When I Became A Billionaire, I Was Abandoned By My Family1
A few years ago, I invested in an old, run-down apartment, and now it's been demolished for redevelopment. Overnight, I became a billionaire.
I called my mom and told her I'd be home soon.
She asked why I was coming back so suddenly.
Half-jokingly, I said, "Business isn't doing well. I went bankrupt."
She was silent on the other end of the line for a while before she finally responded with a simple "Okay."
When I got home, I rang the doorbell for a long time, but the person who answered was a complete stranger.
After asking around, I found out that my younger brother had won 20 million in the lottery, and he and my mom had moved out a long time ago. They kept it a secret.
Under the scorching sun, I followed the directions I was given and finally found a standalone duplex villa.
As I approached the door, I overheard my brother complaining, "The sun is so hot. Why are we rushing to deposit money in a fixed term? It's making me dizzy!"
Mom replied, "It's for your future wedding. Nancy's business failed. Are you planning to give the money back to her?"
"Pfft... isn't it natural for a sister to give to her brother?" my brother retorted with self-righteousness.
"Exactly, after all, she's going to get married, and even if she takes the money back, it'll just go to someone else's family."
***
I stood still, the sun beating down mercilessly, yet I felt a chill deep in my bones.
Maybe it was because I had walked too far.
My body and mind were utterly exhausted.
My eyes were sweating from the heat—it was just too hot.
But it's okay. My younger sister is closest to me. She would always be on my side no matter what.
I stood there for a long time. Then my mom came out with the trash and ran into me.
She had a hint of surprise on her face, but in the next second, she quickly forced a smile, "When did you get here? Why didn't you call?"
"I did call, but you didn't answer," I replied coldly.
Mom put down the trash and led me inside, explaining, "We just moved here, there's a lot to do, and I forgot to tell you. But I know you're always smart, so I figured you'd find your way here."
She opened a new pair of disposable slippers for me from a collection of styles in the shoe cabinet.
"You've eaten, right? Today your brother and I were out running errands, so we didn't cook."
"Yeah," I responded blandly.