Caged Bird

The night Jeff Smith returned from his business trip, I found a flight attendant's business card stained with lipstick and a wedding invitation in his suit pocket.

I tossed them onto the table, but the red mark was glaring.

The name on the invitation was all too familiar to me.

Samuel Smith-Jeff's so-called "uncle", the illegitimate son of the Smith family, who was never welcomed.

He was also my first love.

Once, he had humbly pleaded with me, "Jane, help me just this once, marry Jeff."

1

I felt trapped, like a bird in a cage.

The person I loved most had handed me over to his nephew, all for a long-planned revenge.

The year I met Samuel, I had just sent my biological father to prison.

He was an alcoholic, and when drunk, he would stagger home. Every time, I would hide my sister in the wardrobe, signaling her to stay silent and hidden.

Then, like thunder, his fists would rain down on me. I would curl up on the floor like a shrimp, protecting my head.

"You wretch, why didn't you run off with your worthless mother? You're nothing but a burden. Tomorrow, go earn me some drinking money."

Memories of those years flashed through my mind, and the thought of a bleak future made me give up resisting and struggling.

Suddenly, my sister's cries caught my father's attention. He squinted and slowed his steps, searching for the source of the cries, getting closer to the wardrobe.

Panic set in, and despite the pain, I crawled up. Just as he was about to open the wardrobe door, I picked up his bottle from the floor and smashed it hard against the back of his head.

Blood trickled down from his head.

He turned around, looking at me in shock, then collapsed in front of me with a thud.

I was terrified, only realizing the warmth in my palm when my sister emerged from the wardrobe, holding my hand. "Jane, is Dad dead?"

"If Dad is dead, he won't hit us anymore."

I hugged my sister, repeating, "No one will hurt us anymore. I'll always protect you."

I hastily fabricated everything to make it look like the scene of an act of self-defense, and I even didn't hesitate to stab my own thigh just to send that devil of a father to prison.

The police arrived quickly, and I lay weakly in the direction of the door.

As I was taken to the ambulance, I vaguely heard the crowd condemning my father. Yes, he was never a good person.

In the end, he was sentenced to six years in prison, and my sister and I finally escaped his clutches.

2

To take good care of Ariella Walsh, I sent her to live with my aunt, while I went out to earn money.

Samuel was six years older than me, and I encountered him at a competition.

The challenge was to eat Indian ghost peppers, one of the spiciest peppers in the world, with a prize of fifty thousand for the winner.

I forced myself to eat until the end, nearly passing out from the heat.

Midway through, someone put a bottle of mineral water in front of me, but I didn't know who it was.

Without thinking, I unscrewed the cap and took a big gulp, then continued devouring the peppers.

Unsurprisingly, I won.

"Jane, you're really lucky. If Samuel hadn't given you his water, you probably wouldn't have made it."

Samuel-a name that sounded so lonely.

I caught up with him, patting his shoulder, and handed him half of the prize money as he turned around.

"Thank you for helping me."

He smiled faintly in the sunlight.

"No need, that bottle of water isn't worth twenty-five thousand."

With that, he left me with just his back.

Those who participated in such extreme spicy food competitions were all in need of money. I knew he was as poor as I was.

After our brief encounter, I returned home.

I sent part of the fifty thousand prize money to my aunt for my sister's living expenses.

"Aunt, I've transferred this month's money to you. Use it for Ariella's tutoring fees."

The phone call shifted from my aunt's indifferent tone to my sister's tender voice.

"Jane, I miss you. When will you come to Aunt's house to see me? I'll take you to the back mountain to eat cherries."

"Soon."

Once I had earned enough money, maybe we wouldn't have to be apart anymore.

......

I returned to my job at a high-end restaurant.

The restaurant paid 20 dollars an hour, and this part-time income was crucial for me.

The only problem was the manager, who was a lecherous boss.

"Jane, you haven't been yourself lately. Come to my office later."

I went to his office as instructed.

Pushing the door open, I found the manager sitting with his legs crossed, smoking and leering at me.

