Two Dollars and a Fortune

When my mother won a million dollars from a lottery ticket, she prepared an envelope for each of her three children.

After we opened them, my younger brother and younger sister each found a bank card inside.

But from my envelope, two 1-dollar coins clinked onto the floor.

Seeing me freeze, a trace of unease flickered across Mother's face.

"Cassian," she said hesitantly, "Logan and Sienna suffered a lot growing up because your father passed away so early. So I gave each of them 500 thousand dollars as compensation.

"You're the eldest sonlike a father to them. Don't fight with them over this, okay?"

I glanced down at the faded down jacket I had worn for years, the fabric so worn that it had lost its color.

Then, my eyes drifted to my younger brother's limited-edition sneakers and to the designer bag slung over my sister's shoulder.

Mother seemed to have forgotten that when Father died, I had only been eight.

I smiled faintly.

"Alright. I won't fight them for it."

Hearing this, Mother let out a long breath of relief.

The next second, my voice turned cold.

"Then I won't fight for the responsibility of supporting you in your old age either."

Chapter 1

"Cassian, what do you mean by this? Over just a million dollars, you're going to cut ties with me?"

Mother's eyes were red, her voice trembling.

"Mom, I'm not cutting ties," I said calmly. "It's just that from now on, the three of us will split all your expensesliving costs, medical bills, medication, everything.

"From now on, we'll take turns looking after you. You are a treasure for all three of us. I can't possibly keep all that blessing to myself."

The reflection from the coins on the floor stabbed at my eyes as I spoke.

Mother grew anxious.

"How can that work?! Your brother and sister would be exhausted!"

"What's so exhausting about it? I'll bring your luggage over tomorrow. Four months at each housethat makes a full year."

When she realized I wasn't joking, Mother became even more flustered.

"They're still young. How would they know how to take care of someone?"

Logan was thirty this year, and Sienna twenty-eight. Yet in Mother's eyes, they were still children. But the year Father died, I had already been treated like an adult.

Mother continued anxiously, "My stomach isn't good. I need soup every morning. Sienna has to take care of her husband and childrenhow would she have time to cook for me?

"And I have a brace in my leg. I have to go for a checkup every Monday. What if that makes Logan late for work?

"And there's my diabetes. I have to inject insulin every day. How would they know how to do that?"

"Besides, which part of medicine and doctor visits doesn't cost money? Their salaries aren't as high as yourshow could they afford it?"

A mocking smile curled at the corner of my lips.

So Mother had always known everything my wife and I had done for her.

But because it was us, it simply didn't matter.

"If they don't know, they can learn," I said. "Now that they each have 500 thousand dollars, they won't mind spending a little of it."

My brother, Logan Harper, immediately slammed the table in protest.

"Why should we, Cassian?! Mom's been living perfectly fine at your house. What right do you have to make the two of us support her?!"

I looked at him coldly.

"Because you're her children too."

Logan's face flushed red, but he still refused to back down.

"That's different! You're the eldestyou're supposed to shoulder more responsibility! Cassian, you're just jealous. Jealous that Mom gave the prize money to us! It's Mom's money. She can give it to whoever she wants. You have no say in it!"

I let out a cold laugh.

"Where do you think the money for Mom's lottery tickets came from?"

Mother had no pension. Ever since I started working, I'd given her $2,500 a month for living expenses.

She used that money to buy lottery tickets almost every day. Whatever was left, she would occasionally pass on to the two of them. Everyone knew it, even if no one said it aloud.

"S-So what?" Logan stammered. "Once you give it to Mom, it's hers! She can spend it however she likes!"

The two coins on the floor seemed even more glaring now, as if they were mocking everything I had once given.

What I cared about was never the money. It was this naked favoritismand the humiliation that came with it.

"Cassian, you're really being stingy," my younger sister, Sienna Harper, said with a pout, her face full of dissatisfaction.

"You earn a lot, so money isn't a problem for you. It's not like Logan and mewe only make a few thousand a month. You and Vivian could earn a million dollars back in a year. Why bother arguing with us over it?

