“Jenny, I hate this! I hate that I didn’t listen to
you!”
“I wish it was you I was marrying…” He
suddenly looked at me with deep affection.
I just smiled.
Ronnie approached, linking her arm through
his.
The affection on Harry’s face was replaced by
disgust, but he didn’t shake her off publicly.
“Congratulations, may you live happily ever
after.”
I meant it.
く
“I won’t let that little bitch get away with this!
Jenny, just you wait, I’ll make her give up her
place for you!”
I offered no comment.
No one saw me off on my departure day.
I took one last look at the land that gave me
both hope and pain, wondering when I’d
return.
As I turned, a familiar figure appeared.
Simon.
I nodded politely.
He nodded back.
That was the extent of our relationship,
almost nonexistent.
But as I boarded the plane, he suddenly
asked, “Just letting them off that easily?”
“There’s a gate to hell called ‘sudden
wealth‘…”
Dealing with the Johnsons was easy.
But the Harrisons, with their wealth and
influence, were a different story.
Without the Johnsons weighing them down,
how would they ever see the depths of hell?
“Looks like I’ll have to distance myself from
my brother’s family.”
My scalp tingled.
Did he know my intentions?
But when I cautiously glanced at him, he was
calmly reading a book.
Yes, the CEO of Universe Corp., sitting in
economy class, right next to me.
On my graduation day, he attended my
ceremony.
And brought me news.
“Your father gambled away two hundred
million dollars. The Harrisons emptied their
accounts and still couldn’t pay it all back.
Harry filed for divorce from Ronnie. In a fit of
L
rage, Ronnie blew up the Harrison mansion…”
I gasped.
After a long pause, I asked, “Who survived?”
“Your mother, Theresa, took Ronnie’s
daughter, Tiffany, to the park.”
He paused, then added reluctantly, “Harry is
missing…”
I nodded indifferently. “Thank you for telling
me.”
“Don’t you want to say something?”
I turned to him with a smile. “I have a small
heart, only big enough for the people I love,
and the people who love me.”
L
I returned to the States eight years later.
I’d established a foundation to help orphaned
and underprivileged children, donating
millions annually.
During a visit to the foundation’s office, I saw
a stooped, familiar figure at the entrance.
“Please, sir, Tiffany hasn’t had meat in days!”
“Aren’t you supposed to help orphans? Why
won’t you help my poor granddaughter?”
“Yeah! You should give us money! I want a
burger, fries, fried chicken… I want to learn
piano and dance! I’ll be somebody someday!
You should be nice to me now!”
The staff were speechless.
<
The elderly woman not only didn’t think her
granddaughter was wrong, she actually
encouraged her. “Did you hear that? My
granddaughter will be successful someday!
Don’t look down on her just because she’s a
girl! She’ll be better than any boy! Don’t
discriminate against girls! I’ll sue you for
sexism!”
I walked up and said softly behind the
stooped woman, “Mrs. Johnson…”
She flinched, turning slowly, mechanically.
Her eyes widened in terror, as if she’d seen a
ghost.
“This is my foundation. How much money do
you want?”
She scrambled away, pulling Tiffany with her.
“Stay away from her! Stay away from her!
She’s a devil!”
A devil?
Yes!
If Tiffany dared to cross me, I’d send her to
hell too!
My dear mother finally realized that.
“Jenny, I’ll wait for you outside.”
After my visit, as I left the building, Simon’s
car pulled up.
“Let’s go, I’ll take you to dinner.”
<
I sat in the passenger seat, admiring the
dramatic changes in my once–familiar
homeland.
I couldn’t help but sigh.
As we reached the hotel, I saw a man
rummaging through the trash.
He was tall, and though his face was covered
in stubble, he looked young.
I wondered what brought him to this,
scavenging for food.
I handed him a hundred–dollar bill.
“Get a good meal and find a decent job.”
He froze staring at me
<
“Get a good meal and find a decent job.”
He froze, staring at me.
His hand trembled as he took the money, but
he didn’t say a word of thanks.
“Jenny, let’s go.” Simon extended his hand.
I took it and stepped towards him.
As we rode the glass elevator, the man was
still looking in our direction.
“Do you think we know him?” I wondered.
Simon said, “Just someone irrelevant.”
