“After being tricked into going to prison in my husband’s place, the maid took my place as his wife. On the day of my release, they humiliated me with three ‘welcome gifts’ and stole my biological daughter’s only inheritance. They thought I was broken. But they didn’t know…”

—“It’s Christian revenge,” Neil said, his voice smooth as he held the car door.

—“Blood will answer blood.”

He handed me the tablet. The screen lit up, showing a lavish party already underway. “The Sue family is holding a birthday banquet today,” he explained. “Lin Maja is being crowned queen of Jing Hai.”

The name burned my tongue like acid. Maja. The maid. The woman who had been my shadow for two decades and who turned out to be the snake that poisoned my entire life.

—“This crown,” Neil continued, looking at my reflection in the rearview mirror, —“belongs to you.”

He swiped the screen.

—“Apparently, the Sue family prepared three gifts for your release. Can you guess what they are?”

I leaned back against the soft leather. Comfort felt strange after five years on the hard mattress of a cell.

—“Nothing good, I bet,” I said.

—“First,” he said, “a razor. To shave your head and force you into a monastic life. Five years of penance for a crime you didn’t commit.”

I ran my finger over the phoenix brooch on my chest.

—“Second, a confession of ten thousand words. They expect you to memorize it and recite it flawlessly tonight, demonstrating your ‘virtue’ and your ‘rehabilitation’.”

—“And the third one?” I asked, my voice dangerously low.

—“Finally, a contract for Star Manner. The only property you left for your biological daughter, Zyu. They want you to sign it for Maja.”

“They dare to steal it,” I whispered. Rage was a cold, solid thing inside me. It didn’t burn, it didn’t blind; it was a sharp, precise weapon. That village was the only thing I had managed to protect for Zyu, my blood daughter.

—“What a pack of ungrateful wolves,” Neil muttered.

“Well then,” I said, straightening up in my crimson dress. “If you prepared three ‘gifts,’ I’ll return with three surprises. Come on. It’s time to greet my dressed-up husband.”

When I arrived, I saw them: my daughter Zyu and her husband, Xi Hong. They were arguing with a guard.

“Excuse me!” Zyu said, his voice strained. “An inmate named Yinglan was released today. Where is she?”

—“He’s already gone,” the guard said contemptuously.

—“Did she leave?” Zyu’s face fell. —“Xi Hong, do you think something happened to Mom? She was in prison for five years. She never wanted to see me.”

My heart ached. I had rejected his visits. I didn’t want him to see me like this: broken and gray.

“Alright,” Xi Hong said, pulling her closer. “Perhaps she felt guilty toward you. That’s why she avoided you. Today is the Sue family’s birthday banquet. She must be there. I curse the Sue family… they made us suffer for five years.”

—“Don’t worry,” he promised.

I stayed in the shade of the car, letting them in first. This fight wasn’t theirs, not yet.

I walked through the large door alone. The whispers started immediately.

“Today is an important day for the Sue family.”
“That’s right. The Sue daughters have accomplished a great deal.”
“The matriarch has become the queen of Jinghai. Impressive.”

I walked through the crowd, a ghost in a blood-red dress. I saw her custom-made gown, the robe they had made for her “coronation,” and she was wearing it. It fit me perfectly.

I stood in the middle of the room, where my husband, Su Hayan, was fawning over Lin Maja.

“Who is that woman?” someone murmured.
“Why is she wearing the matriarch’s dress?”

Maja saw me first. She transformed: her face white, pale. Her two eldest daughters, Hansang and Jene—the girls I raised—were panting.

—“Who let you wear that outfit?” Hansang shrieked.

I smiled.

—“What’s wrong? Are you offended by my clothes?” I said.

Su Hayan—my husband of twenty-eight years—finally turned around, adjusting Maja’s earring, his fingers still at her neck. He looked ridiculous.

“Darling,” Maja whimpered, clutching his arm. “Look, what do you think of my new custom-made dress?”

The woman next to him clicked her tongue.

—“Sir, that dress must be very expensive. The matriarch no longer controls the finances. Dressing so luxuriously seems… inappropriate for her age.”

—“Take it off,” Hayan hissed at me.

—“It looks better on you,” Maja said to him, oblivious to my presence.

—“There are people around.”

“Okay,” he murmured, kissing her cheek.

—“Treacherous. Treacherous. How tiresome,” someone said.

“Yinglan!” exclaimed Jene, my stepdaughter and lawyer. “Stop being so cheeky. Today is Maja’s birthday party. Do you have to steal the show? Go home and change.”

I raised my voice to the crowd:

—“Don’t they wonder who I really am?”

—“Mr. Sue,” a business associate asked, “who is that woman? Could she be your secret lover?”

I burst out laughing.

