Chapter 2

When Mom got home, she smashed every glass item in the kitchen in a fit of rage, shouting for the System. "System, I want to check Edward's Regret Points.

"Answer me, System!"

In my palm was a blue chip.

This was the System Mom always used to communicate with.

After my death, the contract was automatically dissolved, and now the System lay dormant, completely unresponsive.

Mom yanked at her hair in frustration and stomped upstairs.

Bang! The door was kicked open. Mom, panting, rushed straight to where my body lay.

She reached out. "Erica, wake up. Get up. I'm taking you to see your dad.

"Remember exactly what I say, and say it just like I tell you when you see your dad."

My heart was in my throat.

Just as Mom's hand touched my body, the sound of people talking came floating up from downstairs.

Mom paused to consider, and then chose to walk away.

Downstairs, Dad's chief assistant, Wendy, pushed up her glasses and efficiently organized the assistants, making sure everything ran smoothly.

They were here to move some stuff.

Mom snapped, "Who said you could touch anything in my house?"

Wendy put on a polite, fake smile and said loudly, "Ms. Wynn, Mr. Harris won't be coming back to this place anymore. We're here to collect his personal belongings.

"We'll make sure everything is tidy before we leave, so we won't cause you any trouble."

"What do you mean?" Mom asked.

Wendy's expression didn't change. "It means that from now on, Mr. Harris's life will be completely cut off from yours."

Mom shouted, throwing her arms wide to block Wendy with her frail body. Her eyes blazed with fury. "Get out, all of you!"

Wendy wasn't surprised at all. She waved her hand, and two security guards stepped forward, firmly restraining Mom.

In just two hours, they had everything packed up and done.

"Oh, and one more thing," Wendy said as she stepped forward and grabbed Mom's left hand.

She carefully uncurled Mom's fingers one by one and removed the wedding ring from her ring finger.

Mom, held tightly by the security guards and unable to fight back, spat out, "I want to see Edward!"

Wendy slipped the ring into her pocket. "Ms. Wynn, don't you get it? Mr. Harris has completely disowned you. He wants nothing to do with you or Ms. Harris ever again."

She sighed. "Stop acting so crazy from now on, and try to treat Ms. Harris better. Honestly, it's a pity she has a mother like you."

Everyone knew Dad didn't love Mom.

Whenever people mentioned Mom, they always had that look of disdain.

If Mom hadn't interfered back then, Dad and Claire would've been the couple everyone admired.

Mom really couldn't stand Claire.

She always said Claire was Dad's first love, and also the reason he never gave his heart to her.

Back when Mom was live-streaming me as I climbed three thousand steps to a church to pray for Dad, it was Claire who stepped in and stopped her.

Claire said I was too young, that my bones weren't strong enough for that, and if I kept going, my legs would be permanently damaged.

Later, Dad recovered from his cold, but I was left with a lifelong disability. My legs couldn't bear too much weight anymore, and I had to rely on crutches to walk.

Mom dragged me over to Dad, trying to get his sympathy, but Dad just looked at her like she was crazy. "Olivia, are you out of your mind? I got better because I took my medicine and Claire looked after me. What do your prayers have to do with anything?"

Mom said, "Erica did all this because she cares about you. Doesn't that touch you at all?"

Dad's voice was cold as ice. "All I feel is shame for having a crippled daughter."

From that day on, Mom never let me step outside again. She used my phone to send a message to Dad: [Dad, I'll stay home, and you won't have to be embarrassed by me anymore.

[I'm giving up my freedom just so you can keep your reputation.]

Mom kept me locked up at home. Sometimes she told me to work hard at some talent so she could finally hold her head high and prove herself to everyone.

Other times, she'd look at me with disappointment and demand to know why I couldn't even handle climbing up three thousand steps.

When she got mad, she'd lash out, "You're in cahoots with Claire. If you keep letting me down like this, I'll disown you. Go ask Claire to be your mom instead."

Every time she said stuff like that, I'd get terrified.

Mom was the only person left in my world.

If even she abandoned me and ignored me, who else could I turn to?

That was why I was scared that Mom would find out I really was dead, just like Claire claimed.