Chapter 2

Mother was taken aback and instinctively refuted.

"I'm your biological mother, how can you sever ties with me!"

No sooner had she said this that she realized something was off and quickly tried to cover up.

"No, Xiao Wan is my real daughter. You, a bastard from who knows where, have no right to talk about severing ties with me!"

I laughed in anger and retorted, "If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will go crooked. If you can give birth to a bastard daughter, then my mother is naturally no good either."

"Don't you think so, President Su!"

"You..."

Mother's face turned red and then white with anger, but she couldn't speak.

I was too lazy to waste my breath on her, so I took out the falsified paternity test she had previously fabricated.

"With this test as evidence, we are only in a foster mother-daughter relationship. I am now going to sever ties and find my biological mother!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Wan was openly delighted as she nudged mother.

"Mom, now that your real daughter is back, just sever the relationship with that bastard."

"There's no time to waste, let's go to the notary office now."

Mother frowned, hesitated while looking at me several times, and stammered.

"I can't... no matter what, I've raised you for more than twenty years, and such a significant matter as severing ties needs consideration."

If it were before, I'd have thought mother still had some feelings for me. After all, since she's my biological mother, she would surely be pained.

But now I only find her hypocritical and want to cut her off.

I smirked and gave Lin Wan a challenging look.

"Lin Wan, didn't you see? Mother just can't bear to part with me."

Lin Wan, who had never suffered such grievances, immediately clutched mother's arm, tearfully.

"Mom, didn't you say you only loved me, and that I am your only daughter? Then why hold onto this bastard?!"

Mother, who cherished Lin Wan the most, seeing her cry, urgently grabbed me and headed to the notary office.

But once at the entrance, she hesitated again.

She glanced at the nearby dessert shop and was delighted as if she found a way out, proactively trying to appease me.

"Ranran, there are your favorite desserts. Why don't we go inside and sit down, and discuss severing ties after eating?"

Mother knew I rarely made things irreversible.

If she just gave me an excuse, I'd naturally relent.

In the past, every time Lin Wan bullied me or she neglected me, she would casually buy some of my favorite food and speak sweetly, and I'd forget the unpleasantness of before.

But mother didn't know that at home, I overheard her plan to take away my resources for Lin Wan, and even my birth had a purpose.

"Wanwan, you were born with a bad heart, and I worried you'd need a heart transplant. That's why I had Su Keran as your mobile organ, and I have no feelings for her."

"You are my only daughter, and that fool, no matter how excessively I behaved, would be happy after a few soothing words."

"A wretch deprived of love is foolish; a little sweetness can suffice."

"If you ever need a heart transplant, then I'll..."

I stood outside the door, pinching my hands fiercely into my flesh just to maintain some sanity.

I always thought mother was full of love and anticipation for my birth. Otherwise, why would she endure the hardship of pregnancy to give birth to me?

Now I realize she was indeed full of expectation, but it wasn't for me, it was for Lin Wan.

No wonder she took me for a full-body check-up every six months. She was worried my organs wouldn't be healthy enough to save Lin Wan in critical moments.

I felt somewhat in a daze as mother impatiently pushed me, "Ke Ran, I'm talking to you, why are you in a daze?"

Enduring over twenty years in a loveless environment.

Now leaving mother is about saving myself.

I took a step back and firmly declared:

"I don't like sweet food; let's go in now and sever ties!"

Mother thought she had everything in hand, but hearing my rejection, she froze in place.

Then, with anger, she pulled Lin Wan closer and affectionately patted her head.

"It was my mistake; it's my real daughter Wanwan who likes desserts."

"Let's go in now for notarization, I want to cut ties with this ungrateful person!"

Saying this, as if afraid I would regret it, she hurried inside with Lin Wan.

After we filled out the paperwork, the people at the notary office found out I was the biological daughter and tried to mediate.

But as soon as mother sat down, she transferred fifty thousand to Lin Wan, saying she had neglected her over the years and would make it up to her.

She even went next door to buy three portions of expensive desserts.

Two for Lin Wan and one for a stray dog on the street.

She thought this would make me furious, but I just watched her calmly.

Back when the family couldn't even afford my three hundred yuan school fee, mother still gave Lin Wan five thousand yuan a month as pocket money.

Later, when the company started doing well, she paid me three thousand a month but then turned around and spent three million on branded bags for Lin Wan.

The notary staff, witnessing this scene, stopped trying to intervene and quickly completed the severance paperwork.

I remained expressionless throughout, while mother glanced at me from time to time.

Seeing I had no intention of repenting, she grew even angrier.

After leaving the notary office, I took a deep breath and, for the first time in over twenty years, felt a sense of relief.

I unlocked my phone to look for a new place to live.

Suddenly, a text popped up, saying a delivery had arrived at the front door.

Lin Wan happened to see it and glared at me, displeased:

"Su Keran, what do you mean by this? Why did you use my home address for your delivery, you outsider?"

"Do you, this impostor, still want to steal my mother?!"

Mother gently patted Lin Wan to comfort her.

"Wanwan, don't worry, mommy will never let an outsider in. She can take her package now, and if she comes again, I'll charge her with trespassing."

In order to satisfy her beloved daughter, she treats her own biological daughter as an impostor, forcing her out.

Such an absurd situation was something I couldn't accept in the past.

But now, I just nodded quietly.

"I filled in the wrong address, I'll take the things away now."

A good friend helped me find a new home, and once back at the familiar place, I took the delivery at the doorstep and was about to leave.

My actions were swift and unusually cold. With things escalating to this point, mother inexplicably felt uneasy.

She tugged at the corners of her mouth, speaking to me softly and seldomly gentle.

"Ranran, I see this package labeled as a gift. Is it something for a friend?"

I didn't pause, tossed the delivery into the trash, and coldly replied.

"It was a birthday gift I bought for mother, but from today on, she's already dead to me in my heart, and the dead don't need birthdays."

Upon hearing my curse, mother's smile froze, and in a fit of rage, she slapped me.

"Su Keran, you wretch! Get out now, and never show up in front of me again."

I covered my face and turned to leave.

That slap completely shattered over twenty years of delusions.

Behind me, Lin Wan spoke in a coquettish tone.

"Mom, it's all my fault; I shouldn't have come back."

"If I hadn't returned, sister wouldn't have been angry and wanted to sever ties, leave the Su family, how can she survive outside alone? Should we take her back and keep her like a pet?"

Mother regained her composure, speaking softly.

"Wanwan, you're just too kind. You're my real daughter, there's no need to pity an ungrateful outsider."

"Besides, I'm Su Keran's foster mother, I know her well. If she can't make it outside, she'll come back begging."

"Without any living expenses, she'll bow low in less than three days."

Mother forgot that she stopped providing me with living expenses from high school onwards.

In five years, I've already earned the company more than enough money to repay her for raising me.

How would she know, being a president who doesn't handle business affairs?

The endorsements she took away were all custom-made for me by the clients.

If replaced, huge breach of contract penalties would be imposed!

Leaving this time, I will never look back.