Rise of the Darkness Tycoon

Chapter 3- The Warmth of a Mother

Right outside the door, two voices could be heard.

“Irma, I have 50,000 dollars in my savings account. It’s the money I was gathering up for Calvin’s college f*e, but what use is it if he loses his life before that? Why are you stopping me from withdrawing it all?!”

“Calm down, Martha,” the second voice said. “Don’t use it all. I’d give you some money to add to it for the surgery. You can use the rest of the money to care for yourselves after the surgery.

You’ll need to take leave from work, won’t you? You’ll need money for drugs too!”

“That…that’s true…” Martha muttered quietly.

“Yes. So don’t worry. I’d pay it as we go downstairs so they can start the surgery quickly. You should also try to call our eldest brother.”

Just as the woman named Irma said that, Martha immediately snapped.

“That stingy man?! He and that money-grubbing wife of his would rather die than let anyone borrow their money.”

The dialogue between the two women reached Calvin’s ears clearly through the gap in the door, and he couldn’t help but exhale deeply.

‘Irma is the twin sister of this body’s mother, and this eldest brother of theirs was…Marion?’

The Carter Family’s eldest son, Marion, was the richest in their family, but also the stingiest of them all. He looked down on the rest of the family and felt that associating with them was beneath him, so he always avoided them at all costs.

For Martha, whose child was born out of wedlock, he was even more derisive.

‘Cut from the same cloth as those damned Osborns.’

Calvin clicked his tongue at the thought, then turned back towards the door, refocusing on the two women outside.

‘Yes, not all mothers are like the Osborn women. There are those that actually care for their children.’

That thought reminded Calvin of his mother, who had, even on the verge of death, strived to secure the best possible life for him, but the door opened just then, cutting those thoughts short.

In stepped two women of the same age.

Though they were clearly fraternal twins and did not look exactly alike, the similarities between them were unmistakable. Both possessed delicate facial features, fair complexions, and slightly upturned eyes that gave them a naturally gentle appearance.

One had long dark hair tied into a single braid that rested over her shoulder, while the other wore her hair at shoulder length and had a blue-checker apron over a plain T-shirt and jeans.

Her complexion lacked some of the smoothness of her sister’s skin, the effect of years spent working, but it did little to diminish her appearance.

The beauty in her features was still obvious at a glance, and few people would believe she was already 40 years old if they met her for the first time.

The moment her dark-red eyes fell on Calvin, she dashed across the ward with immense speed, grabbing his shoulders and calling out to him.

“Calvin! How are you feeling?! Does anything hurt?”

Quickly turning to her sister, she spoke. “Quick, Irma. Call the nurse!”

Calvin just blinked silently, surprised by what he’d just seen and what he was currently feeling.

‘That speed of hers! This ward is clearly at least 30, maybe 35 metres long, and she crossed that distance in less than 5 seconds.’

For someone who spent all her time in a kitchen and not on a track, that was clearly unnatural.

‘What’s more, her hands are hot. This body’s memories have noted that she’s always had a high body temperature, but this level of heat is clearly not normal.’

“Calvin? Can you hear me?”

The woman’s worried voice made Calvin pause his analysis, and he met her eyes, his lips parting as he unconsciously called out.

“Mum.”

“Yes, my boy, it’s your mother,” Martha replied, her voice slightly choked with tears.

After being told that her son had suffered serious wounds and had possible brain damage that required surgery, even something as simple as him remembering her was enough to make her burst into tears.

She hugged him silently, as if scared he would disappear, while Calvin just blinked silently as he thought about what he’d just said.

‘I called her ‘Mum’?’

Was it the subconscious action of this body, or was it Calvin’s desire for a mother’s love that had been suppressed since his real mother faced death to save him decades ago, coming back to the surface after he felt touched by Martha’s emotions?

He didn’t know which one it was.

What he did know was that he didn’t feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable calling Martha ‘Mum’.

He silently moved his hands and returned Martha’s hug, and a strange sense of comfort spread through his chest, his eyes slowly lowering as a strong dizziness took over.

This body had been involved in an accident, had died, had a new soul placed into it, and that soul had used what little energy it had left to recall the body’s original memories, among other things.

It was only natural that he was tired, and now, in Martha’s arms, Calvin’s body felt relief and allowed itself to shut down to rest.