Joy Fang had never asked for much. She had never interfered in Lyn Jindong's business affairs, nor had she questioned his decisions. She had simply stood by his side, providing silent support. Whenever the company faced financial difficulties, she turned to the Z family for help. For the sake of her children, she had poured her heart and soul into their education, ensuring they lacked nothing.
Deep down, she had always known that she was not the woman Lyn Jindong truly loved. But she had convinced herself that it didn't matter, that her unwavering devotion would be enough to sustain their marriage. Now, as the painful truth unraveled before her, she realized how naive she had been.
The revelation that Lyn Cohen—her most beloved son—was actually the illegitimate child of Lyn Jindong and his mistress shattered her completely. And to make matters even more ironic, her own biological son had been cast aside, driven away from the family she had fought so hard to protect.
Her fingers curled into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms until they broke skin. Blood seeped from the wounds, yet she barely felt the pain. Her mind swam, her breath came in ragged gasps, and before she could say another word, her world faded to black.
"Mom! Mom, what's wrong?!"
Panic erupted as Joy Fang collapsed onto the bed. Lin Xia rushed to her side, checking for any signs of consciousness.
"This is all your fault! Why did you have to blurt it out like that?" Lin Xia snapped at Lin Ruan, her voice laced with anger and fear.
Lin Ruan's face paled. "I… I didn't mean to…" She stammered, realizing too late the impact of her words.
Lyn Shuang, the most level-headed of the sisters, took control of the situation. "Enough arguing! Let me check on her." She pressed two fingers to their mother's wrist, monitoring her pulse. A breath of relief escaped her lips. "She's only unconscious. She should be fine with some rest."
"We should move her properly." Lin Xia signaled for help. Together, she and Lin Ruan carefully lifted their mother onto the bed, adjusting her pillow and covering her with a blanket.
"I'll get some hot water." Lin Ruan dashed out of the room, eager to do anything to ease the situation.
As Lin Xia sat beside her mother, she hesitated for a moment before pulling out her phone. After a brief pause, she dialed a number. It rang for several seconds before finally connecting.
"What do you want?" The voice on the other end was cold and unwelcoming.
"Yang Mo, Mom fainted. You should come home."
A scoff came through the receiver. "Oh? That's unfortunate. But isn't that a job for your dear brother? You know, the one she actually cares about?"
Lin Xia clenched her fist. "Yang Mo, please! Whatever happened in the past, she's still your mother!"
A bitter chuckle. "That's funny, considering no one in the Lin family cared when I was locked in a room and left to starve in my last life. Why should I care now?"
Lin Xia's breath hitched. "We know the truth now. We know you're our real brother. I promise you—if you come back, I'll personally make sure Lin Cohen is kicked out."
A long silence followed. Then, a sharp exhale. "Not interested."
The line went dead.
Lin Xia stared at her phone, her fingers trembling slightly.
"He… still won't come back?" Lin Ruan asked hesitantly, returning with the hot water.
Lin Xia shook her head. "No."
Lin Ruan frowned. "He won't even come back to check on Mom when she's unconscious? That's… too much."
Lin Xia shot her a glare. "That's enough! Yang Mo is our brother. That's a fact, whether you accept it or not. You may not care now, but mark my words—if Lin Cohen succeeds in taking over the Lin family, we'll all be finished."
Lin Ruan bit her lip, her expression conflicted. She wanted to argue, but the weight of Lin Xia's words held her tongue. Instead, she turned away in silence.
Lying returned with the basin, carefully dabbing a towel into the warm water before gently wiping their mother's pale face.
Time dragged on, each second feeling like an eternity. Then, finally, Joy Fang stirred.
Her eyes fluttered open, dull and filled with sorrow. Her gaze flickered between her daughters before settling on Lin Xia.
Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. "Yang Mo…?"
Lin Xia hesitated, unsure of what to say.
Seeing her expression, Joy Fang closed her eyes, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. "He won't come back, will he?"
No one answered. The silence spoke for itself.
Joy Fang exhaled shakily. She had done everything for this family—sacrificed, endured, and loved unconditionally. But now, at the end of it all, she had lost the only son who was truly hers.
Her voice broke as she whispered, "Yang Mo… Mom is sorry."