Luna was busy checking the supplies she brought with her when she noticed that she arrived on the floor where her mother was confined. She brought her mother's favorite steamed buns and her brother's favorite cola.
"Mom, I'm sorry I'm late. You must be hungry. I brought your favorites today." Luna smiled.
Elaine Ye gazed at her eldest child. She knew Luna had been too busy lately, trying to meet deadlines at work while worrying about her health. The guilt kept on coming back to her whenever she sees Luna's tired face.
She felt like she was the biggest burden in her daughter's life. If it wasn't for her, Luna might have accepted the scholarship she received to study abroad three years ago.
"It's okay, Luna. Don't worry too much about me, okay? I would hate it if you forced yourself to your limit," she replied.
Luna pulled a chair and sat beside her mother's bed. She started peeling an apple from the basket she brought with her.
"Everything will be okay, Mom. The only thing you should do right now is to recover so we can go home." Luna didn't have the courage to admit to her mother that she would be homeless soon. Maybe she could move back to her mother's place if she really couldn't afford to pay her rent.
"Have you talked to your father?" Elaine asked.
Luna stopped and looked away; her smile vanished from her lovely face.
"I see no point in telling him what happened to you. He didn't care about us in the first place, but her other daughter keeps on calling me," Luna replied. If she could, she would change her family name to 'Ye'. She wasn't really proud of being a 'Jiang'.
"What?! His daughter from the other mistress? Why would she want to meet you?" Elaine's frown made her wrinkled face more prominent.
"About my inheritance."
"Shameless woman. She didn't really have a say in it." Elaine clenched her fist on her lap.
"Mom, calm down. I have no intention of giving up what's rightfully mine."
While Luna knew she wasn't a legitimate child of her father, she was still entitled to receive a part his wealth as her inheritance. Funny enough, her grandmother on her father's side really liked her. She was the only one, out of all the grandchildren, who received their grandmother's approval.
"But still โฆ be careful, Luna. I don't trust his other children. They might harm you or your brother to get whatever they want."
"Alright," Luna sighed. She didn't want her mother to overthink again and get worried about these things. "Anyway, where's Julian? I thought he doesn't have class today," she asked and continued to peel the fruit in her hand.
Elaine nodded and took a sip from her teacup.
"Julian said he will be late. He has a part-time job now."
"What? Why didn't Julian tell me about it?"
Her little brother decided to take a part-time job to help her with the bills? Luna pondered if it's a good thing or not. Julian was doing well in school and would graduate soon with flying colors. She didn't want him getting distracted from studying.
"Because he doesn't want you to worry and blame yourself, that's why."
Luna didn't say anything and kept her eyes on what she was doing. Maybe she should just let Julian do what he wanted since he wasn't really that young anymore, but still ... if only she could provide more for her family, her brother wouldn't be forced to work to help her.
"Luna? Luna?"
Luna was brought back to reality when she heard her mother calling her name.
"What is it, mom?"
Elaine gave her a worried look before pointing a finger at her daughter's bag.
"You aren't listening. I said your phone keeps ringing."
"Ohh ..."
A blush was threatening to spread on her cheeks, but Luna moved quickly to hide her embarrassment. She took her phone from her handbag and let her mother know she would be just outside. Checking on her phone, she saw twelve missed calls from her friend, Corinne. When her phone rang again, she answered it immediately.
"Corinne, what's up?"
"Luna, where are you? Struck on a traffic jam again? Jasper and Aiko will be leaving in an hour."