Chapter 5

The next morning, I was woken up by an unknown number.

I picked up, and Leo's voice boomed through the receiver.

"Mom! What the hell are you doing?! Why is the power cut at the house? I was in the middle of a ranked match, and it kicked me out!"

I looked at the clock on the wall. It was 9:00 AM.

In the past, by this time, I would have already finished the morning bakery rush, rushed home to do the laundry, cooked lunch, and meticulously paid off every utility bill.

"The utility bill is due on the 10th of every month. Today is the 12th."

"You’re home, aren’t you? Go pay it! Chloe and I have to work. We don't have time for this crap!"

I replied coldly, "I’m not home. I’m at a hotel. From now on, figure out the bills yourselves."

From the background, I could hear Chloe throwing things.

"Leo, stop wasting your breath on her! She's just using these petty tricks to force us to apologize! Tommy's preschool tuition is due tomorrow. Ask her if she's going to pay it!"

Leo raised his voice again. "Mom, did you hear that? Tommy is your grandson! If you don't pay his tuition, do you want him kicked out?!"

I took a sip of the black coffee room service had just delivered.

"His tuition is $1,200. Your combined monthly income is $5,000. That's more than enough. Tommy is your son, not mine."

Chloe snatched the phone and shrieked, "Helen, you’re disgusting! We have a car loan to pay and takeout to order! We don't have extra cash for tuition! “

“Hand over that $200,000, or don't expect Tommy to ever call you grandma again!"

"Then pretend I was never his grandmother."

I hung up and blocked the number.

Within five minutes, the Snapchat family group began exploding with notifications.

Chloe had posted a video.

In the video, Leo was shirtless, sweating profusely in the hot living room, while Tommy sat on the floor crying because he couldn't watch cartoons.

Chloe’s caption read: [Some people are so evil. Just to win a petty argument, she doesn't care if her grandson suffers. Cutting off the power, refusing to pay tuition... she's trying to kill us!]

Vivian commented immediately:

[Oh dear, Chloe, don't worry. It breaks my heart to see Tommy suffer. I have some personal savings. Let me send you $100 to pay the electric bill for now. Arthur, how can you let Helen run wild like this?]

Arthur quickly sent a voice note, his tone dripping with arrogance.

[Chloe, take Vivian's money. Some people are just bluffing. Once she runs out of cash for her hotel room, let's see how tough she acts! No one is allowed to give Helen a single cent. Let her starve to death outside!]

I stared at the screen, finished my coffee, and smiled.