“You wanted the money.”
The man snatched it away and counted it, $300. Where did Leland get so much money at this late hour?
“It’s not like you’ve been hiding it from me,” the man said.
“I’ve been working at the construction site, carrying cement. You know how much I make in a day. There’s nowhere to hide it,” Leland replied.
The man nodded, “How did you manage to get so much money in such a short time?”
“Don’t worry about where I got it. Just know that I can give you more money in a day than I did before.”
The man had a suspicious thought. Maybe his son was doing something shady. He noticed that his son cleaned up nicely and looked presentable. Some people had peculiar tastes and liked this type of appearance.
The man had a plan. If he sold him to wealthy individuals with peculiar tastes, he could make a lot of money.
Unaware of the man’s thoughts, Leland felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
“Only $300 a day?”
“$300 a day, at least $9, 000 a month. Enough for you to live on. If something happens to me, and you don’t have even $300, I can earn money now to take care of you. As long as you treat my mom well, I will take care of you when you’re older. You will still have money. If you want to remarry, you may not find someone as obedient as me. Life won’t be easy. Think about it…”
With each sentence, he reminded the man of his value, making him ponder.
After carefully considering Leland’s words, the man realized that no matter how much money he had, it would eventually run out. But having a money-making tool that provided him with funds daily meant he would never run out.
Currently $300, who knows, it might be more in the future. Furthermore, he needed to use the bedridden woman in the house to control Leland. He would not let her die so soon. It would be best if she lived as long as he did.
The man pocketed the money, “$300, remember to make more money in the future to support me. Work hard during the day, and I will take care of your mother.”
“If you can’t take care of her, hire someone.”
The man refused, “Hiring someone costs money. It’s just about feeding her and helping her with her needs. Don’t worry.”
Leland understood that the man was just talking casually. He did not take it seriously. It was all an act, allowing him to temporarily trust him. At least he got through tonight. After he drank that bottle of wine…
Leland glanced at the wine jug subconsciously, “It’s late; I should sleep. I have to leave early tomorrow.”
The man received $300, adding to what Leland had given earlier, he had earned a total of $480 today. Enough to buy cigarettes and alcohol, and maybe even visit a massage parlor.
He didn’t ask Leland if he had any hidden money. In the past, he could get a few dozen dollars from Leland’s pockets and end up with a couple of hundred. Now, he could get from $300 to $500, or even a thousand.
Leland returned to his room and closed the door, using a table to block it.
“Leland…”
Leland went over and gently held the woman’s hand. Her nails were a bit long, and her tight grip had left blood imprints on her palm from scratching herself.
Leland didn’t say anything, he opened a drawer, found a nail cutter, and neatly trimmed and filed her nails. He pressed her fingertips to ensure they wouldn’t injure her palm again before letting go.
“Mom, I’m sorry… I am useless…”
Leland shook his head, “You have nothing to apologize for. You are the person I love most in this world.”
If anyone should apologize, it would be him to his mother. Perhaps if it weren’t for him back then, his mother might have left this man long ago.
She was not worthless. She protected him, loved him, and he cherished those memories. They were his hope for living.
Leland had a plan. When the man died, he would take his mother away from here, find a new place to rent, and eventually return to the Dawson family. Only there could he earn more money.
Leland understood that people like him would always be looked down upon wherever they went. Selling their dignity and being treated like dogs was unpleasant, but the returns were significant.
Money was indeed a good thing. It could provide good food and clothing, take his mother to the hospital for treatment, buy her beautiful clothes, and hire caregivers to take care of her with dedication.
Leland slept by the bed that night. The woman’s occasional mumbles woke him up, but as dawn approached, he got up at five and got ready.
As usual, he made breakfast in the kitchen, woke the woman to feed her, and left only after she finished.
The man spent the night out carousing and slept during the day. The noise from the kitchen woke him up, and he felt hungry, going to the kitchen. There was porridge and eggs cooking in the pot. He grumbled, scooped a bowl of porridge and took out the two eggs, grabbed a handful of peanuts from the cupboard. He drank the porridge first to warm his stomach, then ate the eggs, using the remaining peanuts as a snack.
The man drank alcohol three times a day, but despite the health warnings, he showed no signs of illness. His stomach was robust and showed no signs of harm from the alcohol.
As Leland exited his room, he saw the man sitting on the worn-out sofa, enjoying peanuts and wine.
Leland glanced at the wine pot on the coffee table and his pupils slightly constricted.
The pot of wine on the table was the one he had drugged last night.
Could cephalosporin and alcohol really be lethal? When Winifred mentioned it to Mr. Hamilton, his reaction didn’t seem like Winifred was lying.
But when would the drug take effect?
“Why are you standing there? Aren’t you going to work? Remember, it’s still $300 today.” The man picked up his glass and took a gulp, frowning. “This wine tastes strange, is it expired? It has a bitter taste.”
Leland came to his senses and averted his gaze. “I’m leaving now. Remember what you said last night.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of your mother. I hope we both live to a hundred.”
Leland inwardly sneered, hoping the drug would work quickly and get rid of him today.
As he left, he noticed the man taking another sip of wine.
It was already six in the morning, with few people on the road. Leland debated whether to take a taxi to the Dawson family. At the intersection, he saw a black car parked there, which looked familiar. Glancing at the license plate, it was the same driver who had dropped him off last night.
Leland ran over.
Opening the car door and sitting inside, Leland asked, “How long have you been here?”
“Not long, waited for about ten minutes,” the driver replied. He quite liked Leland, responsible and polite. Seeing how thin and pale he was, it made him feel sorry for him.