My mother softly reassured, "Your father is just putting on a show so that he'll step down on his own. That country bumpkin grew up in a village; there's no way he can compare to you. We carefully raised you for over twenty years."
After a short pause, she added with chilling calmness, "Besides, I personally arranged for that accident. Had his legs crushed and made sure the doctors took his corneas to give to you. How could a crippled blind man ever take over the company?"
With an equally cold voice, my father said, "Just be patient. Your mother and I will clear the path for you."
I stood there, frozen. The accident that had left me in agony was no accident at all. My own parents had orchestrated it — all for the sake of this imposter. They were willing to destroy me for him.
Fine. If that’s how they wanted to play it, I wouldn’t forgive them.
——
"I knew Mom still cared about me," Jed said, his voice full of smugness. "Here, I got you this sapphire ring from an auction overseas. Try it on."
My mother’s eyes lit up as she slipped the ring onto her finger, but then she sighed as if remembering something unpleasant.