Chapter 3
But when Dad looked over at the person sleeping in the bed, his eyes softened so much it almost hurt to watch.
He said coldly, "Julia's got a weak heart. From now on, you and Violet are banned from coming to see me. Don't go upsetting her."
He turned to the bodyguards and ordered, "Throw them out."
The bodyguards dragged my mom and me out, dumping us on the street like we were trash.
But a few days later, I collapsed from the pain in my chest and was diagnosed with a heart condition.
My mom was crying her heart out, desperately calling my dad over and over.
But all she got in return was him snapping at her, annoyed as ever.
"I'm on my honeymoon with Julia, so whatever it is, save it for later," he said.
My mom yelled into the phone, "Violet's got a heart condition!"
My dad paused for a second, then totally lost it.
He snapped, "It's only been a few days, and you'd even lie about Violet's life to worm your way back in?
"Julia doesn't have much time left. Are you really so selfish and cruel that you can't even wait a little longer?
"Isn't it all about the money? Fine, I'll throw you 70 thousand dollars! Don't call Julia or me again, you hear me?"
He slammed the phone down, seething.
Meanwhile, the trending topic online was all about him blowing seven million dollars on a honeymoon with Julia in Bloania.
I was lying in the ICU, clutching my mom's hand, feeling completely helpless.
"Why can Dad spend twenty million on her, but only spare two hundred thousand for us?" I asked.
In that moment, I saw my mom's tear-filled eyes, brimming with pure, burning hatred.
She posted their marriage certificate online, hoping to blow the whole thing wide open.
But some anonymous force had the post taken down, so nobody saw it.
Early the next morning, Julia showed up at the hospital.
As soon as she saw my mom and me, Julia didn't waste any time.
Julia taunted, "I've known for ages that you and Bruce got married and even had a daughter. So what?
"All it took was a little scheming on my part, and now Bruce is head over heels for me.
"You two should learn your place. If you keep coveting a status and life that doesn't belong to you, next time it won't just be a kidney you'll lose!"
My mom froze, her eyes burning with fury.
"Did you send those debt collectors after us?" she demanded.
Julia let out a mocking laugh. "And what if I did?"
Before Julia could say another word, my mom, unable to hold back any longer, gave her a resounding slap across the face.
The next second, my dad burst in and kicked my mom so hard she slammed into the wall.
He snapped, "I've spoiled you way too much. How dare you even touch Julia?
"Is 70 thousand dollars not enough for you? You're greedy, never satisfied! Fine, then you get nothing at all from me."
My mom was white as a sheet, barely managed to get up from the floor, almost begging him, her voice shaking with desperation.
My mom pleaded, "Please, you can't do this. Violet needs that money for her surgery. If you don't give us the money, she won't make it!"
I clutched my aching heart, crying out, "Dad, my heart hurts!"
But he just looked at me with disappointment and started lecturing me.
He said, "Violet, why are you acting just like your mom, lying and cheating? From now on, I'm cutting off all the money for you and your mom. This is what your mom gets for messing with Julia.
"Not a single dollar until your mom apologizes and promises never to hurt Julia again!"
He slammed the door behind him and left.
He never even looked at Mom or me again.
After that, Mom had to borrow money from everyone she could to keep me in the hospital.
But the doctor said that without a suitable donor, it wouldn't matter. I'd still die.
Mom hugged me tight, crying her eyes out all night.
The next morning, she gave me a gentle smile as she stroked my hair. She said, "Violet, if one day I'm not around, you have to take care of yourself, okay?"
I didn't get what she meant. I felt uneasy inside.
I grabbed her sleeve, crying my heart out, "Mom, wherever you go, I want to be with you forever!"
From that day on, I had some of the happiest days of my life.
I got to eat little cakes I never got to have before.
Mom stopped working all those jobs and started spending more time with me.
Back then, I naively wished that things could stay this way forever.
Until everything changed.
Thinking about all this, I blinked back the bitterness in my eyes.
I looked my dad right in the eye.
"Mr. Tyler, what will it take for you to finally let us go?" I asked.
As soon as I finished speaking, the air went dead silent.
My dad's eyes were clouded with something I couldn't read. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice low and heavy.
"I want to see Betty," he said.
That one sentence made me burst out laughing.
Seven years, and now he suddenly has the guts to mention Mom.
I laughed so hard, tears pricked the corners of my eyes.
My dad frowned at me like I was crazy. "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at you, of course," I replied.
I wiped the tears from my eyes, hatred burning in my gaze.
I said, "Mom's dead. You were the one who killed her seven years ago."