Chapter 2

Mom was stunned into silence by my sudden retort, struggling for words but nothing came out.

There was a mix of emotions in her eyes, confusion, hurt, maybe even a bit of pride, something I'd never seen before.

In my previous life, I was her biggest fan. Whatever she did, in my eyes, she was the coolest, the most badass woman alive.

But Mom proved with her actions that being that kind of badass came at a terrible price. That was our lives.

Seeing the tension in the room, Dad scrambled over and grabbed my sleeve, his face twisted in misery. "Miranda, don't blame your mom. It's all my fault. I lost my head. Please, help her cool off. As long as she doesn't divorce me, I swear I'll never see Loretta again."

I looked down at him, thinking, 'That's just who he is, always the same pathetic act.

'The bolder he is when screwing up, the more pathetic he becomes when begging for forgiveness. Too bad, his promises aren't worth a damn.'

I ignored him and locked eyes with my mom. "Mom, if you step out that door today, I'll pretend I never had a mom."

My words were like a slap. She actually swayed on her feet.

The relatives started murmuring, casting glances our way.

"The kid's right, Raven. Don't do anything foolish," one of them said.

"Yeah, why let some outsider walk away with everything? This house, this car, you worked for all of it," another chimed in.

The tide of opinion was turning.

Mom was the type who obsessed over what people said. The relatives' whispers got to her more than anything I could ever say.

Her face kept shifting, and in the end, she just deflated, sinking back onto the couch. She waved her hand, her voice hoarse. "Just go. I need to be alone."

The relatives looked relieved, like they'd just been pardoned, and started saying their goodbyes.

Dad tried to sneak out, but one look from me froze him in place.

Loretta was nowhere to be seen. No one knew where she'd gone to hide herself.

The huge living room was left with just the three of us, the air so thick with tension it was suffocating.

I walked over, closed the door, and started picking up the property deeds and bank books from the floor, stacking them neatly on the coffee table.

"Three houses, two fully paid off, one still under mortgage. Two bank accounts, totaling about 2.3 million yuan. And a car, all under your name," I said calmly, listing off the assets like a cold-hearted accountant.

Dad stood there awkwardly, rubbing his hands together, too nervous to say a word.

Mom stared at me with a look of scrutiny, as if she was meeting me for the first time today.

"Miranda," she finally asked, her voice tinged with suspicion, "what are you really up to?"

"I'm here to reclaim what's rightfully ours," I replied, locking eyes with her. "And I want you to leave this marriage with dignity, not like you're being thrown out with nothing."

I paused, picked up one of the property deeds, flipped it open, and pointed at the names listed. "Mom, look. Your name and Zach's are both on here. This isn't some handout from him. This is what you earned.

"A true leading lady doesn't just walk away with the victory. She takes every last bit of the spoils with her."

My words seemed to really reach Mom, stirring something deep inside her.

She gazed at the property deed for a long time, her eyes wavering, lost in thought. I had no idea what was going through her mind.

The next few days, the house was eerily quiet. Mom locked herself in her room, refusing to eat, drink, or answer anyone.

I knew she was fighting a war inside herself. I'd smashed her whole 'main character in a winner's story' mindset, and now she needed time to put herself back together.

Dad, meanwhile, was like a kid who'd gotten caught doing something wrong, bending over backwards at home every day. He kept making all my mom's favorite dishes, delivering them to her door, only to have them sent back untouched.

As for Loretta, Dad actually kept his promise and didn't contact her.

But I knew this wouldn't last. Loretta was the kind who never gave up easily. She was just lying low, waiting for the perfect chance to strike back.

I needed to tie up every loose end before Loretta made her move. I waited for the right moment and cornered my dad in the study.

"Dad, what's the deal with you and Loretta?" I asked, not beating around the bush.

Zach looked totally ashamed, stammering through the whole story, his guilt written all over his face. Just the usual excuses. Nothing I hadn't heard before.