Chapter 2
I stared at the bank slip; my mind was buzzing.
I asked, "Where did you get all this money?"
Emily looked at me, her eyes bloodshot.
She said, "I saved it up before we got married.
"My mom gave it to me before she died.
"I was planning to keep it for when we buy a house, or if you ever couldn't take it anymore, so we'd have an escape route."
She took a deep breath.
"I never thought I'd actually have to use it," she added.
My lips felt dry.
"Emily." I started.
She cut me off. "Don't call me that.
"I'm pissed off right now.
"But you're my husband.
"If the debt's real, we'll pay it off together.
"No one should be crushed by a pile of money."
She pushed the box toward me again.
Emily said, "I'll go with you to meet them tomorrow.
"If we need to sign papers, we sign. If we need to call the police, we call.
"Don't shoulder this all by yourself, and stop hiding things from me."
I looked at her.
For a second, I felt like I wasn't worthy to sit across from her.
Then, my phone rang.
An unknown number popped up on the screen.
As I was about to hang up, a text message came through: [Mr. Crawford, the inheritance transfer is finalized.
[The Crawford Family will come to your place tonight at 8 PM to settle the ownership of the old estate shares.]
My fingers froze. Emily glanced at the first line of the message.
She looked up at me.
"Inheritance?" Emily asked.
Then, the doorbell rang. One ring. Then another.
I didn't get up to answer it.
Emily stared at me, her eyes shifting from shock to ice.
Emily said, "James, you'd better explain everything to me right now."
The doorbell kept ringing.
Someone started pounding on the door.
A voice called out, "James, open up.
"It's me, your aunt, Linda.
"Don't pretend you're not home."
I closed my eyes. That was quick.
Grandpa had only passed, and the inheritance had barely hit my account before they came sniffing around.
Emily stood by the table, her hand still resting on the metal box.
She spoke in a low voice.
Emily asked, "So you weren't actually in debt? Did you lie to me?"
My throat tightened.
"Emily, I," I started.
Emily lifted her hand.
"Open the door first," she said.
Her words were soft, almost a whisper.
Yet somehow, they were more terrifying than when she'd shouted at me before.
I walked over and opened the door.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw four people standing in the hallway.
It was my aunt, Linda Crawford, my cousin, David Crawford, his wife, Susan Flynn, and my dad, Robert Crawford.
My dad looked grim, clutching a folder in his hand.
Linda walked in, her eyes sweeping the room.
When she spotted the metal box on the table, her lips twitched.
Linda remarked, "Well, looks like you're having dinner.
"Are we interrupting something?"
She didn't wait for an invitation, slipped off her shoes, and made herself at home.
David trailed in after her, fixing his gaze right on me.
"James, the inheritance from Grandpa. Did it come through yet?" he asked.
Emily stood by the dining table, silent.
My dad set the folder down on the table.
He said, "We're not here to discuss.
"You're not getting all the money for yourself."
I looked at him.
"The will spells it out clearly," I said.
Robert frowned.
He said, "Grandpa wasn't thinking straight.
"That will doesn't mean a thing."
Linda jumped in right away.
Linda said, "Exactly, we were the ones taking care of Grandpa when he got old."
"Why do you get all the money in the end?"
David let out a laugh.
He said, "Come on, James, drop the act.
"187 million dollars. You think you can keep all that to yourself?"
Emily snapped her gaze to me.
The color drained from her face.
I couldn't bring myself to look at her.
Linda, as if she'd caught on, immediately turned to Emily.
Linda said, "Emily, you don't know yet, do you?
"Your husband's loaded now.
"He's got over 167 million dollars sitting in his account.
"You two can't feast behind closed doors and leave the rest of us with nothing, can you?"
Emily's fingers clenched tighter.
I heard the lid of the metal box snap shut as she pressed it down.
Susan curled her lip.
Susan said, "Emily, you too.
"You're not going to keep us in the dark about this, too, are you?
"Don't be so greedy."
Emily finally looked up.
"What did you call me?" she asked.
Susan paused, a bit taken aback.
"Emily," Susan replied.
Emily nodded. "Alright, let's be clear about this.
"Are you here to hit my husband up for money?
"Or are you here to demand payment from us?"
Linda's expression soured.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Linda shot back.
Emily snapped the metal box shut.
Emily said, "It's simple.
"This house isn't open to people who come here looking for a payout."
The room went quiet for a moment.
My dad spoke up, his voice low and serious.
He said,"Emily, this is a Crawford Family matter.
"You're an outsider, so keep out of this."