Reclaiming My Legacy

Chapter 5 The Unfading Grudge

"I'll never forget today for the rest of my life!"

I knitted my brows in contemplation. Even though I hadn't handed Leo any cash this time around, he seemed awash with funds. How could he allow his wife, who just had a baby, to survive on meager scraps like cold bread?

When they tied the knot, Cecilia incessantly raised the stakes for their wedding expenses. The initial $120,000 she quoted eventually ballooned to $280,000.

Though it irked me, I grudgingly handed over the full amount.

Leo may be a scoundrel, but surely her health shouldn't fall by the wayside, should it?

A daunting truth dawned on me, making my heart sink. No doubt, the money had lined Leo and Caleb's pockets.

Nauseating dread twisted my stomach into knots. Swiftly checking out of the hotel, I hailed a cab straight to Leo's residence.

Cecilia's face fell the moment she swung the door open, and her voice was ice-cold as she queried, "Didn't you force Leo to embark on that trip? Why have you darkened my doorstep? I'm making myself clear. Don't expect another cent from me!"

I inhaled deeply, pushing down the acrid taste of betrayal that bubbled up inside me.

Once before, my daughter-in-law handled my affairs, saving me from being an unfulfilled spirit.

Now that she was drowning in postpartum woes and desperately needed an anchor, even though I vowed to keep out of the Scott family's endless trouble, I couldn't stand idly by while she was left high and dry.

Her accusations were drenched in irony, and it crashed over me like a mocking wave. So, Leo's excuse for milking Cecilia's finances was that I required money for an escapade?

In a raspy voice, I posed the question, "Just how much has Leo siphoned from you?"

Tears welled up in Cecilia's eyes immediately. With one arm cradling the baby, she trembled slightly and managed to stammer, "My parents gave me $110,000. Now, all that remains is the baby's nest egg…"

Her sentence halted abruptly as her phone jangled to life. Leo's name kept flickering across the screen.

About to answer, I gently clasped Cecilia's hand and murmured, "Let's keep my presence under wraps."

Though puzzled, Cecilia nodded in understanding. She answered the call, and Leo's frantic voice cut through the air, "Honey, what took you forever to pick up? I need you to send me some cash right away! My mom was in a horrible accident while traveling. She's in the ICU now! Things aren't looking good with her. I'm going to be tied up here for a while. Please, take care of yourself."

I stood there, absorbing Leo's fabrications with disbelief, my gaze dripping with sarcasm.

Cecilia just stared at me, her face blank with shock. She gasped, but quickly found her voice, whispering, "But I just gave Katherine all my money for her trip..."

Leo cut her off, irritation lacing his voice, "You've got that baby fund, don't you? Use that! Cici, I have only one mom. Don't make me despise you for not saving her!"

How utterly ludicrous and cruel that all was!

Cecilia's hand shook as she held the phone, struggling to grasp why the man she had trusted would betray her so.

Ignoring the needs of his own newborn, he was pressuring her to deplete her last resources.

The sight of Cecilia's ashen face and her wavering stance tugged painfully at my heart.

No wonder she harbored such resentment towards me in our last life. Had I been in her place, I might have harbored the same bitterness.

As Leo's voice continued to urge Cecilia to transfer the money, I took the phone from her grip, my voice turning icy, "Leo, whose critical condition are you referring to here?"