Chapter 4

Maggie's face flushed. "Watch your mouth, you brat! That's the bride price! It's just the custom where I'm from!"

"Where are you from?" Sarah snorted. "What are you, from Mars? Is there anywhere in the whole country where the groom's family doesn't pay a dime for the bride's family, and expects the bride's family to hand over a house and a car?"

Gwen from upstairs came down too. "What's going on? Are you guys fighting?"

Susan quickly grabbed her. "Hey, Gwen, you got here just in time! Listen to this.

"These folks came over to propose, and they want the bride's family to fork over a three-bedroom apartment and a 70-thousand-dollar car. And if we don't, they're demanding a payout!"

Gwen's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "In all my sixty years, I've never heard of anything like that!"

Maggie got flustered. "That's just the tradition back where I'm from!"

"Tradition?" Sarah laughed. "Alright, so tell me. When you married off your daughter, what did you send with her? How much did you fork over?"

Maggie opened her mouth, but couldn't get a word out.

"Can't answer that?" Sarah kept pushing. "If that's really how it works where you're from, then when your daughter got married, how many apartments did you send her off with?"

Maggie's face went bright red. "I don't have a daughter!"

"Oh." Sarah dragged out the word. "So you don't even have a daughter. No wonder it's so easy for you to talk tough when it's not your problem."

The neighbors all cracked up.

Tommy's face was burning with embarrassment. He stepped up and grabbed Sarah's hand. "Sarah, let's go inside and talk. No need to put on a show for everyone."

Sarah jerked her hand away. "Oh, now you're worried about making a scene? Where was that yesterday when your mom was demanding a house and a car? Why didn't you speak up then?"

Tommy's face turned stormy.

Callum jumped in, voice rising. "Sarah, that's enough! My brother's being nice to you. Don't disrespect him when he's trying to make peace!"

"Disrespect him?" Sarah glared at him. "Who do you think you are, causing trouble at my doorstep?"

Jasmine rushed out, shielding her daughter. "What are you doing? Trying to start a fight? I'm calling the cops!"

Callum, still struggling as Gwen and Susan held him back, kept shouting, "Call the cops? Go ahead! Your daughter calls off the engagement, and she's the one in the right?"

Sarah laughed, her tone mocking. "Call off the engagement? Tell me, when did we ever actually get engaged?"

Tommy was stunned, totally thrown off.

Sarah said, "Yesterday, your mom barged in with her demands, and we didn't even settle anything. How is that an engagement?

"I haven't even stepped inside your house, haven't had so much as a sip of water there, and you're accusing me of breaking off an engagement?"

The neighbors all nodded, backing her up.

"Exactly, they haven't even gotten engaged yet. How can you call it breaking off an engagement?"

"This family is really jumping the gun. They didn't even settle the terms, and now they're blaming her?"

Maggie got flustered. "How is it not settled? Didn't we already talk it all out before?"

"Before?" Sarah sneered. "How I dated your son before was my own business. But marriage involves two families. My family doesn't agree with your demand, so this won't happen. What right do you have to make a scene?"

Maggie was completely speechless.

Tommy took a deep breath, putting on his softest face. "Sarah, I get you're mad. Why don't we talk, just the two of us?"

"No need." Sarah cut him off. "Tommy, this is it. We're over."

Tommy's expression shifted. "You're serious?"

"When have I ever joked with you?" Sarah replied.

Tommy stared at her for a few seconds, then gave a sly smile. "Sarah, you got someone else now, huh?"

Sarah blinked, caught off guard.

"So what, you just flip on me out of nowhere?" Tommy sneered. "We've been together two years. I know exactly how you treated me.

"Yesterday, you were all sweet, calling me 'darling,' and today you act like you don't even know me. What else could it be, if not some random guy?"

The neighbors started gossiping in hushed tones.

Sarah laughed in disbelief, anger bubbling up. "Tommy, you really are something."

"What, did I guess right?" Tommy smirked, full of himself. "Alright then, bring out your new man. I want to see who thinks he's got more than me."

Sarah looked at him, and suddenly thought, 'How pathetic. How did I ever fall for a guy like this in my last life?'

She said, cool and steady, "Tommy, you keep saying we've been together for two years. So tell me. What did you ever buy for me?"

Tommy's face darkened.

"Go on, say it," Sarah pressed, her tone biting. "Let everyone here hear just how 'good' you've been to me these past two years."

Tommy stayed silent.

"Can't say it?" Sarah counted for him. "On my first birthday, you sent me 20 dollars for my birthday, then told me you had no money for food, so I transferred you 70 dollars.

"On my second birthday, you said you forgot, then took me out for dinner to make up for it, but I ended up paying the bill.

"You never gave me flowers on Valentine's Day, saying they were useless. Fine, then what about something practical? Have you ever bought me any clothes? Any shoes? Any makeup?"