Shirley crossed her arms and lifted her chin, looking down at me like she was some kind of judge. She let out an icy snort.
"Jeannie, your mom brought this on herself. Don't try that pathetic act in front of me, blaming everything on Linda." She paused impatiently, then jerked her chin forward. "Just sign it. Stop wasting time."
The two of them stood there like they were handing down a sentence, waiting for me to bow my head and obey.
I did not even bother looking up. I casually pushed the stack of papers back toward them, my tone as calm as if we were talking about the weather.
"I'm not qualified to sign that. You should keep it for yourselves."
Nash's voice shot up instantly when he saw I was not giving in. It turned dark and threatening.
"Jeannie, don't push your luck.”
"Someone like your mom, living on the edge of society, what value does she even have? She just takes up space. Linda is young, with a bright future ahead of her. Are you really going to drag her whole life into hell over a dead person?"
Shirley jumped in right away, frowning like she was disgusted.
"Exactly. Your mom being alive was already a waste of resources. What Linda did was basically a public service.”
"And instead of thanking her, you're trying to squeeze money out of this?"
I looked at them and calmly dropped the truth.
"I think you two are the ones confused. The person lying there is your actual mother. This agreement? No one else signing it will mean anything except you."
The moment Shirley heard that, she exploded. Her voice jumped an octave.
"Jeannie, are you insane? How dare you say something like that at my mom's welcome party? Are you trying to start trouble on purpose?"
Nash's expression darkened too. The veins on his forehead bulged as his anger spiked.
"Jeannie, have I spoiled you too much over the years? Is that why you've become this out of control, with zero respect left?”
"She is my emotional anchor. She's my whole world. If anyone dares touch a single hair on her head, I'll make them regret being born. Even you."
After shouting that, he spun around and barked at the security guards behind him.
"Go. Take care of that old woman's mess. Throw it straight into the septic tank."
The guard flinched, his face full of hesitation. "Mr. Smith, this… this might be a bit much. What if…"
Nash cut him off, practically hysterical. "She refuses to sign, right? Likes to run her mouth, right? Then today I'll show her exactly what happens when you mess with my mother.”
"Do it. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."
Seeing the boss completely lose it, the guards did not dare argue anymore. Gritting their teeth, they stepped forward to carry out the order.
Around us, the well-dressed guests were giving me strange looks. Whispered conversations floated around, rising and falling like waves.
"Jeannie really picked the wrong person to mess with this time. She actually crossed Mr. Smith's line."
"Exactly. His dad died early. His mom raised him all by herself. She's the most important person in his life. And now she's making a scene like this at the welcome party. She's lost it."
"With a daughter like that, what parent wouldn't be dragged down sooner or later?"
The sharp, cutting whispers came one after another, like tiny needles pricking at the skin.
However, I did not take a single word to heart. I stared straight at Nash, my face blank, and asked slowly, "Nash, are you sure you want to tear away the last bit of dignity left?"
He looked down at me like I was nothing, his eyes harsh and sharp.
"Jeannie, you brought this on yourself.”
"What happened to your mom is her own fault. People who chase small gains always pay the price.”
"However, what you shouldn't have done is keep saying those inappropriate things here, again and again, humiliating my mom."
His voice was as icy as a blade, leaving no room for mercy.
"In the end, with a daughter like you, with no manners and no boundaries, she probably didn't have it easy all these years. Maybe for her, this is a release."
The words had barely fallen.
Then, out of nowhere, my mom, Amy casually walked into the villa garden. She looked at Nash, completely confused.
"Who passed away? Who are you all talking about?"
The moment Nash saw Amy standing right in front of him, alive and well, he froze on the spot.
