Looking at the furious Emily Collins,
I smiled slightly and said, “Tomorrow is my birthday. I’ll transfer the money to your brother on Monday. And today, let’s give our son a day off from school.”
My father had died in a car accident, and I received an insurance payout of $800,000.
Emily kept pestering me, demanding I buy her brother a car.
But what she didn’t know was—
I had already died once.
And it was by her own hand, when she stabbed a knife straight into my heart!
I came back to life, but not in the real sense of resurrection.
I only had 24 hours left to live.
“Why take the day off?” she asked.
Emily didn’t object to me delaying the money transfer until Monday.
To her, it was just a matter of waiting two more days.
“I’ve already got the money. Tomorrow and the next are the weekend. Mom has worked hard her whole life. Dad’s death was a heavy blow to her. And you’ve also given so much to this family all these years. I want to take this chance for all of us to go out and spend two days together.”
“That… a family trip would be a waste of money…” she muttered.
“My decision is made.”
Seeing that I was determined, Emily didn’t press the issue further.
Right after, I called Margaret Parker, my mom.
When she heard I wanted to take her out for two days, she refused immediately.
“Everything is so expensive these days. Don’t waste money going out…”
“Mom, do you remember when I was little, I promised to take you to the Rocky Mountain National Park?”
“Your mom is old now, her legs aren’t good. Climbing that high is too much for her body. Why don’t we just go as a family and let her stay home to watch the house?” Emily suggested.
“Right, your daughter-in-law is right. You all go have fun, I’ll stay home and keep the house.”
“No.”
I held my mom’s hand tightly and said seriously, “Mom, this was a promise I made as a child. I’m a man—when I say something, I must keep my word. A man is nothing without trust. You wouldn’t want your son to be someone who breaks his word, would you?”
“This…”
“Mom, it’s decided. Pack a couple of clothes. I’ll buy the tickets. We leave in ten minutes.”
Before we left, Emily pulled me aside and whispered, “Honey, do you really want to do this? Your mom isn’t fit to climb the Rocky Mountains.”
“She’s worked hard all her life. She deserves to enjoy it. And if she can’t manage, I’ll carry her on my back.”
“Do you realize how much extra money that will cost us?”
Seeing she couldn’t talk me out of it, Emily grew visibly irritated.
“I have money.”
“Yes, right now you have money—an $800,000 payout—but you need to spend it wisely! If your mom comes with us, that means extra expenses for food, lodging, travel. It’s such a waste. And—”
“You want $200,000 to buy your brother a car—did I ever say that was wasteful?”
“That’s different. He’s my brother. What’s wrong with me, as his sister, buying him a car?”
“Enough. My decision is final.”
As I turned, a cold glint flashed in my eyes.
Buying her brother a car was ‘perfectly natural.’
But taking my mother on a trip was ‘a waste.’
I must have been blind before to think she was a good woman.
And my time was short.
I didn’t want to waste another second arguing.
When we reached Denver, I led them into a five-star hotel.
Mom hesitated, scolding me for being too extravagant, saying a cheap motel would’ve been fine.
Before I could reply, Emily quickly added, “Mom, you reminded me. I’ll book you a nearby motel instead. You can stay there—it’ll save us some money.”
