Chapter 5

Three days later, to whitewash her reputation, Laura held a high-profile banquet at a luxury hotel in the city center.

She announced publicly that although her mother's interference had temporarily prevented her from going to the UK,

Mr. Osman had already arranged for her to enter a prestigious domestic academy.

The banquet hall was brightly lit.

Many of Osman's business associates attended, along with Laura's classmates.

Social media influencers she'd invited for publicity filled the hall.

I pushed open the banquet hall doors wearing old clothes, my right hand wrapped in thick bandages.

The entire venue instantly fell silent.

"Oh my god, that's the evil mother from online, right?"

"How does she have the nerve to show up? Dressed so shabby."

"Probably saw her daughter made it big and came to extort more money. So disgusting."

The guests pointed and whispered, their contempt undisguised.

Laura stood on stage in a gown.

Seeing me, a flash of triumph crossed her eyes, then she put on a wronged expression.

"Mom, what are you doing here? Haven't you hurt me enough?"

She held the microphone, her voice choking.

"But no matter how evil you are, you're still my mom."

"As long as you admit your mistake in front of everyone today, I'm willing to forgive you."

Isabella sneered from the side, stirring things up:

"Who apologizes standing up? If you're truly repentant, you should kneel and apologize to Laura!"

"Right! Kneel and apologize!"

Several people who'd been bribed started jeering from below the stage.

Just then, Osman stood up from the main table, holding documents, looking down at me condescendingly.

"Since you're here, just sign it."

Mr. Osman threw the documents on the floor in front of me.

He used a threatening tone to make me sign that notarized statement admitting to slander and severing the mother-daughter relationship.

Laura walked to the edge of the stage and threatened me in a voice only we could hear:

"If you don't sign today, I'll have my online team destroy your reputation so you can't survive in this city!"

"Sign it, and I'll give you back half the money from the passbook."

Give me back half? Using my lifeline money to threaten me?

I looked at the humiliating document on the floor, then at that face on stage that resembled mine yet looked so hateful.

I calmly bent down and picked up the pen with my left hand.

"Fine, I'll sign," I said flatly.

Laura and Isabella exchanged glances, smiles of triumph on their faces.

Mr. Osman also exhaled a satisfied puff of smoke, watching me submit.

I held the pen and walked up to the stage step by step, standing before Laura and Mr. Osman.

Then, under everyone's expectant gaze waiting for my submission,

I used both hands and tore the document in half. Then I continued tearing, shredding the document to pieces.

With a swoosh, I violently threw the handful of confetti into the shocked faces of Laura and Mr. Osman!

Paper scraps fluttered to the floor. Laura screamed:

"You crazy old woman, what are you doing?!"

"What am I doing?"

I looked at them, a cold smile curving my lips.

My voice carried through the microphone across the banquet hall:

"Laura, Osman. Did you really think that during these past few days when I didn't fight back, all I did was make one phone call to the embassy?"

As soon as I finished speaking, the guests in the hall who'd been ready to watch me humiliated looked at each other.

Everyone fell silent.

Laura paused, then covered her mouth and sneered:

"Phone calls? Who else could you call? The psychiatric hospital?!"

"You old hag, are you so traumatized you're having delusions? Everyone look, this woman's gone insane! Quick, get security to drag her out!"

Isabella beside her joined in the mockery:

"Exactly! Wearing rags to a five-star hotel pretending to be rich."

"Mr. Osman, look how pathetic she is. She's probably money-crazy and daydreaming!"

Osman crushed out his cigar, his expression dark, and barked:

"A toast refused means a forfeit drunk! Someone, hold this crazy woman down!"

"This agreement—she'll sign it whether she wants to or not!"

Two bodyguards immediately lunged toward me.

Just as Laura and the others looked triumphant,

BANG!

The banquet hall doors were pushed open from outside!