Chapter 4

My dad arrived quickly. The moment he flung the door open, he charged straight at my mom, kicking her to the ground.

By the time my dad finished venting, my mom was lying on the floor, unable to move.

And I just watched, cold and detached, just like my mom in my last life.

"Dad, aren't you hitting her too hard? Mom isn't moving."

My dad scoffed. "I know my limits. She's not going to die. She'll be up tomorrow, doing my laundry and cooking my meals."

"Oh, and do you have any money?"

My dad asked if I had money while rummaging through my bag on the couch.

Thankfully, I’d already put all my money in the bank, and even left the deposit slips at my best friend's place.

I bit my lip, shaking my head. "Dad, I already gave all my money to Mom. Didn't she tell you?"

My dad kicked over a stool. "What good is that pathetic amount? It's barely enough to line my pockets!"

"No wonder everyone says daughters are useless! You barely make any money in a year. Why don't you just find some rich guy to marry, and bring home a huge wedding payout for *me* to spend!"

"Dad, I've given Mom over ten thousand dollars these past two years. I'll definitely work harder in the future and earn more for you both."

"Ten thousand?"

My dad’s expression changed. He snatched the phone from my mom's pocket.

He saw there was nothing in SnapChat, but then he found over five thousand dollars hidden in her PayPal account.

"You b*tch! Hiding money from me, your own husband?! Aren't I beating you hard enough?!"

My mom scrambled behind the couch, terrified.

My dad couldn't care less about her anymore. Humming a tune, he transferred the PayPal balance to his own account, then tossed the phone onto the floor and sauntered out.

Not until his footsteps faded completely from the hallway did my mom finally drag herself off the floor.

"Why didn't you stop your dad when he was hitting me just now?"

I feigned fear. "I didn't dare, Mom. I was afraid Dad would hit me too."

"Mom, didn't you always tell me? It doesn't matter how much you suffer, as long as *I* live a good life?"

"If it was me getting beaten, you'd be even sadder than I was, right? That's why I just stood there, frozen."

My mom's mouth twitched. She had indeed said those words.

Then, she noticed my packed suitcase in the living room. "Are you going on a business trip?"

I smiled. "The company's sending me to City A to kick off a new project."

"City A? That's quite far. When will you be back?"

"The company hasn't given a specific date, but it could be six months or more. But don't worry, Mom, I heard the salary will be much higher when I return. It's good for our family."

Hearing that, my mom's face brightened.

But she still didn't dare to smile, because any movement would pull at her facial injuries.