Chapter 4
"Ethan, you really left yourself no backup plan, and you left me no escape either," I said, my voice tinged with a mocking sigh.
"I..." Ethan tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He wanted to say something, but the words just wouldn't come.
He looked like he was searching for an explanation, desperate to defend himself, but nothing came out.
These were the facts, undeniable truths, set in stone. There was nothing he could say to refute them.
"Sophia, let me explain. That money was... it was for a project, a deposit. It'll be paid back soon!" Ethan said, his voice desperate.
He was still clinging to that pathetic lie.
"A deposit?" I echoed, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
I let out a soft, mocking laugh.
"Oh, you mean the 'deposit' you spent splurging on luxury goods and five-star hotels for that woman you went to Silvania with?"
"I checked the spending records on your supplementary card, Ethan. Every single transaction is laid out in black and white."
"Every single transaction is laid out in black and white."
That was the killing blow.
On the other end of the line, silence fell, only the sound of his heavy breathing, like a cornered beast.
I peeled back every layer of his disguise, every lie, until all that remained was the ugliest, filthiest truth beneath it all.
My in-laws were shouting and banging on my bedroom door.
"Sophia! You damn jinx! Who are you talking to? Are you trash-talking Ethan behind our backs?"
"Open up! Or we're coming in!"
I didn't even bother to respond.
Into the phone, I spoke slowly, my voice cold and final, like a judge delivering a verdict.
"Ethan, we'll settle this in court."
"Before you go off living it up, you'd better learn what it means to leave with nothing to your name."
I didn't give him a chance to respond.
I hung up and blocked that unfamiliar number too.
The room fell silent again, but the constant banging on the door outside showed just how fierce this battle had become.
I walked over to the window and gazed out at the bustling traffic below.
I felt completely at peace.
This was just the appetizer.
'The real feast is still on its way.'
Ethan's call was like flipping a switch, my in-laws went absolutely berserk.
The banging on the door kept getting louder, like they wanted to rip it off its hinges and devour me alive.
"Sophia! You wicked woman! What did you do to Ethan?" Jade screeched, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
Her voice was so shrill it could shatter glass.
"Are you cheating on him? Is that why you're treating Ethan this way? You have no shame!"
She was spewing every kind of nasty insult imaginable, each one more vile than the last.
Vincent, my father-in-law, was ramming his heavy body against the door, each thud making the whole house tremble.
"Open up! I'm going to teach you a lesson today, you ungrateful daughter-in-law!" he bellowed.
"This is unbelievable! How did our family end up with a jinx like you?"
I leaned against the wall, my eyes cold as I watched the lock start to give way from all their pounding.
Back then, I would've been trembling, crying and begging for mercy, just to avoid trouble.
But now, I didn't feel a shred of fear.
All I felt was pure disgust, cold as ice.
They were like two wild dogs cornered, snarling and snapping in raw, mindless rage.
I didn't shout back at them.
Trying to reason with crazy people just makes you crazy too.
I took out my phone and turned on the recorder.
I captured all their shouting and banging on the door, loud and clear.
This was evidence.
Then I dialed up the property office.
"Hello, is this the property management center?" I said, keeping my voice calm and polite.
I made sure my tone stayed steady and courteous.
"I'm Sophia, resident of Unit 1402, Building 13."
"I'm at home right now, and there are two elderly strangers violently banging on my door, shouting insults and making threats against me."
"Yes, they're being extremely aggressive. I'm really afraid they might break in and put me in danger."
"Could you please send security over right away? Thank you."
After I hung up, the banging on the door just kept going.
Jade finally got tired of screaming and switched to full-on wailing.
"Why is my life so miserable? My son's out there busting his back, and now his wife is trying to drive us to our deaths!" she sobbed.
"It's not fair! Everybody, come see how this woman is tormenting her in-laws!"
She even started banging on the neighbors' doors, trying to stir up drama and rally the whole building against me.
Perfect.
The bigger the spectacle they made, the more it worked in my favor.
I waited, cool and collected.
About five minutes later, the banging finally stopped.
I heard the security staff rushing over, their footsteps quick and urgent, followed by their voices.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" one of them called out.
Jade immediately seized the opportunity, bawling and complaining to security.
"We live here! It's her! That wicked daughter-in-law locked us out!" she wailed.