Chapter 3
The profound,
crushing reality of total financial ruin settled heavily over the destroyed kitchen.
Jameson's mother,
Eliana,
began to hyperventilate loudly,
clutching the framed,
silver photograph of my late,
beloved grandmother against her chest like a protective shield.
"You are a wicked,
evil,
vindictive monster,"
Eliana screeched at me,
her previously arrogant,
proud posture completely collapsing under the weight of the sudden tragedy.
"You are deliberately ruining my only son's entire future,
you jealous,
spiteful witch."
I slowly turned my eyes toward my cruel,
judgmental mother-in-law,
letting the fake,
polite smile drop completely from my face.
"You should probably sit down for this next part,
Eliana,"
I suggested coldly,
"because you and your husband are actually involved in this massive,
catastrophic mess as well."
Her husband stepped forward quickly,
wrapping a protective,
shaking arm around his weeping wife.
"Do not speak to my wife in that disrespectful tone,"
he demanded,
trying pathetically to sound authoritative and brave.
"Your brilliant,
successful son needed additional collateral to secure his failing,
miserable business last quarter,"
I stated clearly,
watching Jameson aggressively avoid making eye contact with his own parents.
"He told us that his new company was thriving,
that it was incredibly,
wildly successful,"
his father stammered,
confusion clouding his old,
tired eyes.
"He lied to you,"
I said bluntly,
holding nothing back,
delivering the final,
fatal blow to their perfect family illusion.
"He secretly leveraged your entire retirement pension,
along with the deed to your small,
modest suburban home,
to hide his massive corporate losses."
Eliana gasped sharply,
dropping the silver frame onto the floor,
where the glass shattered loudly,
echoing the sudden destruction of her own life.
"Tell me she is lying,
Jameson,"
his father begged,
his voice breaking into a desperate,
weak sob.
"Tell me you did not gamble away our entire future,
everything we worked our whole lives to build."
Jameson could not speak,
he could only stare at the expensive marble floor,
his shoulders shaking,
looking exactly like the pathetic,
weak,
cowardly little boy he truly was.
"Since my company now legally owns all of his debt,"
I continued mercilessly,
"my lawyers have officially placed heavy,
unbreakable liens on your retirement accounts and your property."
"We are completely broke,"
Eliana whispered,
falling onto her knees right beside the crying,
ruined mistress.
"You are worse than broke,"
I corrected her,
"you are deeply,
inescapably in debt to me,
May you like
the very woman you just tried to throw out like common,
worthless garbage."
