He Wanted to Sell Our House for Her Trip, I Bought It Instead Chapter 04
Day five of the waiting period. Tiffany’s social media blew up. [Just got a fat wire from my brother. Europe, here I come!]
The post had a screenshot of the bank transfer. The number fifty thousand was sharp and ugly.
Underneath, she commented: [Some people marry into this family for three years and still don’t bring in what my brother just handed me. Pathetic.]
She didn’t name names. But everyone knew it was me.
My mom handed me her phone while I was feeding Leo.
“This girl is unbelievable.”
I glanced at it and put the phone down.
“It’s fine.”
The next day, Tiffany showed up at my mom’s house.
New dress. Designer bag. Standing in the doorway, grinning like she owned the world.
“Clara—oh, sorry, soon-to-be-ex-Clara.” She leaned against the doorframe.
“Came to see my nephew. And to let you know my visa came through. I leave next month.”
“Oh,” I said.
“That’s all you’ve got to say?” She looked disappointed.
“What else? Want me to congratulate you?”
“You—” She choked, then laughed. “Whatever. I’m not gonna fight you. The money is mine, and you don’t get a penny.”
I looked at her. “That money was always yours. I never wanted it.”
She blinked. She hadn’t expected that.
“You’re … not mad?”
“It’s your money. Spend it however you want. What does it have to do with me?”
I said it calmly.
She stood in the doorway, suddenly at a loss for words.
She’d come to rub it in my face, but there was nothing to grab onto.
“Whatever. You’re just faking.” She turned and left.
I closed the door and went back to feeding Leo.
My mom came out of the kitchen. “You’re just gonna let her get away with that?”
“Mom, getting down in the mud with her isn’t worth it.”
Leo chewed his food and mumbled, “Aunt Tiffany bad.”
“Eat.”
I wiped his mouth and didn’t say another word. Let her blow through that cash.
Soon enough, she’d find out what real money meant.
Day ten of the waiting period.
My mom got a call from a relative back in our old neighborhood.
“Linda, have you heard? That whole neighborhood around your old place is getting taken by the city! We’re talking a huge payout! Your Derek just hit the lottery!”
My mom froze.
“What did you say?”
“Eminent domain! They’ve got notices up all over the place! I’ll text you a picture!”
The call ended. The picture came through.
Mom stared at the screen. Her hands started shaking.
“Clara …” She looked up at me. “Didn’t you buy that house?”
I walked over and looked at the photo.
Just as I remembered.
The timeline from my past life, down to the day. Mom took a deep breath.
Heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs. Someone was banging on the door.
“Clara! Clara, get out here!”
Derek’s voice.
His face was bright red, his eyes bulging.
“Are you the buyer?” He was shaking, his voice trembling. “I checked the public notice. The buyer’s last name is Wells. That’s you, isn’t it?”
“You knew about the condemnation this whole time. You kept your mouth shut on purpose. You stole that house right out from under me!”
I looked at him. “I told you the property was gonna appreciate. You didn’t want to hear it.”
“When did you ever tell me? You never said one word!”
“Yes, I did. You said I was butting in. You said your sister mattered more than your own son.”
He froze.
He didn’t remember. Or rather, he’d never taken anything I said seriously.
Derek’s face twisted. “Give me back my house. Every last dollar of it. Or I’ll have my lawyer drag you into court for fraud.”