He pressed the cigarette butt out in the ashtray, tugged at his tie with his hand and advanced towards me step by step.

"Jane, there are two types of people who get promoted and get raises quickly in this restaurant. One is a genius who can double the revenue with their ability, and the other is someone willing to do whatever it takes. You know what I mean, right?"

"Manager, I'm sorry, I don't quite understand."

I was short on money, but no matter how desperate, I wouldn't sell my body for it!

Holding back tears, I shook my head, which only provoked the manager further.

He slapped me hard and began tearing at my clothes.

"Ring, ring, ring."

The fire alarm went off.

The next second, the door was kicked open, and in the chaos, a hand grabbed mine and pulled me out.

It was him-Samuel.

"What are you doing here?"

I nervously adjusted my clothes, afraid he would find out about the disgraceful incident.

"I came to deliver an invoice to your manager and saw he was busy."

"So, what did you hear?"

I stared at him, and he calmly replied, "I didn't hear anything, just accidentally hit the alarm."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go, I'll take you to get something to eat."

I followed closely behind him, stepping on his shadow, feeling a long-lost sense of comfort.

3

"If you're short on money, why don't I introduce you to a job?"

I put down my fork, wiped my mouth, and calmly met his gaze.

"Okay, but the restaurant pays 20 dollars an hour. Can it not be lower than that? I really need the money."

"No problem."

He saw through my embarrassment.

And so, I became a tutor for a girl named Jolie Davies.

To my surprise, Samuel also taught there, making me his "colleague".

Jolie played the piano beautifully, which I discovered one afternoon.

Samuel was her teacher and would occasionally practice on the first floor.

His fingers danced on the black and white keys, distinct and mesmerizing.

After a piece ended, I couldn't help but applaud, already captivated.

"You're amazing! You can even play the piano."

"I was taken in by foster parents when I was young. My mom was a piano teacher, and I learned a bit from her."

"Where are they now?"

"They're both gone."

I noticed a hint of sadness in his expression, so I dared not ask further.

Unexpectedly, a few days later at a dinner gathering, the employer's words turned out to be prophetic.

Samuel indeed had a family.

He was the long-lost youngest son of Kieran.

4

Just as life was beginning to stabilize, an unexpected event occurred.

Ariella fell ill.

I left quietly one night.

By the time I reached my aunt's house, it was already late at night. Seeing my frail sister on the bed, I turned and questioned, "Why didn't you take her to the hospital? I send a significant amount of money every month, and this is how you take care of Ariella?"

My aunt leaned against the doorframe, leisurely cracking sunflower seeds as she replied, "Do you know how expensive it is to raise a child? What can you do with the ten thousand you send each month?"

I turned and glared at her fiercely. Perhaps my menacing look scared her, as she put down the seeds and reluctantly said, "Alright, alright, I'll call a car... Let's hurry to the hospital."

After a series of examinations, the hospital staff shook their heads at the report.

"Your family needs to be prepared; this is a severe case of sepsis, a severe blood infection."

I struggled to hold back my tears, pressing down on my emotions with both hands.

"Money, how much money do you need? You have to save her. I'm begging you, doctor, she's my only sister."

I slid off the chair and knelt before the doctor, clutching his pant leg, pleading, "Please, she's my only family. Please..."

With that, I bowed my head in desperation several times.

Even my aunt, feeling some remorse, came over to help me up.

The doctor only promised to do his best, leaving me kneeling there alone.

Through the glass of the hospital room, Ariella lay quietly on the bed, so lonely and fragile.

After a while, my aunt handed me a bank card.

"There are tens of thousands left in this card. Use it to pay for Ariella's medical expenses."

I opened my mouth but couldn't utter a word.

The next day, I started calling everyone in my contacts to borrow money, finally scraping together enough for the first treatment.

I watched the news on the TV in front of me.

"Recently, the CEO of Smith Group successfully reunited with his son, who had been missing for over twenty years..."

