The Alms I Gave, The Slap I Got

Cordelia, the eldest daughter of the Gu clan, left everything behind when her mother died—spending ten years as a wandering monk to honor her Buddhist faith and earn merit for her soul. She survived on scraps and, with what little she had, put two boys through college. On Aldric's graduation day—the very day her penance ended and the Gu family came to bring her home—she went to offer her blessings. He spat on her, called her a beggar trying to leech off him, boasted about his rich girlfriend Sylvia, and told her to get lost. Cordelia was shattered. Reginald tried to defend her—only to be jeered at alongside her. As the crowd mocked, she turned to leave in despair. Then the Gu Group's vice president arrived to take her home.