On New Year's Eve, my best friend, Stella, planned to marry me off to a local pig farmer with five children. I pretended to be oblivious, clutchng my newly won five-million-dollar lottery ticket, and followed her into the isolated village – a place from which I knew escape would be impossible. Sixteen years later, the five children, nurtured by my painstaking efforts, had grown into accomplished professionals. And then, just as the doctors confirmed my cancer diagnosis, Stella appeared before me, flanked by those same five children. "Actually, all five of these children are mine," she declared, her voice dripping with venom. "And I must thank you for raising them, allowing me to live a carefree life for so many years. But now you're useless. Just go and die somewhere out of sight; don't sully my children's eyes." I looked at the ungrateful pack of wolves before me and smiled faintly. "I've been waiting for this day too." 1 "Clara," Stella chirped, her eyes wide with feigned enthusiasm, "my cousin is a billionaire, single, and currently experiencing life out in the countryside. Why don't you come home with me for New Year's? I can arrange a blind date for you two." Stella's sudden warmth was no coincidence; she’d just found out about my five-million-dollar lottery win. She pulled out a small, passport-sized photo of her "cousin." The man in the picture looked to be in his early twenties, with striking dark brows and bright, open eyes—exactly my type. But I knew this man wasn't Stella's cousin; he was her husband, a butcher from her hometown. I didn't press the issue. By the end of the year, I followed her home. The journey was an ordeal: five hours on a train, two hours in a rattling, three-wheeled utility vehicle, and finally, an hour in a bumpy farm cart. Only then did we arrive at Stella's village, Maplewood Creek. The moment I saw the dilapidated, weather-beaten cabin, I knew—this time, escape would be impossible. Stella’s “cousin,” Mark, emerged from the cabin, trailed by five grimy children. Mark’s skin was tanned dark, his chin obscured by a rough beard; he bore no resemblance to the handsome man in the photo. He seemed to have a profound cognitive impairment; seeing Stella, he pulled at her hand like a child, demanding candy. As for the children, all under ten, they wore patched, threadbare clothes, their innocent eyes wide with apprehension as they stood shyly, silent. I frowned, turning to Stella. Stella laughed. "Clara, I'm sorry I didn't make it clear earlier. These five children are all my cousin's adopted children. From today onwards, you'll be their mother." I was about to speak, but Stella cut me off. "But I didn't lie to you! My cousin is actually the son of an industrial magnate. He only broke ties with his family because he insisted on raising these five children. Once they come of age, he can go back and inherit his fortune." Her story was riddled with holes, clearly a fabrication, but I merely feigned a seven-tenths belief. "Are you telling me the truth?" "Of course! You never wanted children, right? Well, now you've avoided the pain of childbirth and gained five children for free! This is a godsend! If it weren't for our friendship, I wouldn't even introduce you to him!" Seeing her plastered, insincere smile, I nodded. "Alright. Five children for a multi-million-dollar fortune. Seems worth it, no matter how you look at it!" Once I agreed, Stella whispered a few words to the children and then, with a casual wave, left. I asked one of the older boys to show me around the village. As we walked, I noticed villagers watching me with wary, suspicious eyes. Wherever I went, one of them would follow. I knew they feared I would run, leaving Stella to raise the children alone. Stella had already warned the villagers before she left; any attempt to escape, and they would unite to bind me and drag me back. But I had no intention of running. After familiarizing myself with the village, I returned to Mark's cabin. I bathed the five children, braided the girls' hair into cute pigtails, and trimmed the boys' tangled, overgrown locks. I even considered shaving Mark's beard, but when he realized Stella had truly left the village, he suddenly went into a rage, grabbing a wooden stick and wildly chasing me, striking out. "Did you drive Stella away, you wicked woman? I'll kill you!" 2 The five children watched silently as Mark beat me, leaving me bruised and battered. Their cold, indifferent eyes seemed to echo his accusations: my presence had driven their mother away. Yes, Stella was their biological mother. I didn't expect them to accept me, but I still pulled out my five-million-dollar winnings, dedicating myself to caring for this family of seven. I replaced the dilapidated cabin with a sturdy two-story house, paved roads in the village, and ensured all five children had access to schooling. Perhaps sensing my sincerity, the children gradually stopped resisting me and began to accept me as their mother. But their father, Mark, still treated me as an enemy. After our living conditions improved, he stopped butchering pigs. Instead, he spent his days sitting at the edge of the village, waiting for Stella to come home. My attempts to offer him care were met with indifference, yet I still took him to the clinic every week, hoping to treat his cognitive impairment. Finally, on the day the eldest, Ethan, was accepted into a prestigious high school, Mark’s long wait ended. Stella returned, bedecked in expensive jewelry and carrying various tonics. She embraced Ethan, showering him with kisses. "Ethan, your mother... your aunt knew you were the most promising one." Ethan's gaze was complicated; it had been years since he'd seen his birth mother, the woman he longed for. I cleared my throat, interjecting, "Stella, what brings you back this year?" She