16
The three of us finished the entire pot of noodles, not leaving a single strand behind.
The next day, Sebastian didn’t return to San Francisco.
“I don’t have a stable job right now,” he said. “I might as well try my luck here. The cost of living is low.”
There happened to be an empty room in the old house I shared with Aunt Zamara, so he decided to stay temporarily.
Aunt Zamara and I suggested he should try driving for a ride–hailing service since he was a skilled driver.
After breakfast, he went out to buy some essentials.
Around noon, while he was still out, several luxury cars suddenly pulled up in front of the bathhouse.
The Sanders family had arrived–the very people I least wanted to see.
Diana, holding her nose with a look of disgust, sneered, “Yanna, you really are filthy trash, aren’t you? You left behind the luxury of the city to live in this dog’s nest?”
I clenched my teeth and replied, “This is my home, not a dog’s nest.”
Aunt Zamara immediately stepped in front of me, shielding me from them. Pointing at the Sanders family, she snapped, “You’re the ones who bullied Yanna, aren’t you? Get out of here! You’re not welcome!”
From behind, Julian stepped forward.
His ear was wrapped in bandages, making him look utterly ridiculous. His eyes burned with hatred as he glared
at me.
“Why waste time talking to these country bumpkins?” he spat. “Beat them!”
At his command, the bodyguards charged forward and began assaulting us.
I watched in horror as Aunt Zamara was knocked to the ground. One of the thugs, wearing heavy leather shoes, stomped on her head with brutal force. Blood poured from her mouth and nose, and several of her teeth were knocked out.
I struggled, but Julian had my arm twisted behind my back, rendering me powerless. He yanked my hair, forcing me to watch as Aunt Zamara was mercilessly beaten.
“What do you want?!” I cried, tears streaming down my face. “If it’s me you’re after, take it out on me! Leave Aunt
Zamara alone!”
At that moment, Joseph, impeccably dressed as always, stepped forward.
He held out a piece of paper and said coldly, “Sign this, and we’ll leave you alone.”
C
I glanced at the document–it was a declaration severing all ties with the Sanders family. Signing it would mean I had no claim to their wealth or their name.
I laughed bitterly. “Do you think I care about your money?”
Without hesitation, I pressed my bloody fingerprint onto the paper.
Joseph smirked with satisfaction and tucked the document away.
The bodyguards ceased their assault but continued to pin Aunt Zamara to the ground, refusing to let her get up.
Iglared at Incanh and shouted “I at her anl”
10:30 AM 1
A Fake Poverty that My Parent Build for Me
e
I glared at Joseph and shouted, “Let her go!”
He gave me a cold, calculating look. “You may have relinquished your inheritance, but if you have children
someday, they might use that as an excuse to claim our wealth. You’ll need to come with us to the hospital to have
your uterus removed.”
Stunned, I stared at him blankly. “You’re so cruel…”
H
Aunt Zamara, lying bloodied on the ground, shook her head desperately. “Yanna, don’t agree to it! Don’t let them
ruin your life!”
Joseph glanced at her with disdain and signaled to the bodyguards. They resumed their attack on her.
“Stop it!” I screamed. “Stop hurting her! I’ll go to the hospital. I’ll do it.”
A triumphant smile spread across Joseph’s face.
As Aunt Zamara’s cries echoed behind me, they hauled me up and dragged me toward one of the cars.
But just as they were about to shove me inside, Aunt Zamara’s old friends arrived.
These lifelong companions stormed in, armed with whatever tools they could find, and managed to scatter the
bodyguards. Fueled by righteous anger, they even began beating some of them.
Sebastian returned at that moment, carrying his shopping bags.
Seeing the chaos, his face twisted with fury. Without a second thought, he hurled the bags at Joseph.