"Besides, you have money. What's wrong with spending a little more on Mom? You're the eldest, after all!"

I was so angry I almost laughed.

"I'm the eldestnot the family's sucker! If you don't like it, we can settle this in court!"

Smack!

Before the words had even faded, a sharp slap rang out.

Chapter 2

The room fell silent in an instant.

Mother's arm trembled slightly as it dropped to her side. The look she gave me was filled with disappointment.

"Cassian, when did you become so selfish?

"When your father passed away, he specifically told you to take good care of Logan and Sienna. And now, look at youover a million dollars, you want to drag them into court! Are you trying to anger me to death?"

Mother grew more and more emotional as she spoke. Sienna hurriedly handed her a glass of water.

My right cheek still burned from the slap. I stared at Mother, unwilling to back down.

"Mom, I'm your child too! I only want fairness!"

My eyes reddened as the words forced their way out, carrying years of pent-up grievance.

Logan let out a sneer.

"Cassian, how old are you now? Why are you still acting like a kid who didn't get his candy? Fairness? Didn't Mom give you twenty cents? What are you still making a fuss about?"

Sienna quickly chimed in.

"Exactly! Cassian, why are you being so childish? I think you just dislike Mom and are deliberately looking for an excuse to drive her away! Was this something you and Vivian planned all along? Cassian, how can you be so heartless?"

Logan angrily added, "That's right, Cassian. You keep talking about how well you treat Mom, but who knows how much she's suffered at your house? Otherwise, why would Mom give all the money to the two of us?"

Fury surged through me. I forced the words out through clenched teeth.

"Mom, have you suffered at my house?"

Mother's gaze shifted away. She turned her head and said nothing.

Seeing this, Logan thought he had caught me in a lie and immediately looked smug.

"Cassian, let me tell you something. Mom's staying at my place tonight. Tomorrow, you will bring Vivian over to apologize to Mom and personally take her back. Otherwise, I'll go to the police station and report you for elder abuse!"

At that moment, whatever hope I had left completely died. I spoke coldly, "Fine. I'll be waiting."

With that, I turned and walked out.

On the drive home, tears blurred my vision.

The humiliation of those two coins, the sting of the slapnone of it hurt as much as Mother's silence while they twisted the truth.

At last, I understood. From the day Father died, Mother had only two children: Logan and Sienna.

When I got home, I quietly went to Mother's room. I pulled out a suitcase and began packing her things.

My wife, Vivian Langston, saw what I was doing and looked puzzled.

"Why did you come back alone? Where's Mom?"

My hands paused for a moment as I folded the clothes, but I answered calmly, "Mom plans to stay at Logan's place for a while. She asked me to bring her clothes over."

A trace of worry flickered across Vivian's face.

"Mom needs insulin injections every day, and diabetic meals have to be prepared separately. Does your brother really have the patience for that?

"And every Monday, someone has to take her to the hospital to check her leg. Will he have time?"

My wife kept talking, her words full of concern for Mother.

My nose stung.

If Vivian knew that after caring for her mother-in-law so attentively, she was now being accused of abusing the elderly, who knew how much it would hurt her?

"Don't worry about it," I said softly. "I already told Logan. From now on, the three of us will take turns looking after Mom."

My wife froze. After all, Mother had lived with us for seven years. Not once had Logan or Sienna ever suggested taking her in themselves.

"Cassian, what happened? Tell me."

At last, Vivian sensed something was wrong and kept pressing me for the truth.

Seeing that I couldn't hide it anymore, I finally told her everything.

After listening, she remained silent for a long time. Then she walked over and began packing the suitcase with me.

When we finished, Vivian brought over a thick stack of receipts.

"Didn't he say he's going to report us to the police?" she said. "These are all the records from the hospital visits I took Mom to. And these are the bank transfer records showing the money we sent her every year."

At that moment, her calmness was almost frightening.

I took the documents and stayed up all night organizing them into spreadsheets and printing everything out.

