He said nice things, but he had no intention of doing anything for me.

My father's face immediately turned red with anger before he barked, “What do you mean by that? Go ask anyone with common sense, where do marriage gifts come from?

“The gifts and dowry are a woman's premarital property. And now, right after the engagement, you're already asking for money?

“Do you truly want to marry my daughter, or are you just here to drain our blood and strip our family clean?”

My mother also looked upset by this conversation.

Seeing the relatives around her talking, Rod’s mother could no longer sit still and argued, “Mr. Dudley, you don't have to say such harsh words, right? 

“Every place has its own customs. In my hometown, money is managed by men. My income over the years has been with my husband and nothing has happened.

“Besides, the dowry and betrothal gifts are childbirth subsidies for the woman. Don't bully us rural people because we don't know the law. Can your daughter give birth? What subsidy do you need?

“Your daughter was born disabled. My family is already indebted to our ancestors by marrying her. You should give the money to my son as a guarantee.”

Rod’s father also echoed hurriedly, “Yes, your daughter can't have children. If she cheats on her husband and gets divorced in 20 years, my son will be past his best childbearing age. Who will you let him find in the future?

“In my opinion, this money must be used as compensation for my son. Even if your daughter runs away, my son won't have to live out his life alone.”

My father was so angry that he covered his chest and my mother stood up immediately to sneer, “It's not the first day your son has known about my daughter's affairs. He had previously said that the money would be in my daughter's hands. Now that they are getting engaged, you are turning your back on us, right?

“It's not like my daughter can't get married. Do you think my family has to rely on your son? Your son is a loser who doesn't even have a stable job. It's a blessing for your family that my daughter likes him.

“All the gifts and dowry must be given to my daughter. There is no room for negotiation. If you don't agree, don't get married. I will take my daughter back now!”

His mother kept calling me disabled, which was just rubbing salt into my wounds.

I could not help but question Rod, “Didn't you say you wouldn't mention this? It's fine if your parents knew, but what do you mean by saying it in public now?

“Your work was arranged by my family, so what is this now? I just want to ask you one question, did you discuss today's matter with your parents?”

Rod's face darkened and his tone became a little impatient, “We’ll be family from now on, so there’s no need to keep secrets between us.

“Besides, once we’ve been married for a few years without children, it’ll be impossible to hide it anyway. It’s better they know now than wonder later.

“My parents are doing this for our own good, aren't they? You are the only daughter in your family. When your parents are gone, won't all the money be yours? 

“This dowry is a drop in the bucket for your family, but it's something my family could never earn in a lifetime.

“I’ve already taken a lot of blame for your infertility and I'm just asking your family to give me some money. You can't be so stingy, right? Who can I go to for justice if my family's descendants are cut off?”

When I looked straight at the man in front of me, I almost did not know him.

When we first met, he took the initiative to pursue me. So, I immediately confessed my secret of being infertile.

He said he did not care and only wanted to live in a world of two people from that moment on.

He also said he would keep the secret for me.

At worst, he could take the initiative to get sterilized after marriage and tell others that he was infertile.

But when facing reality, everything had changed.

The wounds that I exposed when we were in love became the sharp knife that he used to stab me.

“Rod, are you still a man? What qualifications do you have to say these things to me?”

“I found you a job, I bought your car and I paid for the renovations of your house in your hometown. You know I'm not in good health and I've done my best to make up for it. Are you still not satisfied?

“And now you want to take even my dowry and betrothal gifts? Are you and your family so determined to drain me dry, until there’s nothing left of me?”

After a few words were shouted, the scene suddenly became noisy.

“This guy wasn't after the money from the beginning, was he?”

“The woman is really nice. She almost treats his parents like gods. The betrothal gifts and dowry belong to the woman. Isn't this just living off her?”

“How dare a gigolo speak so shamelessly? This entire family is nothing but a pack of greedy gigolos!” 

“I've never seen such brazen people, demanding both dowry and betrothal gifts. It's not like they just found out she couldn't have children. What is this if not taking advantage of someone else's misfortune?”

“They humiliated the girl’s family right at their own engagement party! Those who knew the details called it an engagement, but those who didn’t would’ve thought it was a public feud between enemies.”

Tears welled up in my mother’s eyes as she was so angry that she kept searching for the medicine bottle on my father’s body.

I was just about to call emergency services.

As soon as I took out the cell phone, it was knocked to the ground by Rod’s mother.

Not feeling satisfied yet, she stepped on it twice.

The triple-fold screen went black instantly and broke into pieces.

“You little bitch, why are you talking so harshly? We are all family; shouldn't you give a little respect? You should be proud of my son's work and earning money, you know!

“If it weren't for you, would my family have been extinct? My family has been a single-line family for three generations! I only have this one son, so what's wrong with me asking for some security for my son?

“I’m putting it right here. You won't be able to enter my house until these dowries are changed into my son's name!”

As soon as she finished speaking, my father's trembling body fell to the ground.

His lips were bruised, but his hands were still pointing at Rod’s mother angrily.

