Chapter 5
1027words
“Why would I let you use my card?”
I could hear Audrey grumbling by the side.
“If you don’t have money, why are you bringing me out to shop? What a waste of my time. This is embarrassing!”
Lydia smiled awkwardly and then hissed viciously to me.
“I know you’re the one who did it. Come back and pay the bill immediately! After that, I’ll let bygones be bygones!
“I’ll also bring you along for the New Year’s!”
She sounded like she had made a great sacrifice, as if she was the one who had been wronged.
I did not want to waste my time. I said bluntly, “Lydia, listen to me, from today onwards, no one else can spend my money!
“As for you, stop calling me Mom!”
I had made my decision. I did not wait for her answer before I ended the call.
I leaned against the cab’s window and took a deep breath.
The anger I had for years finally dissipated a little.
But I knew this would not be the end of it.
They were used to taking from me. They would not give up easily.
On the other hand, my revenge on them was just only starting.
As expected, my peace only lasted a few days before a greater storm surged on.
One afternoon, I was happily taking photos with other members of the tour.
Taylor pulled me aside and carefully questioned me.
“Eleanor, do you watch any videos online?”
I shook my head.
“I’m too old to know about these trendy things.”
Taylor hesitated a little before pulling out her phone. She tapped on something and passed her phone to me.
“Have a look at this.”
On her phone screen, Lydia and Ben were crying as they complained.
The title was shocking.
[An Evil Mother Abandoned Her Own Daughter And Left With All Her Money!]
In the video, Lydia was tearing up as she sobbed.
“My husband and I feel very pressured at work, and we still have to take care of both of our parents.
“It’s one thing for my mom to not understand us, but it’s another for her to leave with all the money.
“I can’t help but recall how heartless she was when my father was ill…”
Ben nodded and sighed in agreement.
“Every household has its own issues. Eleanor is so heartless. How are we able to live with this?
“No matter how busy we were at work, we’d always visit her in the countryside.
“Now she has gone off by her merry little self on a group tour and blocked us…”
There were a few thousand people in the livestream. It was easy for the strangers online to empathize with him through his pitiful act.
[If her father knew how badly her mother was treating her, he would be turning in his grave!]
[What a despicable old woman! Isn’t she afraid that she’s going to die alone?]
[Maybe she has already found another lover, and she plans to give all her money to him!]
I felt nauseated and dizzy. I almost dropped the phone.
I had never thought that Lydia would accuse me of such despicable crimes in front of so many people over money.
They even showed my photo online.
It was a family photo that we had taken years ago.
In the photo, I looked expressionless and distant.
“This isn’t real…” I mumbled.
Taylor looked at me worriedly.
“The livestream has gone viral. A few million people have seen it, I’m afraid…”
Before she could finish talking, my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
I hesitantly answered the call. Immediately, I heard a sharp voice questioning me.
“Are you that old witch who abandoned her own daughter? Why are you so cruel? Your daughter is working so hard, and you…”
I frantically hung up the phone.
Then, I realized there were a few more missed calls from unknown numbers.
Over the next few hours, my phone was flooded by calls.
It got worse the next day. When I went out, I realized a few young people were holding their phones up, as if they were taking photos.
When I appeared, they immediately surrounded me.
“Miss Benson, why did you abandon your daughter and her family?”
“Did you actually take all the money and leave them to fend for themselves?”
…
I ended up repeating myself again and again.
“That’s not true. That’s my own money. They’re telling lies!”
But they did not seem to listen and got closer to me.
Taylor and the other members of the tour immediately rushed over and shielded me from them.
Taylor looked serious.
“They even found which tour group you’re in.
“Eleanor, this has already affected the tour and your safety.”
I sat in the car and stared at the crowd that was unwilling to leave.
I felt deeply helpless.
I had loved my daughter for half of my life.
This same daughter was telling lies and framing me over money.
At night, I followed Lydia’s tricks and started to record videos. I tried to clear my name.
Instead, I only attracted more scolding from the public.
[How dare you show your face? You should die and go to your husband!]
[What an old witch! You’re so evil!]
In the end, the social media platform banned my account due to the many comments violating its rules.
I almost broke down from all the harmful comments and harassment.
Lydia called me again.
When I answered the call, she sounded smug.
“Mom, give up fighting me. You’ve seen how it’s online. No one will side with you.
“I’m giving you one last chance. Tomorrow morning, come to the bank and reverse the procedure.
“Otherwise, I won’t know what’s going to happen.”
She thought that I would give in and give everything to her.
However, my heart had grown numb after days of torture.
I felt an eerie calm wash over me after hearing her smug threats.
My last bit of motherhood was crushed by this phone call.
“Dream on.”
Before she could say anything, I ended the call.
I did not sleep the whole night.