Early the next morning, I called a same-city courier and had them deliver Mother's luggagealong with the printed documentsto Logan's house.

I thought that after seeing the evidence, the three of them might at least feel a little ashamed.

Instead, the very next day, the family group chat exploded.

Chapter 3

Logan immediately @-mentioned Vivian and me in the family group chat.

Logan: [@Cassian @Vivian What do you mean by this? Why did you kick Mom out of your house?]

After sending the message, Logan posted a photo of the suitcase in the group.

Logan: [Just because Mom won a million dollars in the lottery and gave Sienna and me 500 thousand dollars each, but only gave you two dollars, you got upset and kicked her out?]

Logan: [Do you two even have a conscience?]

Right after that, the group chat erupted into a trial against me.

[Cassian, you and Vivian have gone too far! How could you treat your mother like this?!]

[The eldest son is like a father. Isn't it your responsibility to help your younger siblings? Why are you being so stingy?]

[Exactly! Besides, your mom still gave you two dollars, didn't she? It was at least a gesture. Why are you two making such a big deal out of it?]

Sienna quickly added her voice.

"Cassian, I know you're just unhappy that Logan and I didn't take care of Mom.

"Mom has lived with you for seven years, but her health hasn't been good during that time. Honestly, she was probably made sick by the stress you caused.

"Since it happened under your roof, shouldn't you be the ones responsible to the end?"

Watching the two of them twist the truth so brazenly made my entire body tremble with anger.

I was just about to post the evidence and fight back when, in the very next second, Vivian and I were removed from the family group chat.

Just then, my phone rang.

"Are you okay, honey?"

My wife's voice sounded steady, as if nothing that had just happened had affected her at all.

I gradually calmed down.

"I'm fine, sweetheart. Don't take what they said to heart."

"I know. It's just"

She paused.

"I already had someone come change the door locks."

Right. Mother had a key to our house. Logan and the others would definitely try to bring her back.

"I'm sorry. I just can't face them calmly right now."

I knew Vivian was doing everything she could to hold herself together.

"You did nothing wrong," I said softly. "Let's stay somewhere else for a few days."

Not long after I hung up, my phone rang againthis time more urgently.

It was Mother.

I took a deep breath and answered.

"Cassian, what's going on? Why won't the door to your house open?!"

Mother's sharp voice came through the phone, making me frown.

"Mom, since you felt wronged living in my house, from now on, you can stay with Logan and Sienna.

"I don't care about the one million dollars anymore. And as for youI don't want you either."

I spoke coldly. On the other end, Logan immediately exploded.

"Cassian, have you lost your mind?! Mom raised you all these years, and now you're cutting ties with her?!"

A cold laugh rose in my chest.

"Not just Mom. From now on, you two have nothing to do with me either."

The next second, Sienna's shrill voice cut in.

"Cassian, you're trying to dump Mom on us so you and your wife can live an easy life, aren't you?! I'm telling you right nowno way in hell am I gonna let that happen! If you insist on ruining our lives, don't expect us to let you live peacefully either!"

Facing her threat, I clenched my fists.

So, they knew perfectly well how much time and energy it took to care for an elderly parent. They had always known. Yet, not only had they never said a single word of thanks, they even accused Vivian and me without shame.

"Fine. Then none of us will have peace!"

With that, I hung up the phone.

I had finally seen the true faces of the three of them, and I no longer had any reason to endure it.

After calming myself down, I buried my head in my work again, hoping to numb myself with it.

But before long, the receptionist rushed in, looking flustered.

"Mr. Harper, something's wrong! Your brother and sister are outside the company with your mother, making a huge scene!

"They're saying you're selfish and domineering, that you bully your younger siblingsand even abuse your own mother! They're demanding that you come out and give them an explanation!"

"What?!" I shot to my feet, fury blazing in my chest, and hurried toward the door.

Chapter 4

At the company entrance, Mother was lying on a stretcher, wiping away tears.

Logan and Sienna stood beside her, holding up a banner and crying as they accused me loudly.