The latter took several steps back and kept some distance.

“Don't blackmail me. Everyone present is a witness. I didn't do anything to you!”

Seeing that something was about to happen, the relatives from both families fled the box on the pretext of having something to do.

My mother anxiously took out her phone and called an ambulance.

At this moment, Rod walked up to me and said, “You don't want the news of your infertility to spread, do you? The Dudley Family has such a big business, they must have some face.

“My mother is doing this for our own good. Besides, we'll be a family from now on, so it doesn't matter who has the money, right?

“As long as you agree to my conditions, I will get the marriage certificate with you immediately.”

Seeing my father in imminent danger, I could no longer suppress the anger in my heart.

I slapped Rod hard in the face and shouted, “Don't flatter yourself! I’m telling you, I won't get married.

“You can have a baby with whomever you want, just give birth to a son to inherit your family's pots and pans.”

Rod got angry after being beaten. He raised his hand to take revenge on me.

But when he caught a glimpse of the property certificate on the table, his expression instantly calmed down.

“Think about it yourself. Who else would want a hen that can't lay eggs except me?” he mocked me in a cold tone.

I sneered on the spot, “Rod, don't you understand what I'm saying? I'm saying, let’s break up, I don't want to get married.

“Get lost! I don't want to see you again.”

Rod was about to speak when his mother grabbed his arm and spat hard in my face, “Son, don't talk too much to her. She is born with a disability and won't be able to get married. There will be many times when she kneels down to beg you.

“Isn't it just a couple of lousy coins? Her family doesn't even have a son, who will the money go to after they die?

“It's already a great honor for our family to accept a disabled person. Just wait and see. Once the news of this bitch's infertility spreads, she will come back to beg you in two days.”

The three members of the Krueger’s family quickly left the box.

When the ambulance arrived, my father was already dying.

On the way to the hospital, my mother held my father's hand and cried bitterly, “I have long said that no matter what the marriage is, the other party will at least consider the reputation of the Dudley family and take care of you. 

“You insisted on finding someone who is not a good match. Today, it is obvious that their family is here to drain our fortune.

“Your father and I can still protect you now, but when you get married and we get old, it will be all over. He will take your money and find women to have sons with and you won't be able to stop him.

“This misfortune must not be opened. If it happens once, there will be a second one. If you use your infertility as a handle, you will suffer a lot of grievances in the future.”

I curled up on the side, my heart aching to the point of being almost numb.

I could not help but recall the past when I met Rod.

At that time, he was just a Project Manager of a small company.

The future was uncertain.

I was responsible for connecting with him on business matters.

After hearing my identity, he immediately started pursuing me.

I had always felt inferior because of my physical disability, but he did not despise my weakness and was willing to give me a future.

The gifts he gave me were cheap, but they showed his thoughtfulness.

He would cook porridge for me when I had a stomach ache and take me to eat at a roadside stall when the project was successfully signed.

I thought this was ordinary happiness, that I had found true love.

But in the end, it was all in vain. He was betraying me from the very beginning.

Every word between the lines said that he did not care, but every sentence reflects his grievance and concession.

Under his influence, I always felt indebted and kept giving to him.

I did not realize it until that day if I did not need this kind of shackles in the name of salvation.

It was not my fault that I could not have children, it was his deception that was the sin.

The ambulance arrived at the hospital quickly and my father's operation lasted five hours.

During this period, Rod sent me a message. He even added an aggrieved kitten expression with apologetic text.

[Don't mind what happened today. My parents meant well. They are the elders after all. It would be embarrassing for them if you contradicted them before they even entered the house.]

[Change the name of the villa to my parents, as compensation. As for our wedding house, let my uncle and aunt buy you another one. I think that villa is nice, so let's buy one in the same neighborhood. This way it will be convenient for you to take care of my parents after you get married.]

I looked at the screen and my expression turned completely cold.

I did not reply and just deleted his contact information.

After the operation, my father survived.

The doctor specifically advised us to not let him be exposed to any stimulation.

I made an appointment with my mother to take turns to take care of him at night.

While keeping vigil, I opened my phone and deleted all the photos with Rod.

The account that posted updates about our relationship was cancelled.

But the next morning, the news that the Dudley family's only daughter was infertile became a hot topic.

Rod’s mother filmed a video while crying, “What a sin! We only found out the day before the engagement that she was born infertile. A disabled person actually asked for a dowry of 25,000 dollars. Isn't this a scam?

“It's not that I don't want to give it, I just want my son to manage the money, but they don't agree. They also scold us for being country people and ignorant, saying that it is a blessing for our family if their daughter marries into our family.

“Even if his daughter is infertile, I will have to serve her tea and water, wash clothes and cook for her after she gets married, otherwise my son will be kicked out of the house. Everyone, please give us your opinion. How can this be allowed? Are these people still human?”

I was so angry when I saw the face of Rod’s mother on the screen.

While I was lost in thought, my father, who had just woken up, snatched the phone away from me.

After just one look, his heart stopped beating.

Sharp alarms sounded from all the instruments around me.