To Pay Off the Debts of My Poor Wife, My Mother Hanged Herself

: The End of Five Years

To pay off my girlfriend's debt, my mom and I worked desperately,

but mom ended up getting lung cancer because of it.

When I rushed to the hospital with money for her treatment, I found she had hanged herself, leaving behind a letter:

"Aiden, mom can't go on. Take this money to pay off the debt, Isla is a good girl. She loves you, she just lost her way."

"After paying the debt, live well with her."

I hugged mom's ashes and handed the hard-earned three hundred thousand to Isla Sullivan.

When I returned to the company, I unexpectedly saw her talking with several creditors.

"President Sullivan, Mr. Grant has passed all your tests. What arrangements do you have next?"

Isla Sullivan's childhood sweetheart Julian Chaucer suddenly spoke:

"Isla, although Mr. Grant can share hardships, we still need to test if he can share wealth."

Isla Sullivan pursed her lips:

"Next, I want to know if he's sincere towards me."

"When he knows my identity, if he's not greedy for vanity and doesn't change for money."

"I'll marry him."

I looked at mom's ashes, crying uncontrollably.

Isla Sullivan, mom was wrong about you, and so was I.

I no longer want to marry you.

1.

Leaving Sullivan Group.

I sat by the roadside with mom's ashes.

Mom wanted me to keep her remains in a pickle jar.

Just to save five hundred dollars to pay Isla Sullivan's debt.

Isla's image appeared on the big screen in the square.

News broadcast:

"Just now, the mysteriously disappeared chairwoman of Sullivan Group, Isla Sullivan, attended a ceremony with her fiancé Julian Chaucer."

I looked at the screen at Isla Sullivan's spirited demeanor.

Tears streamed down my face.

It turned out, mom and I sacrificed ourselves to earn money for her debts.

In the end, it was nothing but a lie.

I sat for a long time, until dusk, when Isla Sullivan called.

On the phone, her voice was as gentle as always:

"It's so late. Why aren't you home yet? Where are you, I'll come to pick you up."

Instinctively, I opened my mouth, but stayed silent.

In the past, I would have had some resentment,

complaining about her disturbing my work again.

But now, such intimate tone, I can't speak it anymore.

Isla Sullivan's voice carried a hint of urgency:

"Aiden, where are you now?"

"Working."

Isla Sullivan was stunned, as if realizing how I worked tirelessly into the night to pay her debt.

She also promised that once the debts were paid, she would marry me.

Live a steady life with me, as mom hoped.

Today, she was supposed to reveal her identity to me.

"I-I have something to tell you, actually, I am the heir to Sullivan Group."

"I, I'm coming to pick you up..."

I hung up the phone and took a cab to leave.

I have no expectations for Isla Sullivan anymore.

When I came to my senses, my tears were reflected in the window.

Messages from Isla Sullivan popped up on my phone one after another.

I didn't look, nor did I want to.

Today was supposed to be the day we start anew.

But her deception turned mom's suicide into a joke.

Five years of toil only brought an absurd truth.

Isla Sullivan, I no longer want to marry you.

2.

That night, I didn't go home but stayed in a hotel.

Isla Sullivan sent messages all night, made countless calls.

I didn't look, nor did I answer.

The next day, I arrived at the company early.

Preparing my resignation report.

The company was a subsidiary of Sullivan Group,

and I was just an ordinary accountant.

Five years ago, I first met Isla Sullivan who was also starting at the company.

After falling in love, I introduced her to my mom,

mom agreed to our marriage, and when preparations for the wedding began,

Isla Sullivan told me she owed a huge debt and was fired from the company.

To pay her debt, I took many part-time jobs.

Mom also worked desperately, her face growing more tired and old.

Yet unexpectedly, this company was hers.

I laughed to myself in self-mockery,

when Isla Sullivan walked in,

I took out the printed resignation agreement.

Isla Sullivan approached me,

under her gaze, I calmly signed the resignation agreement.

She looked at me, her voice gentle: "Finished writing?"

"Yes."

