She looked nervously at Lin Jian, unsure how much he already knew.
"Do you even love Dad? And where exactly were you just now?"
Lin Jian's gaze bore into Liu Yuemei, scrutinizing every flicker of her expression.
Liu Yuemei took a deep breath and glanced around.
"Xiao Jian, there's something I must tell you now. The truth is... you’re not your father’s son."
Her voice trembled, as if uttering those words had drained every ounce of her strength.
Lin Jian’s eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Shock and disbelief flooded his gaze, his body beginning to shake violently. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
"You’re not your father’s son. He doesn’t know—because I’ve kept it hidden from everyone."
Liu Yuemei watched him, her eyes shimmering with complex emotions—guilt, resignation."What?!"
Lin Jian’s pupils dilated like copper bells, brimming with horror and incredulity, as if he’d just heard the most absurd thing in the world.
He staggered back slightly, as though struck by the sudden revelation, his face instantly turning ghostly pale.
"I said you’re not your father’s son. He doesn’t know, because I’ve kept it hidden all these years."
"But now, you have to know the truth. Lin Tianba might become a deadbeat—his debts can’t fall on you anymore. Or me."
Liu Yuemei bit her lip and continued, "Son, I owe a lot of money out there. I need to repay it, but I can’t give you the life you deserve anymore. From now on, you’ll have to rely on yourself."
Tears welled in her eyes, her face etched with helplessness and sorrow.
For years, Lin Jian had lived as the pampered young master, basking in privilege and adoration, his every whim indulged.
He had once dreamed of wielding his status like a weapon, conquering the world to amass wealth and power.
Now, Liu Yuemei had shattered that illusion with a single sentence—he wasn’t Lin Tianba’s son. It was a bolt from the blue, an unbearable blow.
His world crumbled in an instant, every belief and hope dissolving into nothingness.
What tormented him even more was the realization that his mother had stooped so low for money.
The image of her in his mind—gentle, loving, noble—was obliterated, replaced by a selfish, fallen woman.
"Disgusting," he cursed silently, his eyes brimming with revulsion.
"Heh... hahaha... I see."
Lin Jian laughed—a hollow, broken sound that seemed to rise from the depths of his soul.
Bitter, self-mocking, and utterly desolate, that laughter echoed through the room like an indictment of this cruel world.
"Son, you can’t tell your father about this yet," Liu Yuemei urged anxiously.
"Why not? Isn’t this the perfect time? If he’s not my father, I have no obligation to suffer alongside him!" Lin Jian roared, fury blazing in his eyes, his hatred for everything before him unbearable.
Liu Yuemei sighed. "Because I don’t know if Lin Ran will agree to bail out Lin Tianba. If Lin Ran pays up, then Lin Tianba never has to know."
A glint of calculation flickered in her eyes. To her, Lin Ran was their last lifeline—if they could squeeze money out of him, all problems would vanish.
Lin Jian froze, staring at his mother. For the first time, he realized how little he truly knew her.
She had always been an enigma to him—but now, the truth left him terrified and alienated.
"I understand," he said coldly, though ice filled his heart.
With reluctant acceptance, Lin Jian followed Liu Yuemei back to their rented apartment. The entire way, he remained silent, walking stiffly, his disdain for his mother now matched only by his contempt for Lin Tianba.
In his eyes, they were both failures—pitiful, wretched souls.
When they arrived, Lin Tianba was already dead drunk, slumped on the floor amidst a sea of empty bottles. His gaze was unfocused, his muttering incoherent.
Liu Yuemei marched up to him and demanded, "Why did you hit my son?"
Lin Tianba glared at her, then lurched to his feet and slapped her across the face.
"I’ll hit you too," he snarled, his eyes burning with rage and resentment.
"You dare hit me?" Liu Yuemei clutched her cheek, shock and indignation flashing in her eyes.
"Why wouldn’t I? You whore, riding anyone who’ll have you." He struck her again, his words like daggers plunging into her heart.
"Have you lost your mind?" Her voice quivered, fear and fury warring in her expression.
She had never imagined Lin Tianba could be so violent.
Lin Tianba threw his head back and laughed—a wild, broken sound. "Hahaha! Yes, I’ve lost my mind! Lost it the moment I fell for a bitch like you!"
His manic laughter filled the cramped apartment, dripping with agony and despair.
Just as Liu Yuemei tried to fight back, Lin Tianba shoved his phone in her face, forcing her to watch the video Lin Ran had sent him.
The footage was graphic, each frame a detonation in Liu Yuemei’s heart.
Her face drained of color as she stared in disbelief. The woman in the video was unmistakably her—but the men kept changing.
Her entire body trembled violently.
"Husband, let me explain—it’s not what you think!"
She scrambled for excuses, panic flooding her eyes.
Lin Tianba wasn’t listening. No excuse could justify her betrayal.
"Explain your ass!" he bellowed, disgust twisting his features.
Lin Jian cowered nearby, too petrified to intervene. The scene before him was terrifying—Lin Tianba was a ticking bomb, volatile and dangerous.
He didn’t know what to do except shrink into himself, shaking uncontrollably.
Only when Lin Tianba had exhausted his fury did Liu Yuemei finally speak, dabbing at her bleeding lip.
"Lin Tianba, after everything I’ve sacrificed for you, this is how you treat me?"
He stiffened. "You dare say that? Sacrificed for me?"
Liu Yuemei burst into tears. "Do you know why I did this? Because I borrowed 50 million from Brother Dao to help you! But the Liu family swindled me out of it—I was left with nothing! This was the only way I could repay the debt!"