Chapter 2

Getting the truth from them was impossible.

I'd have to see for myself.

After thinking it over, I called my parents first.

I'd been out of touch with them too much these past years.

I learned about family news very slowly.

I only found out about Ina's wedding right before the ceremony.

With this thought, I dialed my parents' number.

They answered instantly. It was very noisy on their end.

I could only hear my mom repeatedly saying "hello" and "hello."

Seemed like she couldn't hear me clearly.

Finally finding a quiet place, her first words were, "You need to come early for Ina's wedding—they want you to be the witness!"

Witness?

Hearing those words and thinking of that family's disgusting behavior made my scalp crawl.

I briefly asked how Leo and Ina got together.

"They've been together for a while now. Started dating three years ago around Christmas. Leo's pretty good."

"He's bought us quite a few things over the years, and he's taken good care of Ina too."

"She's pregnant now... We figured they should really get married, so we discussed having them do it first."

Pregnant?

The words "Leo is my ex-boyfriend who died before I could bring him home" got stuck in my throat.

Both my mom and I fell silent for a moment.

My mom probably didn't know what to say to me.

But she didn't want to hang up either, since I so rarely called.

At this moment, my mom asked, "You can't come back again?"

I laughed awkwardly. "I'll come back. I definitely will."

After hanging up, my heart felt heavy.

But I still packed my things, planning to go back for the weekend.

For the sake of that child, I'd hold off on digging up Leo's grave.

With this thought, I systematically canceled all the membership cards, fixed deposits, and personal pension plans I'd set up for Leo's parents.

As the money returned to my account bit by bit, I realized how much I'd spent over these three years.

Just as I submitted the last refund request, Leo's parents finally couldn't take it anymore.

They called one after another.

I didn't answer any of them, and finally just blocked them.

I also stopped paying the mortgage. From today on, Leo's family wouldn't get another cent from me.

After finishing everything, I collapsed into bed.

It was the middle of the night when sudden knocking at my door woke me. I checked the video doorbell.

It was Leo's parents, so furious their eyebrows practically flew off their faces.

I ignored them. They knocked louder and louder, attracting the property management's attention.

Eventually they were forcibly escorted away by security.

The next morning, I woke up and checked my phone to find several missed calls from my parents.

I quickly called them back.

On the other end, my parents were crying. "We agreed to give the gift money before the wedding, but Leo's parents are saying they want to cancel the wedding because they don't have money."

"Ina's already showing, and it's too late for an abortion."

"We can't reach Leo either. Ina's so upset she's been hospitalized."

My parents cried even harder as they spoke. I immediately stopped them.

"Wait. There's definitely more to this. You'd better tell me everything honestly."

Only then did my parents reluctantly tell me the truth.

"When Ina first started dating Leo, your dad and I didn't approve. Then Leo tricked Ina into going to another city with him. We just found out yesterday that Ina had already given birth to one child there. Now this pregnancy has some issues with the prenatal checkup, and Leo's family is saying they don't have money, won't hold the wedding, won't get the marriage license!"