Isla Sullivan lightly bit her lip, seemingly unaware of my change,

she cleared her throat:

"Aiden Grant, could you come with me for a moment?"

As soon as Isla Sullivan called me away, colleagues immediately started discussing.

"My gosh, did you see the news, Isla Sullivan is the chairwoman of Sullivan Group!"

"Isn't Aiden going to become the chairman's husband? But I saw his expression..."

"You don't understand, this is just a couple's quarrel, argument in bed, harmony on the mattress..."

Everyone assumed I was about to become the chairman's husband.

But little did they know, I only wanted to leave forever.

In the office, Isla reached out to grab me,

I stepped back:

"President Sullivan."

Isla furrowed her brow,

"Why didn't you come home last night? Are you still mad at me?"

I shook my head.

"I went to see mom."

I didn't go back because I didn't want mom to see her again.

Clearly, just with treatment, mom had a chance to survive.

But she chose to end herself to not burden us.

Isla Sullivan seemed to sense something unusual about me.

After a moment of silence, she spoke:

"Tonight, let's go see mom together."

After that, she seemed to remember something, her eyes showed some hesitation,

she slowly handed me a card.

"Here is a million, buy some new clothes for mom, as if..."

I looked at the bank card but didn't take it.

What's owed to us can't be compensated with money.

Seeing I remained silent, panic flashed in Isla's eyes, she was about to speak,

when a bell interrupted her thoughts.

Isla took out her phone, glanced at me,

hesitated slightly but then left.

I knew this might be her supposed test for me.

A test of sincerity, a test of whether I'm greedy for money.

But I no longer care.

Afterwards, I submitted the resignation agreement.

In the face of my sudden resignation request, Vice President Miller seemed unsurprised.

"Aiden, you're resigning, did President Sullivan make other arrangements for you?"

I bit my lip, feeling somewhat absurd.

Everyone thought I was about to become the chairman's husband, entering high society.

They envied my luck.

But little did they know, I lost my mother because of it forever.

If I had a choice, I'd rather never have met Isla Sullivan.

When leaving the company, I saw Isla Sullivan with her childhood friend Julian Chaucer.

Meeting my gaze, Isla Sullivan instinctively started explaining;

"This is Julian Chaucer, my..."

Before she could finish, Julian Chaucer held her hand:

"Fiancé."

I didn't speak, and then Julian Chaucer spoke up:

"Hello, could you please step aside?"

A hint of provocation flashed in Julian Chaucer's eyes,

and I silently stepped back, giving way.

Isla Sullivan looked at me, eyes filled with hesitation, wanting to say something

but was eventually pulled away by Julian Chaucer.

That night, I went to the temple and placed my mother's ashes in the shrine.

Until the scriptures for my mother's passage were fully recited.

Isla Sullivan didn't show up, nor did she ask.

I don't care.

Whether she knows about my mother's death doesn't matter anymore.

I think if my mother's spirit knows the truth,

she wouldn't want to see Isla anymore.

Five years of misplaced trust end here.

3.

At dawn, I returned home.

Isla Sullivan hadn't come back, but I didn't care.

While packing my luggage,

the news broadcast was about President Sullivan attending a ceremony with her fiancé, Julian Chaucer.

Watching the two perfectly matched pair, I felt little emotion.

After packing my bags, I was about to leave.

The sound of the door opening echoed, and Isla Sullivan appeared.

Upon seeing me, she immediately rushed over to hold my hand:

"Where did you go last night? Why didn't you answer my calls?"

I paused, pulling my hand away from Isla Sullivan's grasp.

"I was with my mother last night, didn't want to disturb her rest, so I turned off my phone."

Upon hearing me mention my mother,

Isla Sullivan remembered what was said that day, her face showing signs of guilt.

"I'll arrange for the best doctors to help Aunt with her health."

After speaking, she took out a box and pressed it into my hand.

"This is what I promised to give Aunt."

I instinctively opened it, inside was a bracelet.

It was the genuine piece my mother cherished and cared for.

I was stunned.

Once, Isla pulled on my mother's hand,

vowed earnestly and seriously that one day she would gift her a genuine piece of immense value.

