Wyatt's death was still fresh in my mind. I couldn't take that gamble.

I rushed forward and pushed the golden egg back at her.

"Ma, you should keep this egg yourself."

"Yvonne's just a child. How could she take something so precious from you?"

The mother-in-law's face darkened at once.

Against the pitch-black night, it looked all the more grim and terrifying.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, is it that you look down on me? Is that why you're deliberately keeping Yvonne from getting close to me?"

"Or do you think I favor the second household, and you're sulking to spite me?"

"If you won't let Yvonne take this egg, then don't expect a single golden egg ever again!"

My daughter looked a little confused too.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?"

"Dad's wages haven't come on time in ages. Grandma's only doing this because she feels sorry for us."

"Why are you being so harsh with her?"

I didn't know how to explain any of this to Yvonne.

I could only force a smile.

"Ma, don't be angry. I meant no harm."

"With one thing after another going wrong at home, I've been sick at heart, so my words came out too sharp."

"I just think the egg is too precious. It'd be better to save it for something truly important."

The mother-in-law ignored me and turned to stroke Yvonne's head.

But in that doting gaze there seemed to lurk a bloodthirsty greed.

"Yvonne's schooling — that's what's truly important."

"Take it, good girl. Don't let your grandma's love for you go to waste."

Yvonne nodded obediently.

Just as she reached out to take it, Daisy's voice came from behind us.

"Ma, what are you all doing out here in the middle of the night?"

The moment she saw the golden egg in Yvonne's hand, her eyes lit up.

She shoved her way between me and the mother-in-law without a second thought.

"Did our hen lay another egg?"

"Ma, how could you do this? Wyatt's funeral isn't even settled yet, and here you are slipping a golden egg to the eldest household on the sly."

"They're all your grandchildren. You can't play favorites like this."

The mother-in-law's gaze slid back and forth between Yvonne and Daisy.

As if she were picking out a prey that pleased her.

It was only one golden egg. Not worth gambling my daughter's life on.

I hardened my heart.

I beat her to it and pressed the egg into Daisy's hands.

"You've got it wrong, Daisy."

"Ma knows you're hurting. She didn't want to disturb your rest, so she had me pass this egg on to you."

"Wyatt was so young to meet such a terrible end. His funeral mustn't be done shabbily."

"Take this money and give Wyatt a proper send-off."

Daisy examined the golden egg carefully.

Only once she was sure I hadn't tampered with it did she turn and leave, thoroughly satisfied.

After she was gone, my heart stayed uneasy.

For one, I fretted over Yvonne's tuition next month.

For another, I worried the egg really did carry some curse, and that I'd indirectly gotten Daisy killed.

But day after day passed, and nothing happened at all.

Daisy's whole family was alive and thriving — they'd even bought a new car.

Instead, while I was keeping the wake, I happened to overhear the second household talking.

Daisy cradled Wyatt's memorial photo, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

"Honey, thank goodness you're so clever, coming up with the idea of having Wyatt play dead."

"That fool Agatha actually handed the golden egg right over to me."

"Now the hen, and every golden egg the hen lays, all of it's ours."

"A sum this big — no way we let the eldest household make off with it for free!"

My heart dropped.

Wyatt wasn't dead.

This whole thing was a show Daisy had staged so she could grab every golden egg for herself.

Two golden eggs. Over a hundred thousand.

And I'd just handed them over to someone else, free and clear.

Anger and regret twisted together inside me.

When I lifted my head, I saw the old woman standing off in the shadows, watching.

She glanced around, then crawled into the hen coop in a twisted, unnatural crouch.

When she came out, there was a golden egg in her hand.

I was about to step forward and lay Daisy's scheme bare.

But somehow the old woman was already at my side.

“Agatha. What are you doing out here?”

She came a few steps closer, cold coming off her in waves.

“You thinking of sneaking off with one of my hens while I'm not looking?”

“Ma, what are you saying? You think I'm that kind of person?”

“I just couldn't stop worrying about Nolan and his wife. I came to check on them, that's all.”

Her suspicious eyes moved over me, up and down.

At last she let out a long sigh.

“These years haven't been easy on you.”

“Otto's off working the whole time, and everything here falls on you alone.”

“Those years the old man was paralyzed, you were the one cleaning up after him, day and night.”

“By rights, I should give you a golden egg too.”

The old woman opened her hand and held the golden egg out to me.

“Take it. Pay Yvonne's tuition first, then buy yourself a few new outfits.”

“I'm not one to play favorites. All the grief you've swallowed these years, I've seen every bit of it.”

Her words made my eyes sting.

At my age, with the old to care for and the young to raise.

Every dollar stretched until it was ready to snap.

And now a golden egg sat right in front of me, gleaming. How could my heart not move?

On top of everything Nolan and his wife had just said.

Before I knew it, my hand had already reached forward.

That was when the old ox's voice came again at my ear.

“Don't take it. Don't take it.”

“Daisy has a dark aura shielding her body. It turned the curse aside for her this time. But you don't have that kind of luck.”

“If you die, your daughter is next!”

Sweat beaded in my palm.

For a moment I honestly couldn't tell.

Were these words Daisy's trap, or a warning heaven itself was sending me?

The old woman seemed to catch my hesitation, and she sighed.

“Take it. A hen doesn't lay these forever.”

“Take one and there's one less.”

“Miss this chance and who knows how long you'll have to wait.”

As she spoke, she waved the golden egg back and forth in front of me.

Every pass of it sent another ripple through my heart.

While I wavered, my phone rang.

“Is this Agatha? I'm Bruno, a friend of Otto's.”

“A while back Otto got his leg crushed on the site. He was scared it'd cost him work, so he never dared to say anything.”

“It's hot out now, the wound got infected, and he's in the hospital.”

“The doctor says he needs surgery right away, or his life could be in danger any minute.”

“We pooled what we could, but it's still not enough. Hurry and find a way to bring fifty thousand to the county hospital!”

Afraid I wouldn't believe him, Bruno sent a video of Otto lying in the hospital bed.

He mentioned all sorts of things from when the two of them were boys.

Looking at how pale Otto was, my heart clenched up in an instant.

The old woman fretted right along beside me.

“Wyatt's only just gone. Otto can't have anything happen to him now.”

“Otto's the one holding this family up. If something happens to him, this whole family is finished!”

“Agatha, my old legs aren't good for much. Hurry, take this golden egg to the hospital.”

The sound of us talking woke the ones inside.

Nolan and his wife and Yvonne all came running out.

Daisy's eyes clung to the golden egg, longing, but all she could do was grumble it out grudgingly.

“Saving a life does come first.”

“Sis, you take this golden egg. I won't fight you for it this time.”

Yvonne was in such a state the tears just poured down.

“Mom, let's hurry and go save Dad.”

“I can't lose my dad……”

Only the old ox kept shaking his head and sighing.

“Don't take it. Don't take it.”

“Last time you cut her off from feeding on that child's pure life-fate. She hates you down to the teeth for it.”

“If you take this golden egg now, your whole family will die without so much as a grave!”