Chapter 3

I gave her one last chance.

If she admitted her mistake now, even a hint of remorse, maybe there'd be a tiny sliver of hope left for our relationship.

But Mom reacted like a cornered cat, her voice skyrocketing. "How did you learn to lie like this, child? Everyone, judge for yourselves! I'm a grown woman, I've seen it all. Would I really steal a lollipop?"

As she spoke, she poked my forehead with that look of intense disappointment, as if frustrated with my failure. "Have I starved you or deprived you of anything? To make you embarrass me like this in public!"

I didn't give her another chance to perform, nor did I soften.

I spoke clearly, my voice not loud, but enough for everyone around, craning their necks to watch the drama, to hear every word.

"Mommy, that little green onion in your pocket? You secretly added a more expensive garlic to the bag after it was weighed."

Mom's face stiffened.

I then pointed to the hair clip on her head: "And that hair clip you're wearing? You took it from the shelf, ripped off the price tag when no one was looking, and just put it on."

A suppressed gasp rippled through the onlookers.

Mom's lips trembled, unable to utter a single word.

In a fit of rage, she raised her hand and slapped me.

Smack! The crisp sound echoed, and my cheek stung with a fiery pain.

That entire corner of the grocery store fell silent.

"Oh, my goodness! How can you, a mother, hit a child?!" An older neighbor, with permed hair, couldn't stand it. She immediately pulled me behind her. "If a child says something wrong, you can teach them, but hitting them? What kind of behavior is that?"

"Exactly! We all saw it. This child is speaking facts, with solid reasons. You're hitting her because you're guilty, aren't you?"

The cashier's face darkened, and she directly pressed the call button. "Manager, security, we have someone here stealing and hitting a child. Please come handle this!"

Mom completely panicked. Seeing the disdainful looks from everyone and the security guards approaching, she could only grit her teeth, pay for all the items, and was slapped with a hefty fine.

After that incident, Mom's facade of an honest, hardworking woman completely crumbled among the neighbors. She had to behave for a while, even specially buying imported baby formula through a proxy shopper for me, putting on a show of a loving mother, terrified I'd blurt out more truths.

But late at night, when all was quiet, Mom would pierce me with eyes burning with venom, as if I were her mortal enemy.

Her suppressed rage finally found an outlet at Aunt Sarah's wedding.

This time, she went big.

At the wedding, I wore a beautiful princess dress, carrying the ring box as a flower girl.

But just before we were to walk down the aisle, I opened the velvet box, and it was empty.

The rings were gone.

Before I could even panic, Mom's shrill wail echoed through the entire backstage area.

"Oh my God! Lily! You... how could you steal your Aunt Sarah's rings!"

She snatched the empty box from my hands, rushed to the front of everyone, tears flowing instantly, beating her chest dramatically. "You've completely disgraced your mother! How dare you lay hands on something so valuable?!"