Back then, my mother had a smile in her eyes; she didn't care if the bracelet was real or not.

As long as it was from Isla, a recognized good daughter-in-law.

She would be happy.

But I thought, that was the past.

I closed the box and handed it back.

"If given the chance, you should give it to her yourself."

Isla furrowed her brows slightly.

Every time, I made the choices she most hoped for,

yet my courtesy at this moment made her feel somewhat unfamiliar.

A trace of unease stirred within her as she held onto my hand, slightly tightening her grip.

"Aunt's health..."

At this moment, Julian Chaucer appeared and embraced Isla Shepherd's arm.

"Sister Isla, I want to stay in this room!"

She was referring to my room.

"This room is occupied."

After Isla spoke, she immediately explained to me:

"He is my friend, because of work, he's here for a temporary stay."

After speaking, Isla stared at me intensely, seeming to anticipate my refusal.

But I nodded, agreeing without hesitation:

"Let him have the room; I need to go accompany my mother."

Isla was momentarily stunned, and Julian Chaucer didn't give me the chance to back out, immediately rushing into the room.

It was then she noticed the luggage in my hand.

She pursed her lips, tightly clutching my hand, refusing to let go,

her eyes filled with deepening guilt,

finally, amid Julian's urging, she spoke:

"Tomorrow, I'll go see Aunt."

4.

I took my luggage back to my mother's place,

preparing to collect all her belongings.

But as I looked around her room, tears fell uncontrollably.

Her room was large, able to hold so many things.

Yet her room was so small, small enough to only contain snippets of me and Isla Sullivan.

On the walls were photos of Isla Sullivan and me.

On the table was a cheap little duckling toy Isla and I bought for her.

In the corner, the milk I brought for her, she hadn't bear to drink a single bottle.

Just to save them for Isla and me.

The bracelet Isla gave her, she placed carefully in a box, polished to a shine.

Besides these,

what belonged to her were countless hand-made parts.

Endless sewing,

and a pile of bags that formed a small hill.

All these were to save money for Isla to pay off her debts.

And all for the sake of my future happiness.

I tore those photos to pieces, smashed those toys to bits.

But there was one photo of Isla and me holding her hand,

I couldn't bring myself to destroy it.

I buried the photo at the bottom of the box and packed everything away.

I returned to the company for my final handover.

Upon arriving at the company,

I saw Julian Chaucer sitting in my seat.

The surrounding colleagues watched us, none speaking.

Perhaps in their eyes, this was a showdown between childhood friends and new arrivals.

Roped into it, none could escape.

Seeing me come, Julian Chaucer crossed his legs, threw out a check.

"Ten million for this seat."

Faced with his provocation, I calmly collected the check.

"Alright, let me pack up."

Everyone thought I'd compromised over insignificant gains, pitying me greatly.

I didn't care and simply packed my things to leave.

At this moment, Isla Sullivan walked over and noticed me carrying luggage.

Her expression suddenly tightened.

"Where are you going?"

"I..."

Julian Chaucer interrupted:

"I bought this position."

Isla furrowed her brows, giving me a glance, and I raised the check in my hand.

"I took the money, ten million."

Upon hearing my words, Isla suddenly froze.

Turning her head, she saw Julian's prideful expression.

Her face suddenly turned sullen, the atmosphere somewhat frozen.

Isla didn't say anything, as if she tacitly accepted.

Until my figure disappeared,

Isla shrugged off Julian Chaucer's hand reaching around,

and in front of everyone, slapped him hard across the face, her voice cold:

"Don't humiliate him, understand?"

After leaving the company, my phone received a text from Isla Sullivan.

[The experts I hired have arrived, they'll head to Aunt's hospital room now]

[Tonight, let's go see Aunt together]

[I want to eat the food you cook.]

I chuckled, suddenly feeling a bit bitter.

Goodbye, Isla.

I took all my luggage and headed to the airport.

As I was about to board the plane, Isla Sullivan's messages erupted like crazy.

[Aiden, the experts went to the hospital, why isn't Aunt there?]

[Aiden, where exactly did Aunt go!?]

[Mom, she truly...]