Chapter 2

Over the weekend, I was strolling through Target with Harris when I saw a $30 tote bag.

I thought it was spacious enough to carry all of Harris's extra clothes and snacks for school.

But the moment I pulled out my wallet to pay, Harris snatched it from my hand. He glared at me and yelled, "Stop wasting money! You don’t even work. You don’t know how hard it is to make a dollar!"

His loud voice drew snickers from the people around us. "What a cute little boy, already knowing how to budget. So responsible!" someone whispered.

I didn't think too much of it at first. But when I reached for my purse again, Harris kicked my shin hard. "I told you, stop wasting my money!"

I decided it was better to go home and have a proper talk with him, so I dropped the bag and dragged him out of the store.

But on the way home, he saw those luxury strawberries and screamed until I bought them for $50.

A few blocks later, he spotted a $200 high-end toy in a storefront window and literally threw himself onto the pavement, rolling around to force me to buy it.

"I want it! Chloe has this exact toy at school. I need it too!"

Chloe?

I thought about it. Chloe was his classmate at preschool—a sweet little girl whose family owned a major jewelry chain.

Chloe’s family was filthy rich. They owned several mansions across the city.

They only bought a luxury three-bedroom apartment near the preschool just to make her commute easier.

Chloe’s parents had achieved financial freedom ages ago. Sending Chloe to this regular preschool was just for her to "experience social life."

For a family like that, buying a $200 toy was like buying a pack of gum. They could build a whole private playground for their kid if they wanted to.

But Daniel and I were just average corporate workers living paycheck to paycheck.

To save money, I walked two miles to the discount grocery store just to clip coupons. A $200 toy was a luxury we simply couldn't afford.

Without hesitation, I refused Harris’s ridiculous demand.

"No, Harris. Mommy and Daddy’s salaries can’t cover this kind of luxury."

"You just got a new toy yesterday. Let’s go home and eat the strawberries!"

"How about this? When Mommy and Daddy make more money in the future, we’ll get it for you, okay?"

Harris lay flat on the sidewalk, tears streaming down his face as he wailed.

"No! I want it now! Chloe has it, so I should have it too!"

"Why does she get everything and I get nothing? I hate you! I want it..."

I absolutely despised this side of him—throwing tantrums and refusing to stop until he got his way. My blood started to boil.

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my temper in check.

Daniel didn't have a college degree. He worked at a tech startup, making barely enough to cover rent.

And my former 9-to-8 corporate job had made it impossible for me to take care of a toddler.

For years, my parents, Marcus and Sarah, had been supporting us financially and helping me babysit Harris.

But a year ago, Harris had said something that broke my parents' hearts. He said, "Mommy's parents aren't my real family."

Even though I corrected him immediately, he had covered his face and stubbornly yelled, "Daddy said so! Daddy said Mommy’s parents are losers compared to Daddy's parents!"

After that, my parents packed their bags and went back to their hometown, completely washed their hands of helping us.

To take care of Harris, I had to quit my stable job and take on low-paying freelance gigs just to make ends meet.

I walked him to school every single day, rain or shine. And what did I get in return?

Now, I just stood there, quietly watching Harris roll on the ground. He was secretly peeking at me to see if I would give in.

After ten minutes of his screaming, I got bored. I turned around and walked away. Sure enough, Harris got up and quietly followed me home.