“I’m Yushiman,” I announced, my voice breaking the silence. “Legally married to Su Hayan. The rightful matriarch of the Sue family.”

-“That?”

—“So the one at the altar…?”

—“Her?” I nodded at Maja.

—“She’s just the housemaid!”

A gaspar roamed the room.

—“Oh my God. It’s Sue’s family maid!”

—“Yinglan!” Maja shrieked, her face turning purple.

—“Are you humiliating me on purpose?” she said.

—“Humiliate you?” I approached. —“You have the nerve to throw lavish parties for a maid but refuse to face reality? Our family is atoning for your sins!”

—“You are a stain on the Sue family!” Jene shouted.

—“Could she be the one to blame?” someone whispered.

—“When the news broke, we only knew that someone from the Sue family had been imprisoned. We never imagined it was the matriarch.”

—“Now they can say the Sues have a convicted criminal. What a humiliation.”

—“As expected,” Maja scoffed, regaining her composure.

—“My pride is worth more than my life. It’s irrelevant,” she said.

—“He just spent time in prison,” I replied with a shrug.

—“It’s not even life imprisonment. Stop making a big deal out of it.”

—“Enough!” Hayan roared.

“I see through your little scheme: tantrums to get attention, hoping you’ll give us a chance.” He gestured to Maja, who smiled triumphantly. “I’ve prepared three gifts for you, Yinglan,” Maja said with mock compassion. “Accept them, and I’ll give you that chance.”

—“Interestingly,” I replied, “I also brought three surprises for you.”

Maja pretended not to hear.

—“The first one.” A servant brought in a microphone and a thick stack of papers. —“I commissioned a ten-thousand-word letter of apology. You will kneel and recite it aloud. It will be your atonement for past crimes.”

The crowd murmured.

—“Reciting ten thousand words? How barbaric.”
—“Five years in prison isn’t enough?”

—“Shall we start now?” I asked with feigned confusion.

—“Are you sure about this time, Dad?” I said to Hayan, “Aunt Lynn’s party matters, doesn’t it?”

“Okay,” he replied brusquely.

—“Second gift.” A servant displayed a silver tray with an electric razor.

—“Shave your head,” Maja ordered. —“Become a nun. Five years of monastic life before returning. Penance. Publicly rehabilitate yourself.”

—“Public confession. Shaved head,” someone murmured.

—“This Maja… just a maid. Does she deserve such a sacrifice?”

—“And the third,” Maja said triumphantly. —“Third gift: give me your villa, Star Manner, as compensation. Only then will we forgive you.”

That was the only thing I had left for my daughter.

I remembered the day I transferred it to Zyu’s name, years before the assembly.

“Shingan,” Hayan had said then, “my daughters are spoiled. Marry me if you want. But send your daughter away.”

“Dad,” little Zyu had tugged at my sleeve.

—“I’ll leave. We saved their lives. I don’t blame them. When I grow up, I’ll protect you well.” I failed her. I failed her terribly.

“Zyu, I failed you. I am despicable. I will transfer the properties to you. Grow up well, and in my old age I will make amends.”

Those three “gifts” were not gifts. They were three daggers plunged straight into my heart.

—“You three never cease to amaze me,” I said in a cold voice.

—“What a shame. I won’t do any of that.”

—“Are you challenging me?” Hayan roared.

—“I give you one hundred thousand a month and you refuse to do these tests because of Maja’s birthday? Ungrateful!”

—“One hundred thousand?” I burst out laughing, a high-pitched laugh. —“I get one hundred yuan a month. What did you say?”

The room fell silent.

—“Impossible,” he stuttered.

“I promised three surprises,” I said, turning to the people. “First surprise: ask Maja how much my monthly allowance is.”

—“Maja?” Hayan was confused.

—“My monthly allowance. You haven’t given it to me yet.”

Maja paled. She rummaged in her bag and threw a single hundred-yuan note at my feet.

—“The head of the family says that’s all we receive.”

—“One hundred yuan a month,” I said to those present, who were stunned.

—“This is ridiculous. Is this how matriarch Sue lives? The Sue family is worth billions, and their matriarch lives like this.”

-“Incredible.”

—“Doesn’t anyone think the maid is going too far?”

“How could this have happened?” Hayan seemed panicked. “Dad, did you let Aunt Lynn manage your funds?” Jene asked.

—“I’ve been overwhelmed with work. I left Maja to handle it. Where’s the finance manager? Come here!”

A trembling man in a suit stepped forward.

—“Mr. Sue, give an explanation.”

—“I… trusted Maja,” the manager stammered.

—“She wouldn’t do that!”

—“Mr. Sue,” the manager said in a trembling voice, —“Lin Maja receives 1.1 million yuan per month. One million as salary… and one hundred thousand yuan was the matriarch’s allowance.”

