Chapter 2

After that, Chloe called me a dozen times and sent over a hundred messages on Snapchat, but I ignored them all.

She refused to come back to our small town because she thought it was a trashy place. After a few days, she finally gave up.

The phone I was using was an old model Chloe had discarded years ago when she went to college. It had no features other than calls and texts.

So, taking the savings that I would have used to help Chloe pay off her mortgage in my past life, I asked my neighbor’s daughter, Maya, to help me buy a brand-new iPhone.

With Maya’s enthusiastic help, this old country lady learned how to use Snapchat, shop on Amazon, and even watch TikTok videos.

Every day was a million times happier than my past life.

However, it didn't take long for Chloe to call again.

It turned out she had hired a few housekeepers. But they either quit within two days because of her toxic, arrogant attitude, or they stole her luxury handbags and sold them on eBay.

She was so furious she had to take time off work to deal with the police.

"Mom, you’re just a country woman. What’s the point of trying to be trendy? You’re just doing hard labor on the farm anyway. You might as well come and take care of me!"

"I’m so busy with work right now. If you take good care of me, I’ll buy you two nice coats later so you can show off back in your little town!"

"Plus, I worry about you living alone in the countryside. It’s settled then. Take the earliest bus tomorrow!"

Chloe’s tone was slightly softer than before, but her words were still dripping with condescension. She was still issuing commands.

In my past life, I had cared for her for so long. Forget about two coats—if I could just go a day without her screaming at me, I would be happy for a week.

Show off to my neighbors? The thought of it made me cringe.

I had given her my whole life. How did I raise such an ungrateful brat?

"Chloe, didn't you always say I’m too trashy to be your mother? I think you’re absolutely right."

"Besides, I’m getting old. Lately, my back has been killing me whenever it rains. Why don't you come back first and take me to the city hospital for a check-up?"

Chloe, who just claimed she "worried" about me living alone, instantly went silent.

She let out an impatient sigh.

"How are you so useless? Every time I ask you to do something, you have some kind of ache or pain! I’m too busy to take you to the doctor! Just take some painkillers! Don't waste money!"

A fashion director’s job was flexible. She didn't need to be in the office all the time.

In my past life, whenever she had free time, she would travel, drink, and party with her friends.

Because I had worked in the fields my entire life, my back would throb with agonizing pain whenever the weather turned bad.

Once, I was in so much pain that I collapsed on the floor. I begged her through her home security camera for hours.

She saw the notifications. Yet, she stayed out partying until she was satisfied before coming home.

And when she did return, she yelled at me, claiming I was trying to ruin her career with my drama.

That night, after I recovered slightly, I warmed up some milk and brought it to her room.

Through the door, I heard her talking on Snapchat to her best friend.

"Old people are just dramatic. She was completely fine. She just did that on purpose to stop me from going out."

"I’ve seen this a million times. If I just ignore her for two days, she'll behave. Thank God she didn't show up at my office, or I would have died of embarrassment."

Hearing that back then had broken my heart.

But my sadness disappeared the moment she handed me a slightly damaged lipstick she had brought home.

Even though the color didn't suit me at all, it was the first gift she had ever given me. I was so happy that I put it on and waited for her to come home.