"Cassian, come out here! If you've got a problem, take it out on us! Why are you taking your anger out on Mom?!

"Mom worked herself to the bone raising you. To put you through school, she even stopped my sister and me from studying. And now that you've made something of yourself, you've kicked her out of the house!"

Furious, I grabbed the banner and tore it down, throwing it onto the ground.

"Logan, what nonsense are you spouting?! You were the ones who took the tuition money I gave you and spent it on going out and having fun! How is that my fault? I'm telling youif you keep slandering me, I'm calling the police!"

By now, more and more people had gathered around. Quite a few had already taken out their phones and started livestreaming.

Sienna suddenly dropped to her knees and burst into loud sobs.

"Everyone, please look! This is my so-called big brotherdomineering and unreasonable! Ever since we were little, he bullied me and Logan. If we didn't obey him, he would beat us!

"Now that he can't bully us anymore, he's started abusing our mother. Making her work as a maid for him and his wife isn't enoughthey don't even let her eat a full meal!

"My sister-in-law treats Mom like a burden. Whenever she's in a bad mood, she hits or scolds her! One time she even pushed Mom down the stairs and broke her leg!"

Hearing this, the crowd looked at me with growing anger.

My face flushed red as I shouted, "Sienna, you're lying through your teeth!"

Back then, it had been Sienna who insisted that Mother pick up her child in the rain, which caused Mother to slip and fall on the road. Now, she was dumping all the blame on us.

"Mom, tell them. Are we telling the truth or not?"

Sienna helped Mother sit up, her face filled with feigned grief as she asked.

Mother looked at me, tears streaming down her face.

"Cassian, let's not bring up the past anymore. But Mom is begging youplease don't drive me away. Ever since you were little, I've favored you and neglected your brother and sister. I've wronged them and I've wronged your father who passed away so early.

"Your brother and sister are having a hard time now. I can't go and become a burden to them."

After saying this, the three of them clutched each other and began crying as if they had suffered some tremendous injustice.

Even some of the onlookers, not knowing the truth, had tears welling in their eyes.

"Cassian, I'm not asking for much," Mother sobbed. "Just give me a bed and food. No no bed is fine. I can sleep on the floor"

I never imagined that, just to force me into submission, Mother would go this far. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my skin.

"Damn it! I can't stand watching this anymore!"

One of the men in the crowd suddenly stepped forward and punched me square in the face.

"Good! That's what you deserve! An unfilial son like you needs to be taught a lesson! That's your own mother, and you abuse her? How vicious can you be? Someone call the police!"

"Typicalgot a wife and forgot his mother! Doesn't he realize that without her, he wouldn't have anything he has today?!"

"Those poor siblings, bullied by their eldest brother! Especially the younger twowhat rotten luck to have such a heartless big brother!"

Seeing me get hit, Sienna and Logan exchanged smug looks.

Afraid of being noticed, they quickly lowered their heads and pretended to wipe away tears.

Their whispers drifted clearly into my ears.

"Mom, didn't I say this trick would work? Just watchCassian will definitely take you back this time."

"Of course. Logan, you've always been the clever one."

"Logan, after this, let's see if Cassian still dares to send Mom away so easily!"

A chill spread through my chest. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.

Then I pulled out my phone, ready to call the police.

Just then, a group of reporters carrying cameras approached in a rush.

Behind them were several police officers.

Walking in the center of the group was Vivian, carrying two large bags filled with documents.

The moment the three of them saw the crowd approaching, their expressions changed instantly.

"Viv Vivian why are you here?" Logan asked stiffly.

Vivian smiled faintly, not a trace of anger on her face.

"Mom, Logan, Siennasince things have escalated this far, I suppose we'll just have everyone here judge who's right and who's wrong."

With that, she began handing out the documents from the bags to everyone present.

Immediately, someone cried out in surprise.

"2,500 dollars? He gave her 2,500 dollars every month for living expenses?!"

"Damn! My salary isn't even 2,500 dollars a month!"