Chapter 3 · No Room for Me, No Mortgage for You

The next day was Saturday. I intentionally stayed in.

Right at 10:00 AM, the doorbell began buzzing aggressively, accompanied by fists pounding on my front door like they were staging a police raid.

I checked the peephole. Melissa and Kevin were glaring at the door, looking murderous.

I unlocked it and pulled it open.

Melissa immediately shoved past me, storming into my living room. She planted her hands on her hips and launched right in.

"Look who finally decided to open the door. Susan, I thought you didn't even care if you had a mother anymore."

Kevin followed close behind, slamming a thick manila envelope onto my coffee table.

"There's the bank's final notice and my tanking credit report," he yelled. "Take a good look. Because of you, my credit cards are frozen."

I didn't bat an eye. I walked to the kitchen, poured two glasses of water, set one in front of Melissa, and slid the other toward Kevin.

"Have a seat. Let's talk."

My absolute calmness only seemed to infuriate them more.

Melissa pointed a trembling finger right at my nose. "You have some nerve acting so relaxed. How can you be this vicious? He is your flesh and blood. If the bank forecloses on his home because you stopped paying, will you be happy?"

"It won't make me happy, and it won't make me sad," I said as I met her gaze dead-on, enunciating every syllable. "It's his house. His mortgage. His credit score. It has absolutely nothing to do with me."

Melissa shouted, "How can you say that? You gave us your word. You promised you'd help him pay it for three years."

"I said I would help him, not completely carry him. I ran into my own financial needs, so I can't do it anymore. Why is that a crime?" I argued.

Kevin yelled, "What financial needs? You're just being a petty bitch. All because I couldn't let you sleep over for one single night? Are you seriously doing this over a couch?"

"Yes, I am," I replied and nodded slowly, staring him down. "Let's do the math, Kevin. You pull in $7,500 a month. Linda makes $6,000. Between the two of you, that's $13,500. I make $9,000 a month, and I was giving you $6,000 of it.

"That left me with exactly $3,000 to survive in this city. I sacrificed my lifestyle for three whole years, just so you could live comfortably. And the one time I needed a favor, all I got was 'it's not convenient.' It wasn't worth it."

Melissa instantly rushed to his defense. "Your brother has massive expenses. Linda is pregnant. Once that baby comes, everything is going to cost a fortune. You are so incredibly inconsiderate."

Linda was pregnant?

That genuinely caught me off guard.

A flash of guilt crossed Kevin's face, but he quickly puffed up his chest, doubling down. "That's right. Linda is expecting. And you pull the plug on the mortgage right now? Are you trying to force my entire family out onto the street?

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

I looked at him, and a bitter amusement bubbled up in my chest.

"Because Linda is pregnant, I couldn't stay over? Was the apartment actually under renovation, or was it just because she's pregnant?"

Kevin's eyes darted nervously. "It's... it's both. Pregnant women need their rest. With the contractors making noise, how could anyone sleep there?" he mumbled.

It's funny how one lie always requires a dozen more to prop it up.

"Right. I get it," I said, my tone dripping with pure sarcasm. "Well, since things are that tough for you, I definitely shouldn't be interfering anymore."

Both of them froze, completely bewildered.

"What kind of twisted logic is that?" Melissa screeched.

I stood up, picked up the foreclosure notice from the table, and walked toward them.

"It's simple. As long as I keep bailing you out, you're never going to learn how to stand on your own two feet. Your mortgage is past due, and your credit is shot. Great. Consider this a golden opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?" Kevin spat.

"To learn what it actually means to be a responsible adult," I said smoothly, slapping the notice back against his chest. "The loan is in your name. You live in the house. The baby is yours. You're a grown man, Kevin. Act like one."

Melissa was practically vibrating with rage, pointing at me. "This is outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. Kevin, we are leaving. I am going to pretend I never raised such a cold-blooded snake."

Kevin snatched up his envelope, shooting me a glare.

"You are going to regret this, Susan."

I didn't offer a single word in response. I just walked to the front door, pulled it wide open, and gestured for them to get out.

The second the deadbolt clicked shut behind them, I leaned my forehead against the cool wood of the door, feeling completely drained.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from an unknown number.

[This is Linda. Susan, you make your own brother sick.]

Chapter 3

The next day was Saturday. I intentionally stayed in.

Right at 10:00 AM, the doorbell began buzzing aggressively, accompanied by fists pounding on my front door like they were staging a police raid.

I checked the peephole. Melissa and Kevin were glaring at the door, looking murderous.

I unlocked it and pulled it open.

Melissa immediately shoved past me, storming into my living room. She planted her hands on her hips and launched right in.

"Look who finally decided to open the door. Susan, I thought you didn't even care if you had a mother anymore."

Kevin followed close behind, slamming a thick manila envelope onto my coffee table.

"There's the bank's final notice and my tanking credit report," he yelled. "Take a good look. Because of you, my credit cards are frozen."

I didn't bat an eye. I walked to the kitchen, poured two glasses of water, set one in front of Melissa, and slid the other toward Kevin.

"Have a seat. Let's talk."

My absolute calmness only seemed to infuriate them more.

Melissa shouted, "How can you say that? You gave us your word. You promised you'd help him pay it for three years."

"I said I would help him, not completely carry him. I ran into my own financial needs, so I can't do it anymore. Why is that a crime?" I argued.

Kevin yelled, "What financial needs? You're just being a petty bitch. All because I couldn't let you sleep over for one single night? Are you seriously doing this over a couch?"

Melissa instantly rushed to his defense. "Your brother has massive expenses. Linda is pregnant. Once that baby comes, everything is going to cost a fortune. You are so incredibly inconsiderate."

Linda was pregnant?

That genuinely caught me off guard.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

I looked at him, and a bitter amusement bubbled up in my chest.

"Because Linda is pregnant, I couldn't stay over? Was the apartment actually under renovation, or was it just because she's pregnant?"

Kevin's eyes darted nervously. "It's... it's both. Pregnant women need their rest. With the contractors making noise, how could anyone sleep there?" he mumbled.

It's funny how one lie always requires a dozen more to prop it up.

"Right. I get it," I said, my tone dripping with pure sarcasm. "Well, since things are that tough for you, I definitely shouldn't be interfering anymore."

Both of them froze, completely bewildered.

"What kind of twisted logic is that?" Melissa screeched.

I stood up, picked up the foreclosure notice from the table, and walked toward them.

"Opportunity for what?" Kevin spat.

Melissa was practically vibrating with rage, pointing at me. "This is outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. Kevin, we are leaving. I am going to pretend I never raised such a cold-blooded snake."

Kevin snatched up his envelope, shooting me a glare.

"You are going to regret this, Susan."

I didn't offer a single word in response. I just walked to the front door, pulled it wide open, and gestured for them to get out.

The second the deadbolt clicked shut behind them, I leaned my forehead against the cool wood of the door, feeling completely drained.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from an unknown number.

[This is Linda. Susan, you make your own brother sick.]