—“A maid earns a million a month and steals a hundred thousand from the matriarch!”

—“What can one hundred yuan cover? Living on bread and pickles.”

—“Stop it!” Maja screamed, desperate.

—“Even if it were true, it doesn’t excuse running someone over with your car. It’s no wonder jealousy and resentment led you to this! How vicious!”

—“If I ran her over,” I said, looking at my brother-in-law, “years ago I handed over the surveillance footage myself. Who cut the brake lines? You know very well.”

—“What are you implying?” he stammered.

—“Didn’t you know?” I said to Hayan.

“Hayan, leave me alone! Don’t punish the girls!” Maja suddenly cried, throwing herself to the ground. “Madam, it was all my fault. I overstepped my bounds. Punish me! But please forgive the head of the family and the girls!”

—“Live in a mansion? Bathe in luxuries?” I scoffed.

—“When have I ever lived like this? Give it back. I don’t want your dirty money.”

—“It hurts, Mom!” Jene shouted, running to Maja’s side.

—“Are you hurt? Did you fall hard?”

—“Yinglan!” Hansang shouted.

—“You knew Aunt Lynn is disabled. Why did you push her so hard?”

—“Miss Sue, you’re making this up,” I said without moving.

—“Dozens of witnesses saw everything! Am I blind or are you blind?” Jene replied.

—“Exactly,” said a voice from the crowd.

—“Enough!” Maja sobbed.

—“It’s my fault. This is all my fault. My useless leg is causing problems. I’m a burden to all of you! Stop talking!”

—“Aunt Lynn,” Jene said with mock compassion, —“do you realize how hard we worked for Aunt Lynn’s gift? We donated half of Sue’s fortune to the Crimson Phoenix Group just for this opening.”

—“Shingan,” Hansang added, “do you have to argue with a disabled person? Do you have to?”

—“Disabled?” I said, and I approached Maja, who was huddled on the floor.

—“You insult real disabled people,” I said.

—“What are you doing?” she squealed when she felt me ​​grab the lapel of her dress.

—“She’s not incapacitated,” I announced to the room. —“She’s faking it. Here’s my second surprise for everyone.”

With a jerk I pulled her to her feet. She stood firmly upright; her “useless legs” were perfectly strong.

—“Nia… how’s your leg?” Hayan stammered, her eyes wide.

—“Why didn’t I know?” Jene said, confused.

—“If I say that he was always faking it,” I added, “you won’t believe me, will you?”

—“Aunt Lynn… her leg… is it… is it okay?” murmured Zeun, the youngest.

—“I was,” Hansang said, regaining his composure.

—“You ruined this. Your heart is dark. Only in this way can I imagine Lynn’s legs being installed.”

—“Nauseating,” I muttered.

—“You are sophists,” I spat.

I looked at the three girls I raised.

—“Su Hansang. Su Jene. Su Zeun. I am your mother. She is just a nanny. Why do you protect her in everything? I am here today for one purpose: to know why the Sue family can love and protect her and send me to hell.”

—“What the hell do you want?” Hayan growled.

—“Since I got out of prison… I want you to be my family. I still love you. Come with me.”

—“You’re less of a hypocrite,” Jene said contemptuously.

—“I… Yinglan… voluntarily renounce the identity of mother,” I blurted out, the pain reaching me.

—“You…” —“This husband,” I looked at Hayan, —“I don’t want him anymore. This mother… you… unsuitable.”

—“Hey Shinglan! Think about what you say!”

—“Trash… do you still need to think?” I spat at him.

I tore the Matriarch Sue emblem out of my pocket and threw it at her feet. I pulled out the marriage certificate.

—“Twenty-eight years. The green silk turned to gray hair. I will give my youth to the dog.” I tore it in half. —“Now give it back to me.”

—“Do you really have to provoke everyone?” Jene squealed.

—“Mom,” Hansang said coldly.

—“You raised me for over twenty years. We have been very patient with you. Don’t be shameless.”

—“What if I told you… that I did it for a result?”

—“Forget it,” Maja said.

—“It was my fault. I’m a nanny. I make mistakes. Punish me. But forgive the head of the family and the daughters.”

“That’s enough,” Hayan said, pulling Maja back, looking at me with dead eyes. “If you don’t want answers… Ye Shingan, this is the answer. Do you understand? Maja is actually the biological mother of my three daughters.”

The world stopped. Biological mother? Twenty years of my life, caring for them, loving them… It was all a lie. I was the unpaid maid.

—“Are you satisfied now?” I asked, my voice trembling.

—“Satisfied,” Hayan said.

