Mom—who's always had sky-high standards for quality of life—waved her hands dismissively.

"What nonsense is that? I'm your mother. You're raising a kid alone right now—if I don't look after you, who will?"

"We're family. Don't talk like that. It makes us sound like strangers."

Vivian smiled softly.

"Actually, I could hire a postpartum nanny too. There are plenty of affordable ones now."

Mom pretended to be annoyed.

"My granddaughter, taken care of by some stranger? You want me to lose sleep?"

The next second, all three of them stopped laughing.

Their gazes landed on my face at the same time.

"Alex? Why are you here?"

"Alex? If you were coming, why didn't you say anything?"

"Listen, your dad will explain. It's not what you think. Your mom, she—"

Panic flashed across both my parents' faces.

Only Vivian had something else in her eyes—calculation, and smug satisfaction. Like she'd expected this all along.

I cut them off with a mocking smile.

"The apartment I helped Vivian find—can't I stop by?"

"You were saying the baby would be left with a nanny. I wasn't comfortable with that, so I figured—raising one kid, raising two, what's the difference? Thought I'd come check in."

"Didn't realize I'd be interrupting."

Dad's explanation died in his throat.

Mom jumped in urgently. "No, it's not what you think."

"Then what is it?"

"The postpartum nanny had a family emergency and took leave. I didn't want you to worry, so I didn't mention it. I was planning to come help out for a couple days before we left, so Vivian wouldn't be anxious about the baby while she's away…"

"Then what about the photo you sent me?"

Mom's face went ashen. She still couldn't come up with an excuse.

I looked her up and down.

Other than those reading glasses, everything she was wearing came from money I'd spent at the mall.

I don't know where I wronged her. Where I wronged this family.

For them to repay me like this.

I dug my nails hard into my palm. Even my breathing was shaking.

But with a baby in each arm, I couldn't even vent.

In the standoff, Vivian smiled and looped her arm through Mom's.

"Come on, it's fate. Perfect timing, actually. We were just about to leave."

"Since you're here, come with us. I'll call a car, Dad can grab the luggage, and Mom can buy Alex a ticket."

The moment she finished, my parents' eyes lit up.

"Vivian always thinks of everything. Fine, let's do that."

"That's exactly what Mom meant! I'm just bad with words—couldn't explain it earlier."

"Alex, send Mom your ID number. I'll get you a ticket."

I lowered my eyes.

"I sent it. The day I gave birth and was hospitalized."

Mom gave an awkward laugh.

"Oh right, I forgot. I'm getting old—brain's not what it used to be. Don't hold it against me."

After that, Dad went back upstairs for the luggage, and Mom started buying tickets on her phone.

Vivian walked toward me, baby in her arms.

"Alex, you really came."

I didn't respond. I just watched Mom's guilty profile.

On the payment screen, she backed out three times in a row. Still couldn't complete the purchase.

Mom let out a dry laugh.

"Alex, transfer Mom a little more for expenses. There's not enough for the tickets."

"Enough for the three of you, but when it comes to me, suddenly not enough?"

Mom's face turned cold.

"What kind of way is that to talk? Originally it was three of us, and the budget was set. Wasn't it you who insisted on coming?"

"Besides, I'm your mother. If I go traveling, isn't it only right you pay?"

I took a deep breath. My heart went completely cold.

"I've been working for years. Sending money home every month, like clockwork. All together, it's close to a million. This month I'm on maternity leave—my salary's lower, and I don't have extra to give you. So now you can't take me on a trip?"

"Where did that million go? The money I gave you—couldn't you even spare twenty thousand for me?"

"Vivian hasn't worked a single day since graduation. You paid her rent, covered her living expenses—but when it comes to me, suddenly there's nothing?"

"Just because I have a salary, I deserve to be bled dry?"

My voice rose with each question.

What I got in return was a slap across the face from my mom.

"How dare you! I'm your mother! Is this how you speak to your elders!"

Other residents in the complex stopped to watch.

The more Mom thought about it, the angrier she got. She lunged forward, ready to keep hitting me.

I shielded my son with one arm and stood my ground.

Vivian sidled over, putting on a show of apologizing.

"Alex, don't be like this. Mom didn't mean it that way. You're her daughter—can't you just back down? We're all adults now. Don't make Mom angry again."

I hitched my son higher on my hip and slapped her across the face with my free hand.

"I'm talking to my mom. This has nothing to do with you."

The next second, Vivian's eyes welled up. She dropped to her knees and started kowtowing frantically.

"I was wrong, I know I was wrong. I'll never talk to Mom and Dad again. I won't let them help me anymore. Don't be mad—I'm leaving right now..."

Her forehead split open, blood trickling down, and the baby in her arms started wailing.

Mom rushed forward to shield her.

"How dare you! What right do you have to speak to my daughter like that! I'll take care of my daughter if I want to—what's it to you!"

Someone recognized them and whipped out their phone to livestream.

The comments exploded.

"Wait, isn't this the family harassed by that shameless neighbor? What's happening?"

"That shrew IS the neighbor, isn't she? She actually showed up? How thick can someone's skin be?"

"If I got tangled up with a psycho like this, either I die or she dies! This poor woman is too kind!"

Dad came downstairs to this scene.

His eyes went red with fury.

Without asking a single question, he stormed over and slapped me.

"What did you say to my wife and daughter! Get out—get out right now! Our family doesn't welcome you! And we don't welcome that bastard you gave birth to either!"

In that instant, I remembered being little. Dad hoisting me onto his shoulders.

"Daddy, will you always be good to Alex? What happens when I grow up? I won't get to ride the airplane anymore!"

Dad laughed and spun in circles.

"Then we'll let our princess's little princess have a turn. By then, Daddy will try to age a little slower."

The memory shattered, replaced by Mom and Dad's twisted faces.

I clutched my wailing son tight.

"Fine. I'll go. But after today, I'm never coming back."

Dad picked up a rock and hurled it at my back.

"Who cares if you come back! Don't let me see your face for the rest of my life! Vivian is my daughter. You're nothing but an ungrateful wolf I could never warm up!"

The rock's edge tore through fabric and into skin. Blood seeped through.

I clenched my teeth and walked out of their sight.

Once I left the complex, I took a cab straight to a real estate agency.

I slapped the deed onto the table.

"Sell this house. Price doesn't matter. Make it fast."

Since they didn't acknowledge me as their daughter, they probably didn't want the house I paid for either.

After finalizing the terms, I contacted a lawyer.

Vivian had nothing to do with me. I could sue her to get my million back.

Three days passed in a blink. From Vivian's social media, I learned she and my parents had returned from their trip.

After getting a taste of internet fame, they'd had their fill.

But the moment the three of them walked through the front door, they froze.

Thousands of miles away, my phone exploded with notifications.