hadn't contacted me once in all the years she'd been gone. Her sudden return, I suspected, was only because she'd heard about Ethan’s acceptance into a prestigious high school, and now sought to reconnect. She gave me a falsely grateful look. "Clara, you've worked so hard all these years." She then handed Ethan a portable gaming device. "This is what you always wanted as a child, your aunt finally saved enough money." A flash of surprise lit up Ethan's eyes, but as he reached out, I quickly intervened, taking the device. "High school is crucial, son. I'll hold onto this for you. Once you get into college, I'll give it back." Stella's face twisted in disapproval. "This is my reward for Ethan. You can't stifle a child's playful nature." I met her gaze coolly. "Ethan is the eldest son of an industrial magnate. He's destined to inherit the family company. If he becomes a spoiled brat from playing games, his entire life will be ruined." At my words, Stella opened her mouth, then closed it, utterly speechless. After sharing a meal of dumplings, Stella pulled out several bags of gourmet chocolates from her purse, giving them as gifts to the other children. She promised to return and bring them whatever they desired once they achieved success like Ethan. Mark knew Stella didn't truly love him. So this time, he just stood there foolishly, watching her. Not until Stella rose to leave did he grab her hand. "Stella, don't go!" She glared at him, then whispered, "If you keep this up, I won't ever come back!" She then hissed, "If you really can't bear to lose me, Clara must still have money, right? Steal her bank card for me!" 3 I watched, expressionless, as Mark retrieved the bank card, which still held a million dollars, from my drawer. He handed the card to Stella, who was waiting at the village entrance, a naive, childlike smile on his face. Stella's eyes gleamed with a flicker of surprise. "What's the password?" Mark shook his head. "Don't know." "Useless!" Stella snarled, throwing the bank card back at Mark's face. This time, she left without a backward glance. But fearing her bond with the five children might weaken, she called them every year, checking in on their lives. She even mailed each child a Christmas present. I knew she was afraid the children, once they fully accepted me, would grow distant from their biological mother. But I never stopped her. I knew the children needed their birth mother's attention. Compared to all that, I cared more about their education, determined to mold each of them into pillars of society. Luckily, by the time the five million dollars ran out… The youngest, Ryan, had finally been accepted into Continental University. On the day I was diagnosed with cancer, I hid the diagnosis report under my pillow to avoid dampening the mood. Then, I joyfully hosted a celebration for Ryan's acceptance. Ethan had flown back from overseas. Chloe had been honored as an outstanding teacher this year. Daniel was a senior physician at St. Jude's Medical Center. Sophie was pursuing her graduate degree. The villagers all envied me, saying I had raised five successful children, and my days of enjoyment were still ahead. I happily drank a few more glasses, about to make a celebratory speech. But then Mark appeared on stage, pulling Stella by the hand. "Stella's back! Stella's back!" Seeing their birth mother after so many years, the five children burst into tears, rushing onto the stage. "Mom!" They embraced tightly, as if they had longed for this reunion for ages. Stella had been planning this heartwarming reunion for sixteen years. This time, she even invited reporters from the National Broadcast News. After exchanging pleasantries, Stella looked at the bewildered villagers, then pointed at me, accusing, "Clara was a home-wrecker! Sixteen years ago, she seduced my husband, and to keep him, she deliberately injured him and left him incapacitated!" "Because she couldn't have children herself, she stole mine! She made them acknowledge a stranger as their mother! My poor children, they couldn't resist. But now they're adults. We can finally reunite, mother and children, as a family!" I wasn't surprised Stella could utter such words. Mark, in his state, understood nothing of right or wrong. I looked at the five children I had painstakingly raised. "Do you all believe this too?" Ethan pulled out the cancer diagnosis report I had hidden. "Aunt Clara, although you raised us for over a decade, we were forced into it. Now that you have cancer, don't even think about using your past kindness to coerce us into paying for your treatment!" He didn't even call me "Mom" anymore, a clear sign he was in on Stella's scheme. The other four children nodded in agreement. Stella scoffed. "Clara, you destroyed my family, separating me from my children for sixteen years. Your cancer is just divine punishment!" Her voice grew sharp. "If you're going to die, then just go and die somewhere out of sight; don't sully my children's eyes. Whether you agree or not, these five children, you owe them back to me!" This rousing speech quickly resonated with everyone present. Applause erupted throughout the room. The National Broadcast News reporter, seeing my calm reaction, held the microphone to my face. "Ms. Hayes, what do you have to say about this?" "I was never a home-wrecker, nor did I seduce Mark," I stated, my expression unwavering. "But we understand you won five million dollars back then," the reporter pressed. "If it wasn't for love, why would you willingly stay in this remote village and devotedly raise Mark's children for sixteen years?" I looked at the ungrateful pack of wolves before me and smiled faintly. "That's an excellent question! Today, I can finally reveal the secret that has been buried in my heart."
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