“Su Hayan!” someone shouted from the room. “Didn’t you say your ex-wife was dead? I married you. You took care of the little girl. We raised adults. Now your ex-wife is back. So what am I?”

—“Master of the house,” Hayan said, apologizing to Maja. —“It’s all my fault. You worked hard these years, you took care of the children. You did an excellent job. I thank you.”

—“Mom, you’re one of us,” Jene said, hugging Maja.

—“After all, she’s not family.”

—“Don’t say that!” Maja shrieked.

—“She’s ours! I did my best. Keep her safe. Make her feel… out of her heart! Understood? Now get out of here!”

“Don’t say that,” Hayan pleaded, wrapping a cold, contemptuous arm around me. “Shingan is older. She’s leaving. What can you do? I’m afraid you won’t be able to support her. She’ll end up as a nanny.”

—“To be. A. Nanny.” I whispered.

—“Kill the heart,” I said.

—“Superior nanny. Housewife. Change. Nanny. Death.” I muttered.

The presenter tried to get the show back on track.

—“The Queen of Jinghai is a symbol of honor. Wisdom. Strength… now, let it begin.”

“Wait,” Maja whispered to Hayan. “I’ll clean you up.”

They were going to crown her right in front of me.

As he passed by, he whispered: —“What are you trying to do? Everything you have is mine… and I’ll get more.”

—“Don’t rush to sit down, Mom. Dad’s waiting for you with laurel.” —“The laurel is mine,” Maja laughed.

I grabbed her arm.

—“What will you do?” —“It’s mine. Don’t act like the matriarch of the house. Do you want wealth? Why did you rush in? Come down and apologize. Welcome, Maja, to my Sue family. Confess your mistakes.”

—“I’m not the one who should be sorry,” I said.

—“But you. You. You.” —“Crazy!” Hayan shouted.

—“The Sue family is legal. You’re afraid of forgetting that.”

—“Forget? I will not forget to die.”

A new, loud, and furious voice cut through the room. The crowd split. My daughter Zyu entered, accompanied by Xi Hong.

“You won’t like me,” Zyu said, his eyes blazing. “I’ve come to make this clear.”

—“Where are you from?” Jene asked.

—“I am a lawyer,” Zyu snapped.

—“I will sue!” he said.

Xi Hong stepped in front of Jene.

—“Do you dare hit me?” Jene asked hysterically.

—“Who is that stinky woman?” Xi Hong said in a low voice.

—“What did you say?” Jene replied, trembling.

Zyu fell to his knees before me and performed three kowtows, an act of respect and forgiveness that brought tears to many eyes in the room. He publicly declared his devotion and defended me with a fury that drew both applause and boos.

The crowd turned against the Sues. The truth began to crack their facade: recordings, testimonies, the video that proved who cut the brake lines. A neighbor’s camera showed a woman, in the middle of the night, next to the front wheel of my car: it was Maja.

Maja’s face, her downfall, the contradictions: it all came to light. The police entered and arrested her for fabricating evidence and conspiracy. The pieces they had woven against me unraveled. Hayan, Jene, and Hansang watched as the story they had concocted turned against them.

The banquet turned into a disaster: valuable gifts, a supposedly unique painting (the “Mona Lisa Smile”) that they set on fire in a fit of ignorance, financial audits that revealed illicit transfers, compromising audio recordings. The once all-powerful Sue family teetered. Alliances with major business groups crumbled; directors and executives made it clear that the real power was now on my side: the Blood Phoenix Group backed my return.

While everything was collapsing, I remained calm. The Sue legacy was fading: the police arrested several people, my daughter Zyu publicly returned my affection and honor, and Maja—the supposed queen—ended up in handcuffs, accused of multiple crimes and singled out as the architect of the harm they had suffered.

At the hospital, Su Hayan fell gravely ill; her body showed injuries and evidence of an infection that complicated her health. Some family members were arrested. Chaos and financial ruin engulfed the Sue family, while the truth followed me like a righteous shadow: I was not the imposter, but the victim now reaping the bitter fruits of the lie.

Finally, with the room full of witnesses, the press and the police, I threw the object they had offered me as a humiliation: the knife they intended to give me as penance, I threw it at Maja’s feet.

—“This was your ‘gift’,” I said.

The phrase that had defined everything: an eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. Poetic justice, others would say.

I walked out of the hospital, past the room where Su Hayan’s body lay. A nurse asked me if I was related to the patient.

—“No,” I replied without looking back.

—“He went to the wrong room,” he replied.

And so, amidst ruins and rescues, trials and sentences, lies and revelations, that day ended when those who humiliated me had to face the truth I had shouted at them from the depths of the prison: they could not destroy me. They thought I would return broken. They didn’t know I would return ruthless, righteous, and alive.

-END.