Chapter 2

As they drove back to the city, after some casual conversation, Liam couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer.

“It’s just a limp, nothing serious.”

John shook his head and then laughed, “Liam, your sister-in-law has prepared a few dishes at home. Let’s have a good drink tonight and wash away the bad luck.”

Seeing that John didn’t want to dwell on his leg injury, Liam didn’t press the issue. Instead, he smiled and said, “I appreciate the thought, but there’s no need to go through all that trouble. I plan to head back to the company first. Karen should be waiting for me there, along with my daughter and son. I’ve been away for over two years. I need to see my family first. Let’s have a proper drink tomorrow—my treat.”

“I don’t think you need to go to the company…”

John’s expression suddenly became strange, and he seemed hesitant to speak.

“What is it?”

Liam’s heart skipped a beat.

John was silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “Liam, I need to tell you something, but you have to stay calm. Your company... has gone bankrupt.”

“Bankrupt?”

Liam’s eyes widened instantly.

“I didn’t want to tell you so soon after your release…”

John sighed and began to explain.

It turned out that after Liam was imprisoned, Karen had taken over the company.

However, due to various reasons, the business began to decline rapidly.

And just last month, because they couldn’t repay the bank loans, the company had officially declared bankruptcy.

This meant that everything Liam had worked so hard to build over the years had completely evaporated.

The shock was so unexpected that even though Liam had honed his patience and composure during his time in prison, he now felt a hollow emptiness inside.

The joy of being released was gone.

And it was only now that he realized Karen hadn’t visited him in prison for quite some time.

The last visit had been six months ago.

And in those few visits, she had never mentioned the company’s financial troubles.

“Liam, I don’t know much about the specifics of your company. You know I didn’t have much contact with Karen…”

John finished with a bitter smile.

Liam remained silent. He knew Karen’s personality better than anyone.

When they had lived a modest, even somewhat tight, life, things had been fine. But as the business grew and they became wealthier, Karen had started to develop a taste for luxury.

This vanity wasn’t just about frequenting high-end places or buying expensive items. It extended to looking down on Liam’s old friends, who had once been of modest means.

“Lend me your phone.”

Taking a deep breath, Liam finally spoke.

He took John’s phone and dialed Karen’s number, but the line was disconnected. He tried several times, but it was the same each time.

With no other option, Liam called his daughter, Lucy.

This time, the phone rang a few times before it was picked up.

“Dad, you’re out? Hurry and come to the hospital—Grandma’s not going to make it…”

Boom!

Liam felt a buzzing in his head. His vision went black, and the phone slipped from his hand onto the car seat.

Liam walked out of the doctor's office, his entire being in a daze, and his expression vacant.

He never could have imagined that his mother, who had been in relatively good health, was now in the late stages of lung cancer.

There was no cure for such a terminal illness, especially as the cancer had already spread throughout her body. Surgery was no longer an option.

The only thing left to do was to prolong her life with chemotherapy.

As for how long she had left to live, even the doctors couldn’t give a clear answer.

The most pessimistic estimate was around three months.

Yet, compared to the sorrow of losing a loved one, Liam was consumed more by guilt.

It was a type of guilt that he couldn’t accurately put into words, a crushing remorse that nearly drove him mad.

The doctor had made it clear to him—there were two main reasons his mother had fallen ill.

Overwork and emotional stress.

His parents had divorced long ago, and during Liam's school years, his mother had single-handedly borne the financial burden on her frail shoulders.

Farm work was never easy, and for a rural woman to put her son through college, the hardships she endured were unimaginable.

After Liam's business took off, he became so busy that he hardly had any time to spend with his mother.

Moreover, his imprisonment two years ago had dealt an unprecedented blow to her, causing her health to deteriorate rapidly.

The regret of not being able to care for a loved one when they needed it most is something that only those who have experienced it can truly understand.

Returning to the hospital room, Liam looked at his mother, who had just fallen asleep after taking her medication, and couldn't hold back his tears any longer.

His mother's familiar and kind face had grown so thin and pale that it was almost unrecognizable.

"Lucy, it's getting late. You should go home and rest. It's not the weekend, and you have classes tomorrow, right?"

Wiping away his tears, Liam tried to adjust his emotions, turned to his daughter, and forced a smile as he spoke.

After more than two years, his daughter had indeed grown into a graceful young lady.

But the way she looked at him made Liam feel a pang of sadness.

A mix of disgust and a hint of estrangement.

"I don't have to go to class; I took leave."

Lucy shook her head.

"Leave? You just started high school, right? This is the most important time..."

Liam frowned slightly, but before he could finish, Lucy impatiently interrupted.

"If I don't take leave, who will take care of Grandma? You? Can I rely on you? Why do you speak without considering my current situation? You’re being unreasonable!"

Seeing the undisguised sarcasm on his daughter's face, Liam wasn't angry; instead, he felt even more guilty.

In the end, Liam had been an irresponsible father to his child. If he hadn’t spent the past three years in prison and had been there to care for and teach Lucy, she wouldn’t have had to drop out of school to take care of her grandmother like this.

That’s why Liam lowered his voice and asked Lucy, "Where's your mother? Why isn't she answering my calls?"

Hearing Liam mention Karen, Lucy felt a surge of anger. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, held it back, her expression turning into one of resignation.

Lucy snorted disdainfully, "How would I know where she is? She's your wife, not mine!"