At 3:00 a.m., the living room finally fell quiet.

Zach returned to his room on the second floor.

The one next to his—that should be the one prepared for me, right?

The decorating style was exactly my taste.

And all those cartoon characters I'd mentioned from childhood to adulthood had become plush toys.

They surrounded the entire bed, waiting quietly.

Mom picked up her phone, brows furrowed slightly, and sent me another voice message.

"Ellie, why haven't you replied yet?"

"You're not answering your phone either—are you mad at Mom and Dad?"

Her tone softened, a little helpless. "Mom and Dad are doing this for your own good."

"Since you were little, we made you feel like things were hard at home because we wanted you to understand the value of hardship, so you'd properly cherish the life you have now."

"But it's okay. After you wake up, reply to Mom, okay?"

She put down her phone and sighed.

"This kid—she used to be so sensible. Why is she being so stubborn this time?"

Dad leaned back on the couch and rubbed between his eyebrows.

"I thought she'd really grown up and could understand our good intentions. Looks like we still haven't disciplined her enough."

At 10:00 a.m., Mom checked her phone again.

My chat window was still silent.

She dialed several calls in a row. All unanswered.

"That's not right. Ellie's never been like this."

She was uneasy.

"What else could it be?" Dad's face darkened. "Her wings have hardened!"

"With twenty million in hand, she probably thinks the bitter days are over and the sweet days have come—too busy enjoying herself to bother!"

"No way, right?"

Mom hesitated and started flipping through her contacts.

She called my team lead at the company.

"Hello, is this Gabriel? I'm Eleanor Abbott's mom. Would it be convenient to let her answer the phone?"

Gabriel gave a bitter smile. "She didn't come in today, and she didn't ask for leave. We've been wondering too. Can't get through no matter how many times we call."

After hanging up, Mom's expression turned ugly.

She and Dad exchanged a look; suspicion and disappointment spread through the air.

"Didn't go to work?"

Dad sneered, confirming his own guess.

"Looks like she was dazzled by that twenty million and doesn't even want her job anymore. She really is my good daughter!"