Chapter 5
Three weeks passed since the disastrous charity gala,
and my life with Esther had blossomed into something truly beautiful,
quiet,
and incredibly peaceful.
We had purchased a stunning,
modern apartment overlooking the sparkling river,
far away from the pretentious neighborhood where my family used to reside.
I was sitting in my private office,
reviewing some quarterly financial reports,
when my secretary buzzed the intercom urgently.
"Sir,"
she said softly,
sounding slightly uncomfortable,
"your mother and sister are here in the lobby,
and they are refusing to leave until they speak with you."
I sighed heavily,
closing my leather-bound folder,
knowing this pathetic confrontation was completely inevitable.
"Send them in,"
I replied coldly,
leaning back in my expensive ergonomic chair,
waiting for the grand performance to begin.
The heavy oak door swung open,
and my mother walked in,
followed closely by Gabriela,
both of them looking utterly unrecognizable.
My mother's hair was flat and unstyled,
her designer clothes looked remarkably wrinkled,
and the arrogant spark in her eyes had been entirely extinguished.
Gabriela looked exhausted,
clutching a cheap imitation handbag,
her usual air of superiority completely replaced by raw,
undisguised panic.
"Preston,"
my mother cried out,
rushing toward my desk,
her voice trembling with genuine desperation.
"You have to stop this madness right now,
the banks are foreclosing on the small condo we rented,
and my friends have abandoned me."
"They are not your friends,"
I pointed out calmly,
picking up a silver pen,
twirling it casually between my fingers.
"They were merely fans of my bank account,
and now that the money is gone,
they have moved on to the next wealthy host."
Gabriela stepped forward,
tears streaming down her pale face,
her pride completely shattered into a million tiny pieces.
"Please,
Preston,"
she begged softly,
"I cannot find a job,
no one will hire me,
we have absolutely nothing left to eat."
I looked at them,
searching my heart for any lingering trace of pity,
but I found absolutely nothing,
only the haunting memory of Esther's red,
blistered hands.
"You both have healthy hands,"
I said coldly,
staring directly at Gabriela,
echoing the cruel lesson they had tried to teach my wife.
"I suggest you buy some cheap rubber gloves,
find a busy restaurant,
and start washing dishes to earn your keep."
My mother gasped loudly,
covering her mouth with her trembling hand,
horrified by the brutal,
ironic truth of my harsh words.
"You are a monster,"
she whispered tearfully,
realizing that I was truly never going to save them,
that the endless well of my generosity had permanently dried up.
"No,"
I replied softly,
standing up from my desk,
buttoning my suit jacket with precise,
deliberate movements.
"I am just a husband protecting his family,
the real family that I chose,
the woman you tortured for absolutely no reason."
I pressed the intercom button firmly,
calling for the building security team to escort them out of the building.
"Do not ever come back here,"
I warned them quietly,
watching the security guards gently but firmly guide them toward the exit.
As the door clicked shut behind them,
severing our ties forever,
May you like
I felt a profound,
lasting peace settle over my entire soul.
