Chapter 2

"Hmph, so you found out my real parents are rich, and now you're sucking up, aren't you? What a pathetic act!"

Only then did I realize she was holding her birthday party here tonight.

As she spoke, she yanked my bag roughly. "Where's the necklace I told you to buy?"

I snatched my bag back. "I didn't buy one."

"And I'm not here for you. I'm waiting for—"

"You didn't buy one?!" She shrieked, cutting me off. "You just came empty-handed? Are you sick or something?!"

"You're not actually trying to ruin my birthday party, are you? Just because you're alone with no children to care for you, you can't stand to see anyone else happy, right?!"

Just then, her biological mother, Victoria Sterling, sauntered over, a champagne flute in hand. "Cassie, is this your adoptive mother?"

Cassie paused, then plastered on a fawning smile. "Yes, Mom. This is my adoptive mother."

She looked at me, enunciating "adoptive mother" with biting emphasis.

Immediately, strange looks were cast my way.

"So that's her, the one who kidnapped Miss Hayes and made her suffer so much!"

"She's dressed so shabbily. She's probably here to shake them down, isn't she? These types always go for the jugular."

"Why would the Hayes family even invite her? I say just kick her out!"

"Exactly. Does she know the Hayes family is meeting Mr. Thorne for a marriage alliance today and wants a piece of the pie?"

"Hahaha, look at her, she came empty-handed. Anyone would think she's here begging for food!"

"If Mr. Thorne finds out Miss Hayes has such a classless adoptive mother, I wonder if he'll still be interested!"

Their whispers pierced my ears, but I pretended not to hear.

But "Mr. Thorne"?

Could it be Adrian, the orphan I sponsored?

How could he be involved in a marriage alliance with Cassie?

Cassie, hearing their words, panicked. She grabbed my arm. "My mom was kind enough to let you see how the other half lives, and you're just ungrateful!"

Then, her eyes fixed on my ear, she whispered, "Didn't you say those earrings were a family heirloom from your mom?"

"If they're heirlooms, they should be mine now!"

"Quickly, take them off right now, go clean them, and bring them back! Just say you forgot them earlier!"

My mother's only memento, and she wanted me to give it to her biological mother?

I forced a bitter laugh. "Cassie, I told you, I'm not here because of you."

"I'm not even in my grave yet, and you're already eyeing my possessions?"

She froze, seemingly stunned that I, who had once doted on her so much, would speak like this.

Suddenly, she lunged and yanked my earring.

A searing, tearing pain shot through my earlobe, and I cried out. "What are you doing?!"

Guests immediately crowded around.

Seeing the attention, Cassie immediately adopted a tearful, aggrieved expression. "I transferred you three hundred thousand dollars to get my mom a welcome gift... but I didn't expect you to blow it on yourself!"

"How could you do that?!"

"Now I just want you to give me back the earrings. After all, my mom's money doesn't just grow on trees!"

What...

Hearing her words, everyone's gazes turned even more scornful.

Victoria watched, not intervening, then suddenly let out a soft laugh. "Cassie, I didn't believe you, but it seems you truly were raised by someone like this."

"You've suffered so much all these years."

With that, she looked at me with an arrogant smirk, whispering in my ear, "You don't really think I invited you here to thank you, do you?"

"I just wanted to see what kind of person Cassie had to endure all those years."

"Today, you'll see what real power looks like!"

She immediately changed her expression, throwing a wad of cash in my face. "The earrings are dirty, so I don't want them."

"And this hundred thousand dollars, is that enough to sever ties between you and my daughter?"

"I wouldn't want Mr. Thorne to know that Cassie's adoptive mother is some dirty, rural woman like you."

Meeting her sneering gaze, I finally realized she hadn't genuinely invited me.

It was merely to humiliate me.

Cassie, hearing her mother, smugly linked arms with her. "Heard that? Take the money and get lost."

"Don't pollute the air in here!"

I looked at the cash on the floor, finding it utterly laughable. "Cassie, I used to give you five thousand dollars a month for pocket money. What's a hundred thousand to that?"

Her face instantly flushed crimson at my words.

The next second, she suddenly knelt before me and began to sob loudly. "Mom! Are you saying it's not enough?!"

"Please, I'm begging you! Stop hounding me for money! My parents don't owe you anything!"