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After saying that, she directed my uncle and her husband to hold my dad down and snatched my mom’s phone.
Lily sneered,”Let it go.Photos don’t hurt.”To Noah:”Apologize to Claire—it’s done.”
Noah, who had been shrinking in the corner, came out reluctantly and gave a perfunctory apology.
And just like that, the matter was considered settled.
Later,Lily set me up with a colleague’s hyper-aggressive brother,saying my”tainted”body was worthless.
This life,I sold my apartment first,leaving them nowhere to go.
That Saturday,we arrived at the restaurant.
Mom planned a gift for Noah,but I stopped her.
After their past sins,Mike’s family really didn’t deserve our family’s help.
Noah’s crimes warranted jail.
Aunt Karen gave Noah a card.”Here’s your gift,Noah—the Perry heir.Study hard!College admission gets you$500!”
Noah grinned,”Thanks,Aunt Karen.”
Mom gave Noah a set of study materials, but he didn’t even give a smile after taking them.
Judy was someone who was only interested in money. Seeing that my mom didn’t give a red envelope, she started to make sarcastic remarks to my mom,:”You didn’t finish high school—pick good guides?Should’ve given cash!”
I chimed in,”It’s to motivate Noah’s studies.If he gets into college,I’ll personally gift him$1,000!”
Judy’s eyes gleamed,as if Noah were already accepted.”Claire,you said it!Noah’s smart—top schools are no issue.Everyone heard—don’t back out!”
“Promise!”I said.
Noah,go to college?He’d burn a burger first.
Mike greeted everyone to take their seats.
Halfway through the meal, my aunt started to talk about the matter of staying over.”Noah had got potential, so I’ll commute with him. But renting a house is too expensive. It’s not easy for your uncle to support the family’s living expenses, we also need to save money for Noah’s future wife.Lily,your condo’s near the school—can we stay?”
Lily agreed instantly.”no problem! You can take Noah and stay there.Family helps family.”
Judy’s face wrinkled with joy.”Lily’s kind and gorgeous—she’ll land a great guy!”
I scoffed inwardly.Lily’s”generosity”always came at my expense.
This time,she’d crash.
Let’s see if my aunt can still say that she is beautiful and kind-hearted then!”
A few days before the start of the school term,Lily brought Judy to my place.
As soon as she entered the door,Lily asked,”Claire,why’s someone else in your apartment?”
I blinked innocently.”I sold it.What’s up?”
Lily’s face twisted.
My aunt was also shocked, as if I had done something unforgivable.”Wasn’t there a heavy rain a month ago? My house leaked, and the formaldehyde content in the newly renovated house exceeded the standard. So I thought about letting aunt and Noah stay at your place temporarily. But when we went there, we found that the person opening the door was a stranger. I thought there was a thief in your house.”
Hearing this, my parents looked at each other, and there was a hint of something unspoken on their faces, understanding why I sold quietly.
