The Billionaire’s Biggest Regret

5|| The New Beginning

“Where did you get this?” Mama Lin asked.

“It’s none of your business,” I muttered almost immediately because what else could I say?

There was no way in hell I was going to tell them what I’d gone through to get that money. And from the way she clutched the envelope greedily, it didn’t seem like she cared much anyway.

My father let out a low whistle and immediately reached for the money with trembling hands but Mama Lin was faster. She shoved the cash into her clothes, turning around as if daring him to try that again.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Mama Lin’s yelled so loud I’m surprised it didn’t crack. “You better sit your sorry ass back down and finish your breakfast, you sad excuse of a man!”

My father narrowed his eyes at her before angrily turning back to his seat, choosing not to argue with her. Mama Lin turned back to me, jamming her finger towards my chest.

“You should’ve been bringing home money like this from the start,” she sneered. “If you had, we wouldn’t be in this mess. We wouldn’t have to scrape around like rats.”

“Do you have any idea what I’ve had to deal with being married to your father?” she shouted, voice rising with every word. “You think this life is easy? You think raising this family on nothing is fun for me?! Huh!”

She yelled so loudly I took a step back, pressing a hand to my forehead as the sound drilled into my skull.

“I don’t care what you think,” I said. “You promised me you wouldn’t sell Lily. Right?”

Mama Lin sucked her teeth and gave me a look like I was slow.

“Of course,” she said, waving at me dismissively. “Now that you’ve figured out how to bring in good money, things can finally start looking up for us.”

Her pudgy fingers lifted one by one as she started counting. “We need to pay rent. Markus’s uniform trousers are too short, we should buy some more for him. We need groceries. And your father needs money to pay for job applications.”

“Mom,” Markus poked his head up from the couch, “I want a watch. All my friends have Apple Watches. I’m the only one who doesn’t. It’s so embarrassing.”

She turned to him immediately, her voice soft. “Of course, my precious son. Anything you want.” Then she glanced around the living room. “We should redecorate your room too. It’s about time, isn’t it?”

She was already planning how to spend money I hadn’t even made yet as if it was hers.

Not one of them asked how I got it. Not one of them cared why I looked like I’d just crawled out of hell.

They saw the bruises. They saw the limp.

And still they said nothing.

These bastards…

I turned to the side to see Lily. Standing small and still by the kitchen door like a shadow, trembling. I was sure she hadn’t eaten. Probably hadn’t slept either.

But Markus had. Markus had eaten. Markus had it all.

What more did they want?

“Lily!” I didn’t mean to yell, but I did. “Go pack your things. We’re leaving this house.”

Silence.

Everyone froze as Mama Lin narrowed her eyes, raising a brow like she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me,” I said. “I’m leaving. And I’m taking my sister with me.”

I started walking to my room but Mama Lin grabbed his hand, pushing her face close to mine.

“Over my dead body,” she hissed. “Have you lost your mind? Who’s going to take care of your useless father, huh? Who’s going to take care of this house?”

Her grip tightened so much it dug my skin. I snapped. I shoved her hard and she stumbled backward and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

“I don’t care!” I screamed. My voice echoed off the thin walls. “I don’t care if you live or die! You or this pathetic excuse for a family! I’m taking Lily and we are never coming back!”

“You stupid, ungrateful brat!” Mama Lin screeched, throwing her arms in the air like I’d just stabbed her. “Neighbors, help me! This demon child is killing me!”

She threw open the windows and the front door dramatically, wailing as loud as she could.

I ignored her.

I walked towards Lily, grabbed her hand pulling her into the room and carried out the only old suitcase we had and started throwing everything I could see.

“Serena…” she whispered, trying to grab my wrist. Her hand was shaking.

I shook my head. “No. We’re going. Right now. I’ll take care of everything, okay? I’ll buy you new shoes. You like sugar cookies right? I’ll get them for you. Anything you want. We’re leaving this place, Lily…this town.”

“But… we can’t afford it,” she sobbed. “Where would we even go?”

“I’ll figure it out,” I said, voice firm even though my hands were trembling. “Just trust me.”

I dropped to my knees in front of her, pulling her into a hug. “We’re going to be okay,” I whispered. “I promise. Do you trust me?”

I leaned back so she could see my face and she nodded quickly, tears still running down her cheeks.

“Yes. Of course I trust you,” she whispered.

“Good,” I said, brushing her hair gently behind her ear. “Now pack everything you can and wait for me downstairs. I’ll be gone for thirty minutes, tops. Don’t listen to anything that witch says. Just focus on packing. Okay?”

Lily nodded and wiped at her face with the sleeve of her shirt before turning back to the pile of clothes.

I changed my clothes and tied my hair into a ponytail, pulled on the first jacket I saw and before I walked out I turned to her as she bent down packing up. “I promise to be back okay?” I said smiling sadly at her and she nodded smiling back at me.

“I promise to be here when you get back.”

That was bought for me. I walked out of the house ignoring my father calling my name so passionately for the first time in years.

“Selene! We can talk about this, listen to me! I’m your father!”

“You wench! I should have killed you when you were a child, you ungrateful little b***h! After everything I’ve done for you! You’re not leaving this house you hear me! You don’t do anything without my permission!”

I didn’t even flinch.

I shoved past her, knocking her shoulder as I walked by, my chest burning with anger. She shouted something else behind but I ignored her.

I had one thing on my mind.

Sarah.

She still owed me that five thousand dollars for what she put me through.

What I had might be just enough to move apartments but not enough to start over in another town. Not if I was going to keep Lily safe and comfortable. Not if we were going to vanish for good.

I didn’t care that Sarah betrayed me. I didn’t care that she smiled in my face while setting me up to be destroyed. That she nearly handed me over to her uncle like I was nothing.

I reached her apartment complex and waited outside, pacing the sidewalk under the hot sun, my shirt sticking to my back. Ten minutes passed and there was no sign of her.

Then it hit me. Of course, she must have gone to the restaurant.

The moment I realized, I turned and started walking toward Golden Skillet, my legs trembling but my steps were steady. My skin burned under the heat, my hands clenched at my sides, but I kept moving.

I wasn’t going to run from this anymore.

It didn’t matter anymore. Last night happened.

And after that, nothing could scare me.

Not Sarah, not Veronica Vanderbilt, not Golden Skillet.

I need my money.