Reclaiming My Legacy

Chapter 2 The Money Game

Oddly enough, his attempt to create discord between Cecilia and me was all about fattening his wallet.

His greedy plan was to pocket a hefty sum from both sides – playing us against each other for profit.

Seeing my distressed face, Leo's irritation was plain. With a slightly raised voice, he proclaimed, "Mom, no matter what, Cici has just given birth to the Scott family's first grandchild.

"If you can't lend a hand physically, the least you could do is support financially.

"The bitterness during post-baby months can last a lifetime. Do you really want Cici to be mad at you forever?"

Fighting back tears, I composed myself and asked Leo, "How much are you thinking?"

A flicker of triumph crossed Leo's face, quickly hidden. Clearing his throat, he replied, "What do you say to $100,000?"

I locked eyes with Leo for a heartbeat, then I nodded and smiled, "No problem."

Leo and his father, Caleb Scott, exchanged a knowing glance, victory written all over their faces.

$100,000 would be sliced up, 70% landing in Leo's pocket, and 30% sliding into Caleb's.

As a token gesture, they would toss Cecilia a paltry $3,000. Meanwhile, they would waltz off with the cash, leaving me to take the fall.

Caleb even clasped my hand, laughter twinkling in his eyes.

"Katherine, I worried back then, since you didn't hit it off with my mother, you might give Cici a hard time.

"But offering $100,000 right at the start for post-birth care? That's something!

"If Cici ever turns ungrateful, I'll be the first to step in!"

A wave of sarcasm washed over me. I recalled the year I tumbled down the stairs, badly injuring my tailbone.

After a struggle, I had managed to call Caleb for help, only to hear him preoccupied with a game of cards, snapping, "It's just a fall. You won't die! Katherine, now it's your turn to endure hardships like my mother did back then!"

I crumpled onto the steps, waves of agony distorting my vision. Caleb's accusations were like sharp daggers piercing my soul, leaving it in tatters.

He was the one who refused to heed his mother's desperate cries that fateful night, yet I was branded the villain for her demise.

I vividly remember her funeral day. Caleb was a broken man beside the coffin, his sobs echoing a deep-seated anguish, "Mom, I had no idea Katherine had blocked your calls. I swear, I didn't know. If only your call had reached me, I would've moved heaven and earth, braved any storm to be there and save you!"

His heart-wrenching laments painted me as the antagonist, the one who had supposedly driven her to her deathbed.

Back then, my relatives tied my hands, forcing me to kneel before her grave, showering me with their contempt and maledictions.

"Marrying an unworthy woman will bring calamity upon future generations."

They proclaimed me the root cause of the Scott family's miseries, begging Caleb to sever our marriage.

But Caleb held onto me, refusing to let go, his face streaked with tears.

"I've already lost my mother. I can't let Leo lose his too."

The guilt surrounding my mother-in-law's death haunted me for years, but Caleb's unwavering faith urged me to invest all my efforts into our family.

When Cecilia wed Leo, I was haunted by the fear of repeating past familial errors, so I treated her with tremendous respect and care.

Despite my efforts, our relationship withered, gradually freezing over.

Eventually, Cecilia's disdain for me grew so intense that she vowed never to be part of my life again.

Yet, when death claimed me, she was the sole visitor by my side.

Even then, the reasons eluded me. I couldn't fathom why I never mastered the intricate dance of in-law dynamics, why both my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law held such bitter feelings towards me.