see you. Jenny's still working overtime at the office."

As he spoke, he squeezed inside, casting a wary glance back at the hallway.

He looked kind of shifty, which only made me feel even more uneasy.

I invited him in and handed him a glass of water.

He sat awkwardly on the couch, hands resting on his knees, clearly wanting to say something but hesitating.

Finally, he said, "Luna, don't let what happened yesterday get to you.

"Jenny's got a bit of a temper. I've spoiled her, and she's always been straightforward, but she really doesn't mean any harm."

I gave a slight smile and didn't respond.

Mean no harm? She acted like she was entitled to my money, and that was supposed to mean no harm?

Seeing me stay silent, Ethan looked more awkward.

He rubbed his hands together, leaned in a bit, and lowered his voice. "Luna, Jenny's really under a lot of pressure. With what we earn, it's so hard for us to get a decent apartment in the city.

"I know it's not easy for you either."

I listened quietly, wanting to see what he was really getting at.

He paused, looked like he was weighing something big.

Then, in a flash, he pulled something out of his pocket and, when I wasn't paying attention, shoved it right into my hand.

It was cold and hard.

It was a bank card.

I was stunned. "What's this for?"

Ethan put his finger to his lips, gesturing for me to keep quiet.

He leaned in even closer, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper. "Luna, this is a little stash I set aside. It was not much. Just take it, okay?

"The PIN is your birthday. Four digits."

I held the card; my hand felt hot, but my heart was cold.

Why was he giving me money behind Jenny's back?

"What are you doing? I can't accept this," I said, trying to hand the card back.

But Ethan shot up from the couch, waving his hands frantically, looking genuinely panicked. "Luna, please don't. If you refuse and Jenny finds out, I'm dead meat."

He looked at me with such earnestness, his eyes practically begging. "Luna, just think of it as me showing you some respect. You're living alone, and you've got plenty of expenses. Please, don't tell Jenny. Whatever you do, don't tell her."

He really didn't look like he was putting on an act.

Here he was, secretly slipping me money behind Jenny's back.

It almost made him look like the ideal son-in-law, someone who understood the bigger picture, truly filial, trying to make up for Jenny's neglect.

Had I been wrong about them this whole time?

Maybe deep down, Ethan was actually on my side, after all?

A whirlwind of feelings swept through me, and for a moment, I was at a loss for words.

Seeing I wasn't pushing the card back anymore, Ethan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He glanced at his phone, then hurriedly said, "Luna, I gotta run. Jenny's about to finish work. I need to go pick her up.

"Take good care of yourself. And make sure you keep that card safe."

Before I could say anything, he turned and rushed out the door.

I stood there in the living room, holding that icy bank card, frozen in place.

The card was from a bank I wasn't familiar with.

Ethan's words kept echoing in my head. "Don't tell Jenny."

What kind of secret was hidden in all this?

My mind was racing.

My accountant instincts kicked in. I was instantly on high alert whenever money was involved, and things didn't add up.

Why wouldn't Ethan give the money to Jenny for the house? Why did he sneak it to me like this?

Was he trying to show some respect, to comfort me? Or was it something else?

A more chilling thought flashed through my mind, and I shivered.

I had to get to the bottom of this right now.

I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my wallet, and clutched the card tightly in my hand.

Downstairs, the city was coming alive with lights.

I made a beeline for the nearest ATM.

My heart was pounding with every step I took.