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“My daughter is my only priority. I don’t care what she’s done. So what if she stole your money? I know a dozen ways to fix this for her.” Wendy pulled a pair of sunglasses from her bag and slid them on, radiating dominance from head to toe. 

She took in the sight of Valeria, trembling with rage, and said, “If I were you, I’d take the five 

lifetime. million dollars and walk away. Let’s be real–you’ll never make that much in your From this point on, I don’t want to hear about you and Margaret ever again. 

“Whether you live or die, it’s got nothing to do with me.” 

“All these years, Grandma never stopped thinking about you. Don’t worry. Finding out you were my birth mother was the moment I lost any desire to know you. And frankly, I find it revolting,” Valeria said, her lips curled into a cold smile. 

Her words hit Wendy like a punch to the gut. Wendy’s voice cracked and sharpened; her grace was nowhere to be found. 

She spat, “You’re all a family of leeches! You ruined me! If it hadn’t been for giving birth to you, my lover and I could’ve had our own child by now, I swear. I regret it. I should’ve used every ounce of my strength I had to choke the life out of you.” 

The elegant woman before her now had red eyes, and her voice was laced with venom. 

At that moment, Wendy reminded Valeria so much of Jennifer. 

Valeria let out a bitter laugh. 

The woman standing before her felt unfamiliar, aloof, and exactly the same as she had been eight years ago, still radiating that same overbearing arrogance. 

Back then, Valeria had even given her an excuse–telling herself Wendy didn’t know Valeria was her daughter when she accused Valeria of those lies. 

That was why Wendy had been so quick to accuse her eight years ago. 

So Wendy had known all along. 

Valeria took the card and turned to leave. 

She had no reason to turn down that five million dollars to sever her bond with Wendy as mother and daughter, as well as to wipe out Margaret’s years of raising her. 

Besides, Margaret needed that money for the next stage of treatment. 

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She would never feel anything for Wendy again. Not even the faintest trace. She never had in the first place. There never would be, either. 

When Valeria returned to the ward, she told Margaret what had happened. 

Margaret took her hand as she asked, “Riri, where’s your mother?” 

With tear stains still clinging to her face, Valeria placed the card in Margaret’s hand and gripped it firmly. 

Like every kid who had grown up without a mom, Valeria had once dreamed of the day a beautiful, gentle woman would appear, pull her into a hug, and explain that leaving hadn’t been her choice. That she’d never stopped thinking about her daughter. 

In that dream, it was just the two of them, crying in each other’s arms, finally laying the past 

to rest. 

Then, Valeria said, “Grandma, let’s just forget she exists.” 

She told Margaret how much money was on the card, hoping it would ease her mind. Now Margaret wouldn’t have to worry about paying for her treatments. 

Margaret closed her eyes, and tear stains lined her weathered face as Valeria hugged her and buried her face against Margaret’s frail shoulder. 

Across from the hospital stood the rehabilitation building. There was a private ward with its 

own live–in nurse. 

That afternoon, while Margaret was napping, Valeria received a call from Grace Fellowship 

Church. 

“Ms. Carlson, our church hasn’t been doing well these past few years, and Mr. Jacobson’s health has declined. We may not be able to keep the church running much longer. You should come by to collect the item you left with us. God bless you.” 

Valeria stood at the window, letting the wide spill of sunlight pour over her. 

It was late July, and even the bright, sweltering sunlight couldn’t warm her. 

Valeria nodded absently, then she held the phone and said, “Okay.” She told them she would go to the church on Saturday. 

After hanging up, she stayed by the window for a long time. 

The sunlight shone on her back as she slowly slid down the wall. Every time she thought about the child she had lost, her whole body felt cold. 

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Time seemed to stand still in the room, broken only by Margaret’s occasional murmurs in her 

sleep.