Chapter 4
The day Cory returned, we made a huge meal together, and Rida insisted on cooking, so I was happy to let her handle everything.
That evening, our family gathered around the table in a very odd scene – me, Brad, and Cory, plus Rida.
Rida kept serving Cory food and constantly asking about his studies abroad, making it impossible for Cory to eat in peace.
I served Cory some food and asked him how it
tasted.
“It’s delicious, Mom!” Cory nodded with a smile.
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Upon hearing this, Rida couldn’t sit still. “I made today’s dinner! I made it all by myself!”
Cory, holding his knife and fork, felt awkward but still politely complimented her.
Rida excitedly told Cory how much effort she put into preparing the dishes, how long it took her to make all the food, and how tired her back was from it.
Cory found her words a bit too much, but out of respect for her as an elder, he didn’t say anything.
Added to the library
Suddenly, Cory noticed the empty seat at the
table and asked, “Isn’t Myles coming back this year?”
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At the mention of Myles, Rida, who had been talking nonstop, suddenly went silent, and the atmosphere around the table grew awkward.
“Myles isn’t coming back. He has to work to earn money,” Rida replied.
“But I haven’t seen Myles in so many years, and I miss him. We don’t need Myles to earn so much money!” Cory said, a little upset.
Under the pressure, Rida reluctantly called Myles.
“Hello? Cory’s back from his graduation. He misses you. Take a break from work and come back to spend some time with him.”
There was a long silence on the other end of the
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phone. It wasn’t until Rida was about to lose her patience that a hoarse voice finally spoke.
“Mom, I’m sick. My body hurts so much. The doctor said I need to be hospitalized.”
Rida slammed the table in anger. “Hospitalized? What illness could be so precious that it requires hospitalization?”
“No, I don’t agree! You worthless life doesn’t deserve to spend money on a hospital. Just buy some medicine and take it.”
“If you’re sick, don’t come back! We don’t need your bad luck!”
In Rida’s eyes, Myles’s life was worth less than money.
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The line went silent again. Cory grabbed the phone, wrote down the number, and shouted into it, “Myles! It’s Cory! If you’re sick, go to the hospital and listen to the doctor. Don’t worry about the money. I’ll send you money. Your health is more important than anything.”
I was so relieved that Cory hadn’t turned out
wrong.
But Rida went crazy, cursing Myles. “You useless money–loser! You couldn’t earn anything anyway, and now you want to spend Cory’s money on hospitalization? I bet you’re just making excuses to avoid work!”
“Why don’t you just die out there and stop bothering us!”
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This time, Brad couldn’t stay quiet anymore. “He’s just a kid. If he’s sick, let him get treated.”
Rida glared at my husband, Brad. “Myles is my son. I can decide whether he lives or dies. What
right do you have to interfere with my son?”
Seeing Rida’s total indifference toward Myles’s illness, I suddenly remembered how she had acted when Cory had once gotten sick.
When Cory had a slightly elevated temperature, Rida had insisted on taking him to the hospital to be admitted.
During that time, she secretly made chicken. soup for Cory every day and wouldn’t leave
until he drank it all.
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Later, Cory confided in me that the soup tasted awful, and that’s when we found out.
Every time I cooked for Cory, Rida would inspect everything, making sure to see what I had prepared, afraid I might harm my own son.
Many people in the hospital thought Rida was Cory’s mother. When they found out I was Cory’s real mother, they were amazed at how Ridal took such good care of my son, calling her a great friend.
Later, Myles received the money Cory sent to treat his illness. After his health improved a bit, he started his journey back home.
The press conference was scheduled for the
same day Myles was coming home.
