Chapter 2

Urma was not done with her tirade yet.

"Look at you now. Nancy gave us the money because she loves us, but you're shameless enough to ask for it back! Why are you such a leech? Well, Harvey's about to get married. We're giving him the 200 thousand as a down payment on a house for him and his future wife. You won't be getting a single penny from me!"

The call was cut off.

Austin froze in shock. Did Urma not understand a word he said?

"Austin! Have you gone mad?" Nancy grabbed Austin by the collar frenziedly. "How could you do that? Is it so wrong of me to give money to my parents?"

Feeling defeated, Austin stared at Nancy with reddened eyes and asked, "Is my mother's life worth less than a down payment for your brother's new house to all of you?"

"You're full of bullshit!"

Nancy released Austin and began to throw everything in the living room she could get her hands on.

In mere seconds, the living room was a mess.

Sitting on the couch, Nancy whimpered, "Austin, you heartless man! Why did I even marry you? How much money have you wasted on your mother? You're forcing me to live a life of poverty with you. Even our house is a rental!

"Have you ever cared about me? Harvey is my younger brother, which means he's yours too. He's about to get married. As his older sister, is it so wrong of me to help him out a little?"

"Help him out a little?" Austin repeated.

Fuming, he snarled, "In the three years we've been married, how many times have you helped that useless Harvey? He's just a good-for-nothing who wastes all his time on frivolities and relies on his parents to support him! You and your entire family have spoiled him rotten!"

"You're not allowed to say that about him!" Nancy threatened Austin with a menacing glare.

Austin sneered, "And why not? During college, he got someone pregnant. I was the one who forked out the money to smooth things over. When he wanted to buy a car, I was the one who paid for it. How much money have I given your family over the last three years?

"You're the one who doesn't care about our family! You spend all our money to support your brother!"

"Shut up!" Nancy screamed like a child throwing a tantrum. "What do you mean by that, huh? Are you trying to ruin our marriage?"

"You and your family want to use the money that can save my mother's life to buy a house for that useless Harvey. You guys show no concern for my mother's life. You're the one who's ruining our marriage!" Austin retorted.

Shrugging his shoulders, he declared with a stoic expression, "Let's get a divorce!"

Nancy was stupefied. "W-What did you say?"

In their three years of marriage, Austin had never used that tone of voice with her before.

"Let's get a divorce," Austin repeated. "It must've been so hard on you to be married to me. You've suffered so much. I'm not good enough for you. I'm unable to support you and your entire family."

When he finished speaking, he turned and left.

He was not the type to hesitate over making his mind up. In the last three years, he'd done his best to compromise and give in because Nancy had chosen to marry him when she had a better choice. Plus, she did seem to care about him.

But this time, he could not take it anymore.

Once Austin left the house, Nancy finally snapped out of her shock.

Flustered, she called Urma and sobbed, "Mom … Austin wants to get a divorce."

"How dare that bastard ask for a divorce?" Urma shrieked. "Well, so be it! He's just a penniless loser anyway! How dare he be so arrogant? In any case, the last 200 thousand is with us now. Since he wants a divorce, give him one! Let him and his half-dead mother cry in misery together."

…

Meanwhile, after leaving the house, Austin walked along the streets aimlessly.

The rain was still falling, and soon, he was soaked.

He scratched his head in frustration as he stepped into a puddle.

All he could think about was money. Why was money the root of all problems?

Now that he had a falling out with the Welch family, how was he going to get 200 thousand to save his mother?

Just then, a Rolls-Royce Phantom came to a halt beside Austin.

The window came down, and an old man dressed in a three-piece suit looked at Austin with a faint smile.

"You're Mr. Austin Campbell, right? Please get in, sir. Come with me to Legacy Hospital."

Sir?

Confused, Austin stared at the elderly man in a daze.

Still smiling gently, the elderly man said, "Your mother is currently undergoing liver transplant surgery."