Finally, my mother-in-law couldn't take it anymore. She cut me off, glaring through clenched teeth.
"Enough. Is this how you act as a daughter-in-law? Isn't it only right that you skip your physical? Besides, did I force you to pay?"
Austin, who'd been silent until now, couldn't help chiming in.
"I gave it to my mom for both our sakes. It's not like you'll never see that money again. Do you really have to nitpick like this?"
Seeing this, Tanya put her hands on her hips and pointed right at my nose.
"What decoration costs $10,000? I think you're just making up numbers to scam me. And that phone and skincare? You insisted on giving those to me—how is that my problem?"
She sneered. "You know what? Fine. I'll tell you. That bracelet of yours? I smashed it. And I hid it too. This whole time you thought you just forgot where you put it, right?"
Her voice turned vicious. "You deserved it. People like you need to be dealt with like this."
In an instant, it felt like all the blood in my body started flowing backward.
That was the only keepsake my grandma left me before she passed away. I hadn't slept well for a full month trying to find it. I was on the verge of a breakdown.
Seeing my expression shift, Austin quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Alright, it's just a bracelet. Broken is broken. We're all family—why make such a big deal out of it? Today is Mom's big day. Don't ruin it. Eat, eat."
Only then did the other relatives seem to snap out of it, nodding along in hasty agreement.
I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms.
Don't think you can dodge this by changing the subject. Everything your family has done—I'm going to make you pay it back double.
After the meal, Austin and Tanya shamelessly followed me back home.
The moment we walked in, Austin held out his hand.
"Alex, where's that proposal I told you to help me with? It's time to hand it over, right? And the gift I asked you to prepare for Mr. Lambert—did you buy it?"
His tone was completely self-righteous. Like he was giving me an order.
I nodded. "I'll send you the proposal in a bit. The gift's by the door. Take it."
Only then did a smile appear on his face. "That's more like it. How great is it when a family gets along peacefully?"
I sneered and said nothing.
Sensing the shift in my demeanor, Tanya sidled up to me.
"Sis-in-law, I want to see a movie tomorrow. Give me some money?"
I nodded and agreed to that too.
I glanced at the date—tomorrow also happened to be the day my mother-in-law was supposed to pick up her medication. I pulled up my banking app and verified the balance.
The next day, Austin carried the gift out the door for work. Tanya took the money I gave her and left for the movies. My mother-in-law went to the hospital on time for her checkup.
I sat on the couch at home, quietly waiting.
My mother-in-law's call came in first.
The show was finally about to start.
The moment I picked up, her aggressive voice blasted through the speaker.
"What's going on? I just picked up my prescription and went to pay—there's no money in this card!"
At the same time, Austin was bombarding me with messages.
[Alex Finch, what kind of garbage proposal did you give me? The boss chewed me out and said he's going to fire me!]
[Also, Mr. Lambert HATES getting gifts, and you told me to give him one? What exactly are you trying to pull!]
Right after that, Tanya's call squeezed through.
"Why did you delete my access card? I can't get through the neighborhood gate!"
"Did you tell security to block me? The guard says I need your approval to enter! You bitch—get down here!"
I lounged on the couch, phone in hand.
I could picture it perfectly: Austin's useless face, twisted with impotent rage.
I laughed out loud.
This game had only just begun.
