Chapter 4

James Harper's expression changed instantly. His eyes flickered nervously, and his lips trembled.

"You... what nonsense are you spouting?"

Margaret Harper, his mother, shrieked with false bravado, "This house was, of course, bought with my son's hard-earned money! Who do you think you are, acting like the owner here, you freeloader?"

I turned to James with a smile. "James Harper, do you need me to remind you? When we bought this house, you didn’t even qualify for a loan. I paid the deposit, and the deed is in my name."

My words hit him like a slap across the face, and the sting was felt by his parents as well, who had moved in relying on their son's supposed "capabilities."

Robert Harper's face turned ashen. He glared at James with piercing intensity. "Is what she said true? This house... isn't yours?"

James lowered his head, silently admitting the truth.

Margaret let out an ear-piercing wail and collapsed onto the floor. I knew this act all too well—her usual performance had begun.

"I can’t go on living! Our Harper family must have been cursed to bring home such a curse! She's trying to kill us in our old age!"

Lily, frightened by her grandmother’s theatrics, began crying loudly again.

Watching this familiar scene, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was always the same when I tried to reason with Margaret—rolling on the floor, screaming, and throwing fits. And Lily had picked up on these antics, mirroring them perfectly.

Back then, I thought we were family. I didn't want to escalate things or embarrass James. Every time, I was the one who backed down first.

Looking back, I couldn’t believe I had endured ten years of this farce.

But not anymore. I had nothing to hold me back now.

"It seems you understand," I said, my voice calm, in stark contrast to their hysterics.

"Now, this is my house. I’m asking you all to leave."

James stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. His tone carried a hint of pleading.

"Emily, can’t we talk about this behind closed doors? There’s no need to make such a scene. My parents are old, and Lily is still a child..."

I yanked my hand free with such force that he stumbled back a step.

Turning to face him, I looked at him as if he were a stranger.

"A scene? You brought my daughter, your parents, and built a second home with your mistress just twenty meters across the garden, all while keeping me in the dark like a fool. Did you think about the scene then?"

"And now, you want to talk behind closed doors?" I pointed toward the flat across the communal garden. "Besides, this isn’t your home anymore. Your home is over there."

James was left speechless, his head hanging low. That was typical of him—always spineless, incapable of making decisions.

A mama’s boy through and through. I wouldn’t be surprised if his parents had encouraged his affair. Or maybe he didn’t need their encouragement; the inclination to cheat was already in him.

Margaret suddenly let out a deafening wail, louder than ever, collapsing onto the floor again.

"I can’t take this anymore! What kind of terrible luck has our family had? Marrying a viper who wants to take everything from us! Robert, I don’t want to live anymore!"

Robert, trembling with rage, pointed his finger at me.

"Emily, you wicked woman! Are you trying to drive us to our graves? We’re not leaving. Let’s see what you can do about it!"

Looking at this disgraceful family, I felt nothing but cold indifference.

I even smirked as I asked, "You’re sure you won’t leave?"

Without waiting for an answer, I turned and walked to the side room. Moments later, I returned to the living room, dragging several overstuffed suitcases, their zippers barely holding together.

The room fell silent. Their wailing stopped abruptly as they stared at me in disbelief.

"Emily, what are you doing?" James shot to his feet, demanding an answer.

I ignored him. I walked straight to the door, opened it wide, and, one by one, hurled the suitcases outside.

The suitcases tumbled into the hallway with heavy thuds, some bursting open, scattering clothes across the floor.

Standing at the doorway, I looked back at the people in the room.

"Get out."