Silence. An eerie silence.
No one had expected this. They had been looking forward to the gifts Kimberly Jennings would bring, thinking about how they could get some money out of her. Who would have thought she was actually here to seek refuge! After the initial shock, the fiery enthusiasm they'd shown just moments before was instantly extinguished. They had no interest in entertaining Kimberly and her daughter anymore.
"Kimberly, you can see for yourself. This house only has five rooms. Dad and Mom have one, your brother and I have one, and Zoe has one. The rest are the living room and kitchen. Even if you've come to us for help, there's just no space for you here!" Aria Cheney's warmth had completely vanished, replaced by the stern authority of a dean. Her meaning was perfectly clear: We're not taking you and your daughter in!
"Our house also has five big rooms, but you know Sylvia and Ray are older now. They can't share a room anymore. We don't have space for you and your daughter either!" said the third brother's wife, Eleanor Young, speaking hastily as if terrified Kimberly would end up at their house.
A chill spread through Kimberly Jennings's heart. She truly hadn't expected this. The family she had traveled so far to rely on only wanted to ask for gifts and then pass the buck. She had suffered such a huge misfortune, yet there wasn't a single word of concern, not a single comforting phrase. All she saw were fearful eyes, as if she and her daughter were some kind of plague they couldn't wait to distance themselves from, severing all ties. In that moment, Kimberly finally understood the true meaning of the saying about the fickleness of human nature.
"Nonsense! What is wrong with you two? Are you Kimberly's sisters-in-law or not? Have you ever seen such ingratitude?" The head of the family, Hugh Jennings, roared, making both his daughters-in-law tremble.
Although Aria Cheney was afraid of her father-in-law, her mind hadn't changed. Her voice was just a little quieter. "Dad, I'm just stating the facts..."
"Facts? What damned facts! Do you remember how you became the Dean of Academic Affairs? If Kimberly hadn't given you that fifty thousand dollars, you'd still be a substitute teacher! And you, from the third brother's family! The only reason you could build your new house and open that little shop was because of the money Kimberly gave you! Now that she's fallen on hard times, you're all scrambling to get away. Have you no conscience?"
Hugh Jennings's face was red with anger. Ignoring his eldest daughter-in-law, Aria Cheney, he said, "Kimberly, you'll stay here. Have Zoe sleep with her parents. You and Seraphina can take Zoe's room!"
"No! Zoe is about to start her senior year of high school! She needs a quiet place to study. Dad, you can't ruin Zoe's future just to help Kimberly! Kimberly is your daughter, but Zoe is your granddaughter! How can you be so biased? Zachary Jennings, say something! Do you want your daughter to fail her exams?"
Aria Cheney wouldn't back down. Because she hadn't given birth to a son, the old matriarch had never liked her. All her hopes were pinned on her daughter, wanting her to succeed and outshine Eleanor Young. How could she possibly agree to such a decision!
Zachary Jennings was in a difficult position, caught between his daughter and his sister. "If it really comes to it, Zoe can live in the dorms. The senior year curriculum is already packed, and living at school would save her travel time."
"No way. Zoe has never lived in a dorm before. What if someone bullies her? Besides, if she lives at the school, she'll have to distract herself with daily chores. It's a waste of energy. I refuse!" Aria Cheney's stance was firm.
"Dad, I don't want to live in the dorms. They turn the lights out at ten o'clock at school. At home, I can study until midnight!" Zoe Jennings protested as well.
Kimberly Jennings pressed her lips together tightly. The summer heat couldn't warm her frozen heart. 'So this is the family I've been missing and worrying about all this time,' she thought. 'How ridiculous.'
Seraphina Sterling had been watching Kimberly Jennings's expression the entire time. 'You can't blame me for being cruel,' she thought. 'If I don't do this, Mom will be lost forever in the web of lies spun by this so-called family.'
'In this world, only a bone-deep chill and a soul-gnawing pain can truly wake someone up! Only after she's completely disillusioned will she stop being deceived by these people! She won't cling to those unrealistic fantasies anymore! In this world, you can't rely on anyone but yourself!'
"Aunt Aria, Aunt Eleanor, you don't have to worry. We won't impose on either of your families. When my mother had money, you all swarmed around her. Now that she's in trouble, you don't have to run and hide like your lives depend on it. It's not like we have a contagious disease. Don't worry, my mother and I will rent a place to live. We won't disturb your lives."
Seraphina Sterling chuckled softly. Though her smile was warm, her eyes held an icy chill. Everyone could hear the sarcasm in her voice.
Hearing this, Aria Cheney and Eleanor Young's expressions finally relaxed. They didn't care where the mother and daughter lived, as long as it wasn't with them. They didn't have extra money to support two freeloaders.
But the two of them celebrated too soon. She, Seraphina Sterling, was a vengeful spirit who had clawed her way out of hell. How could she possibly let them off so easily! "My mother and I don't want to trouble our dear aunts, so we hope our dear aunts won't trouble us, either. Aunt Aria, shouldn't you return the fifty thousand dollars you used for your promotion? And Aunt Eleanor, shouldn't you also return the sixty thousand dollars for your shop and your new house?"
The color instantly drained from both their faces. Seraphina Sterling gave them no chance to recover, continuing, "If our situation hadn't changed, we would have let that money go. My mother has a kind heart. She couldn't bear to see her family suffer and wanted to do everything in her power to help you live better lives! But now, my mother and I are penniless. We urgently need that money to get by. Since you see us as a burden, we won't bother you anymore! But you must pay back the money!"