Chapter 2

I stared at my phone screen, barely remembering to breathe. In all my twenty-five years, the most money I'd ever laid eyes on was just the empty promises my old boss dangled in front of me.

"Madam, this..." I finally managed to speak, my voice dry and hoarse.

She insisted, pressing the phone back into my hand, "Take it. It's just a little gift from me. As long as you keep Morton in your thoughts, that's enough for me."

She reached up and gently wiped the tears from my face with her calloused fingertips, treating me like I was the most precious thing in the world.

She said, "From now on, think of the Parker family as your own. If you ever run out of money, just come to me. Don't cry like this anymore. Morton would feel awful if he saw you like this."

I looked into her bloodshot eyes, then glanced at Morton's face staring back at me from the tombstone.

I felt sorry for him, but this money was way more than what we budgeted for the villa.

My mind went completely blank. The news was exploding in my head over and over like a thunderclap.

I instinctively wanted to refuse and give the money back. But poverty was like a pair of mountains crushing my throat.

If I gave it back, I knew I would get kicked out by my landlord and end up on the streets.

In that moment of hesitation, Zelda Parker had already decided I'd accepted her "kindness."

The sadness on her face eased a bit, replaced by a comforted smile.

"Come on, dear. It's too cold out here. Let's go home," she said.

As she spoke, she gently pulled me by the arm and started to lead me away.

"Zelda, no, I..." I tried to pull away.

Taking the money was already more than I could handle. Going home with her was crossing a line. The truth was bound to catch up with me sooner or later.

Zelda said, her voice soft but carrying a kind of authority I couldn't argue with, "Just listen. Look at you, your cheeks are bright red from the cold. If Morton found out I left you out here alone, he'd never forgive me."

She mentioned Morton again.

Every time I tried to come clean, she'd bring up her son, and it was like some magic charm that shut me up every single time.

Zelda pulled me away from the tombstone, half dragging, half coaxing.

After a few steps, I glanced back. Morton's smile in the photo seemed almost too bright, glaring in the pale winter sunlight.

There was a black Bentley parked at the cemetery gate. The driver, dressed in a sharp suit, stepped out and opened the door.

"Mrs. Parker," the driver said respectfully.

"Leon, drive us home," Zelda said, ushering me into the back seat and sliding in right after.

The car was as warm as a spring day, and the leather seats were unbelievably soft. It was a whole different world from the subway I squeezed into every day, reeking of sweat and food.

I sat awkwardly in the corner, my hands awkwardly resting on my lap, unsure what to do with them.

Zelda took my cold hand in hers, gently wrapping her palm around mine. "I never did ask your name," she said softly.

"I'm Tasha Hampton," I replied in a low voice.

Zelda murmured, her eyes drifting out the window, lost in memories, "Tasha. That's a wonderful name. Morton used to have a cat called Tasha, too."

My heart skipped a beat.

I knew that now this misunderstanding had gone even deeper.

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that I was not the Tasha she meant.

But she kept going, "That little one was just like Morton. It seemed cold on the outside, but was softer than anyone inside. After Morton was gone, the cat wouldn't eat or drink anymore. It followed him soon after."

Her voice was thick with endless longing and sorrow.

I saw the redness in her eyes and just couldn't bring myself to say anything. I felt that it would be heartless to tell her that I was just some nobody with the same name.

The car glided smoothly down the road. Outside, the bleak suburbs gradually faded into rows of high-rises.

Before I knew it, we were winding through an exclusive neighborhood tucked away behind a wall of green trees. Every house here looked like a miniature castle.

The Bentley pulled up in front of the grandest mansion, its massive wrought-iron gates slowly swinging open.

Leon parked the car and came around to open the door for us.

"Tasha, come on, we're here. This is home now," Zelda said, giving me a gentle smile.

I got out of the car and stood in front of this huge mansion, feeling like a tiny speck. My old apartment was probably smaller than just one of their bathrooms.

"From now on, you'll live here. Make yourself at home," Zelda said, pulling me along up the steps.

The heavy wooden door swung open, revealing a housekeeper in an apron.

"Mrs. Parker, welcome back," the woman greeted.

"Mabel, this is Tasha Hampton," Zelda introduced me, then turned to me. "This is Mabel Schultz. She's been with our family for years."

"Hello, Miss Hampton," Mabel said, giving me a warm smile.

I nodded stiffly, feeling like a puppet.

Just then, an icy, aloof voice drifted down from the second floor. "Mom, who is she?"