Chapter 3
Amber just wouldn't quit until she was drained me dry and crushed me beneath her heel.
I was about to turn Amber down right then and there.
But why not?
Some debts were best settled face-to-face.
Some people just needed a good slap to really feel it.
"Sure, when?" I replied.
"Six tonight. Want me to pick you up?" Frederick asked.
He clearly didn't expect me to agree so quickly. There was a hint of surprise in his voice.
"No, I'll come on my own," I said.
I hung up, my gaze hardening.
For this final dinner, let me see what kind of drama Amber and her son could pull off.
That evening, I showed up right on time at the familiar front door.
As soon as the door opened, the rich aroma of home-cooked food washed over me.
Amber stood there in an apron, her face plastered with a fake smile.
"Oh, Sienna, you're here! Come on in and have a seat," she said.
She acted as if there'd never been any bad blood between us.
Frederick hovered nearby, looking uneasy as he offered me a pair of slippers.
The dining table was piled high with all the dishes I used to love.
I knew this was just Amber's classic move—knock me down, then try to butter me up.
Too bad, I wasn't buying it anymore.
"Sienna, eat more of this fish. It's good for your health brain," Amber said as she placed a piece on my plate. "Once you're out in Voreville, you won't find anything this fresh."
I didn't touch the food, just watched her.
"I heard the matchmaker already set Frederick up with someone new," I said, my tone casual.
Amber paused for a second, then flashed an even brighter, fake smile.
"Yeah, her family runs a business, and she's got everything going for her," Amber said. "Unlike some people, stuck in a plain old job with no real prospects, just wasting three years of my son's life for nothing."
Every word she said was meant to stab at me.
I glanced at Frederick. He kept his head down, stuffing his face like he hadn't heard a word.
By staying quiet, he was taking Amber's side.
Those two had their act down pat—one played the bad cop, the other played the good cop.
They figured I'd just bite my tongue and put up with it, all for that so-called "family harmony."
"Oh, really?" I said, picking up a napkin and wiping the corner of my mouth.
"Well, that's actually a good thing," I replied. "After all, not everyone wants to marry a full-grown man-child who still needs his mom, and then end up supporting her too."
My voice wasn't loud, but every word rang out clear for both of them to hear.
The air grew thick with tension.
Amber's smile froze, twisting into something unpleasant.
"What... what do you mean by that?" Amber demanded.
She slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet.
Frederick's head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at me.
He probably never imagined that someone as quiet and gentle as me could say something so ruthless.
"Nothing," I replied.
I stood up, towering over them.
"I just think you two make a perfect pair," I said. "One's selfish, the other's spineless. If you two aren't a real family, then who is?"
I grabbed my bag and walked out, not even sparing them a glance as their faces darkened with anger.
"Good luck with your perfect future," I said.
I walked to the door and pulled it open.
"Oh, by the way," I said, turning back to them.
I shot them a brilliant smile and said, "The food was not bad."
With that, I shut the door, leaving their furious shouts and curses behind me.
The evening breeze brushed against my face—cool and soothing. I felt lighter already.
Honestly, I had a great time at that ambush dinner.
On Friday, I went back to the office to officially hand over my duties.
My department was called the Government Offices Administration.
To outsiders, it might sound a bit vague, but everyone on the inside knew it was a key department.
We handled everything from property and vehicles to the cafeteria and all the behind-the-scenes support for the whole organization.
Basically, we were the housekeepers for the whole place, making sure everything ran like clockwork.
My old job was deputy head of the Property Management Section.
It didn't sound impressive, but it packed a punch when it came to real authority.
As it happened, the housing complex where Amber and Frederick lived was right under my jurisdiction.
My transfer order said I'd be heading out to Voreville, taking over as director of the Logistics Support Center.
On paper, it looked like I was just being sent from headquarters to some remote backwater.
But in reality, I was getting bumped up a level, and my power had just skyrocketed.
Instead of managing one little section, now I was running a whole region.
This was the biggest recognition my organization could give me for all the work I'd put in these past few years.
Amber thought she was exiling me to the middle of nowhere, but it turned out to be my golden road ahead.
I sat at my desk, booted up my computer, and pulled up all the resident records.
File after file flashed across my screen.