Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Dexter’s voice trembled, his emotions completely out of control.
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Although I had been mentally preparing myself for this moment, I still couldn’t help but feel a cold chill settle deep in my chest when I saw what was written on the IOU. 500 thousand dollars.
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That was enough to buy two apartments in the Fairhaven. “To think that Kimberly has signed away that much money on an IOU… My heart ached with every beat, and I could barely restrain myself from tearing into her fake, tear–streaked face.
Dexter was absolutely livid, practically exploding in front of me.
I had already taken Juno to our room, and we ended up having dinner there.
The noise from the living room couldn’t be blocked by the door. 500 thousand dollars. Dexter and I had been working hard for years, and in all that time, we’d only managed to save 100 thousand dollars.
I thought, ‘And his mother has managed to rack up a debt this huge all at once? Who can possibly accept that?‘
After a while, the shouting outside quieted down a little.
Dexter finally returned to the room.
I had just finished giving Juno a bath, and because of the chaos tonight, Juno was clinging to me, not wanting to leave my side for even a second.
I had no choice but to settle him down for the night first before I could talk to Dexter about what had just happened.
Dexter sat on the edge of the bed, both hands gripping his hair in frustration. “500 thousand dollars… How the hell did she end up owing that much?”
“She’s been gambling, hasn’t she?” I asked.
Dexter looked up at me, his eyes bloodshot. “How did you know…?”
“Come on, she’s a retired old woman, not sick, no major expenses at home–how could she possibly rack up such a debt? There’s no other explanation.”
Dexter’s face fell. “You’re right.”
I asked, “So what were those two men doing here?”
“My mom said she had them come to look at our house, so people would know she had a stable address in the Fairhaven, and wouldn’t worry about her skipping town.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a mix of disbelief and frustration. “Are you seriously that stupid? You actually believe that? She had them come here to check out the house because she’s after it! You should be looking for the property deed, not listening to her lies.”
It was like a lightbulb went off in Dexter’s head. He immediately opened the bedside drawer. “Where’s the deed?” he muttered, frantically searching.
I noticed he was careful not to touch the hidden compartment, almost as if he was afraid the phone tucked inside might be exposed.
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Chapter 21
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I couldn’t help but laugh. Even now, he was still pretending. But then again, I thought, ‘If he weren’t such a good actor, how would he have managed to fool me for so many years?‘
The property deed wasn’t there. His face turned as white as a sheet. He looked at me, hopeless, before I finally said, “Why don’t you ask your mom?”
Dexter stormed out of the room. Soon, there was more yelling coming from Kimberly’s room.
Fortunately, I’d made sure to lock our door, so it didn’t disturb Juno. But this house was falling apart, and I was scared… scared that one day, everything would completely collapse.
Kissing Juno’s sleeping face, I silently promised myself I wouldn’t break down. I wouldn’t let this mess take me down with Dexter. I’d take what was rightfully mine, and then I’d kick that scumbag to the curb.
Two long hours later, Dexter finally came back. His voice was hoarse, his face drained and defeated. He didn’t say a word, just went to the balcony to smoke. After about three or four cigarettes, he finally returned to my side.
I looked at him and said, “Stay away. You smell like smoke. Don’t get it on the kid.”
Dexter immediately stepped back, giving me some space.
The room was dimly lit by a single weak wall lamp. I was standing with my back to the light, so he couldn’t make out my expression.
But I could see him clearly. As I stared at the face I had loved for so many years, my heart felt empty.
“Tell me, where’s the property deed?” I asked.
“My mom took it and used it as collateral for a loan,” Dexter explained. “If she can’t pay it back… they’ll sell the house to cover the debt.”
“What are you planning to do about it?”
There was a long silence before Dexter finally spoke. “Can you… can you give me the 100 thousand dollars I gave you before? I’ll use that to get the deed back.”
His words hit me like a slap. “No way! That money was for Juno’s school district house!” I shot him down immediately. “Sylvia, that’s my mom! I know she made a mistake, but I can’t just let her get dragged under like this! Those people are loan sharks, and in a few months, the debt will be so high that even selling our house might not cover it.
“What if they threaten her life? What am I supposed to do then?” Dexter was nearly in tears, struggling with helplessness.
My chest tightened with a sharp pain. I thought, ‘If it weren’t for the affair… maybe, just maybe, I would’ve agreed to shoulder this burden with him.
‘But there is no ‘what if.’ The man in front of me has already betrayed me. How can I pay off so much of his debt? I am not an idiot.‘
I took a deep breath. “What about Juno?”
“He’s still young. He can go to a nearby school for now. When he starts elementary school, we’ll figure it out. If things get really bad, once I get a promotion and make more money, we can transfer him to another school. It won’t be too late.”
Dexter’s words came out smoothly, one after the other, like he had everything planned.
08:54 Sat, 15 Feb M-
Chapter 21
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I closed my eyes, the reality sinking in. The 100 thousand dollars was as good as gone. But I still wanted to push for something. “I can report the deed as lost and get a new one. It’s not that big of a deal.
“Sylvia!” He suddenly stepped forward, grabbing my arm. “Please, I’m begging you! I can’t just stand by and watch my mom sink deeper into this.
“As her son, I have to help her! Just give me the 100 thousand dollars for now, and I swear I’ll pay you back as soon as I can!”
If promises were enough to fix things, this world wouldn’t have so many broken hearts.
I looked into his eyes, and against my better judgment, I gave in. “Fine. But you have to give me your salary card. We’ve been married for years, and our finances are still separate. It makes me feel insecure.
“Your mom brought strangers into our home without our permission, and even drugged Martha to keep her quiet… If you don’t agree to this, I just can’t trust you.”
This time, Dexter didn’t hesitate. He nodded. So, just like that, the 100 thousand dollars I had saved up–still warm in my hands–was handed back to him.
I left everything in his hands to deal with. It was about Kimberly’s reputation, and even though I wanted to get involved, he wouldn’t let me.
Two days later, the property deed was back in my hands.
I looked at Dexter and asked, “What about the 100 thousand dollars?”
“I gave it to them,” he replied.
“And what about the rest of the debt?”
“I’ve already contacted a top lawyer in Fairhaven to help my mom. In three months, we’ll only need to pay the principal, no interest.”
“How much is that?”
“200 thousand dollars.”
I couldn’t hold back a bitter laugh. “Alright, then.”
“Sylvia, don’t be like that. I didn’t want any of this to happen. My mom just wanted to help us, which is why she took this risk. If you hadn’t insisted on buying a house, she wouldn’t have done any of this.”
Suddenly, his anger turned on me. I was stunned. “So now you’re blaming me?”
Before he could answer, his phone rang. Without thinking, Dexter picked it up. A voice on the other end suddenly shouted, “Dad!”