On the screen, Samuel stood tall and handsome beside Kieran, dressed in an elegant dark suit.

Just days ago, we stood side by side, but now, our worlds were miles apart.

I could only bless him in my heart, "Congratulations, you've finally made it to the upper echelons of society."

A month later, Ariella's condition worsened. Following the doctor's advice, I transferred her back to the city for treatment.

I shuttled between the hospital and the hotel where I worked.

Occasionally, I caught glimpses of Samuel on TV, mostly about him joining Smith Group as the vice president.

After achieving both fame and fortune, he never contacted me again.

5

It seemed our lives would never intersect again.

I was busy earning money for Ariella's medical bills, working myself to exhaustion.

I had no time to learn about his current life.

However, that day, just as I changed into my work uniform at the hotel, the manager called me to the thirteenth-floor banquet hall to help serve dishes.

As soon as I reached the entrance, I noticed the sign "Smith Group Banquet".

Could Samuel be there too?

I cautiously pushed open the door, and inevitably, I spotted Samuel at the round table.

He was chatting with Jolie Davies, making her laugh, and then she playfully punched his chest.

"Hello, this is the specialty sausage. Please enjoy."

Samuel suddenly looked up, startling me so much that I nearly dropped the dish before quickly retreating.

My phone buzzed with another hospital payment reminder.

Finally, the end of my shift arrived. As I was unbuttoning my uniform in the locker room, the door behind me opened and closed.

I turned abruptly, only to be pulled into an embrace.

In the dim room, he rested his chin on my head and spoke slowly, "You truly have no heart, disappearing for so long."

Before I could explain, he continued, "Why did you come back? Is he not treating you well?"

I didn't know who Samuel was referring to. I just stared blankly out the window at the city's nightscape, thinking of Ariella, who was covered in tubes, waiting for me to save her.

Samuel was no longer the same; he had the means to save Ariella.

I held onto a sliver of hope, hoping he would help me because of our past connection.

"Because I need money."

He released me, letting out a cold laugh.

"So you came to me for money?"

"Think of it as a loan. I'll repay you, even if I have to work tirelessly."

There was no time for sentimentality. Whether he reciprocated my feelings didn't matter.

I needed to cure Ariella's illness. I just needed money.

"Fine, I don't need you to work tirelessly. Next Monday afternoon, at the Blue Ocean Swimming Pool."

Samuel stormed out in anger, leaving me to collapse onto the floor, tears soaking my clothes.

Met again, and still in such a sorry state.

On Monday, I arrived at the Blue Ocean Swimming Pool on time.

As soon as I entered, I saw Samuel lounging on a deck chair, wearing sunglasses, looking completely at ease.

"I'm here as promised."

Samuel didn't speak, just gestured for his secretary to hand me a stack of documents.

I opened them to find detailed information about the young master of Smith Group-Jeff.

Everything from his habits to personal interests, past relationships, and preferred type of woman was listed clearly.

"What does this mean?"

Samuel removed his sunglasses, gazing at the deep pool in front of him.

"Jeff likes women who can swim."

I didn't understand what he meant.

"Thirty million."

"Samuel, explain yourself."

I was starting to panic.

"What I mean is, go seduce him. Once the fish is on the hook, the angler naturally gets a reward."

"You're sick."

All my romantic feelings were instantly crushed.

I stood up to leave immediately, but his cold voice stopped me, "You don't need money anymore?"

I hesitated.

Thirty million was a huge temptation for me.

I couldn't lose Ariella.

The secretary timely handed me a business card.

I took a deep breath and accepted it.

Back at the hospital, I found a crowd gathered outside the ward. Confused, I approached and saw doctors and nurses urgently trying to save Ariella.

"Ariella!"

"She's stabilized for now, but your family needs to gather money quickly. It can't be delayed much longer."

I sat outside the ward, thinking for a long time before pulling out the business card.

"I agree, but you have to give me half the money first."

"No problem. I trust my judgment and your ability."

Making a deal with the devil, I would eventually become one myself.