Chapter 4 Thirty Eight Thousand

• Fiona didn't bat an eye, her voice firm despite lacking any justification. “To be honest, in-laws, we did plan to prepare one hundred and eighty-eight thousand. But half a month ago, Mira needed money to buy a house. She didn't have enough for the full payment, so I gave her all of our savings. Besides, you've said the betrothal gift will come back to Amy in the end. Isn't all this back-and-forth just unnecessary trouble? Amy is pregnant now, and we're all family. Let's not fuss over these formalities. The children's happiness is what truly matters.”
• My mom laughed in disbelief. She pushed the four stacks of cash on the coffee table back toward Fiona.
• “Fiona, I won't accept this. Around here, a forty thousand betrothal gift would make us a laughingstock, especially since we're giving Amy a house and a Mercedes as part of her wedding gifts!”
• Michael awkwardly interjected, “Mrs. Nichols, please calm down. It's actually thirty-eight thousand...”
• I froze in shock and stared at him. He'd just doomed himself.
• My mom absolutely hated it when people told her to calm down.
• When my dad passed away, a lot of relatives had their eyes on the assets he left behind.
• My mom fought tooth and nail to protect what was ours.
• Those relatives insulted her, calling her a crazy b*tch and that she should calm down.
• Michael had just stepped on a landmine.
• “Thirty-eight thousand? I should calm down? Who are you insulting? Why should I calm down? You think just because our family doesn't have a man, you can take advantage of us, don't you?”
• Right at that moment, my younger brother Chandler Nichols walked in, his arm slung casually around his buddy Jayden Guimann.
• Hearing my mom's words, he immediately let go of Jayden and rushed over.
• “Mom, what nonsense are you saying? Am I not a man? I'm your eldest son. Who's bullying you? I'll deal with them!”
• Standing at an imposing one point nine meters, Chandler rolled up his sleeves and stood with his hands on his hips, looking intimidating enough to make anyone think twice.
• Fiona's eyes turned red with anger at the sight of her son being threatened. She glared at my mom. “Mrs. Nichols, your family is so wealthy. What difference does it make if you get the one hundred and eighty-eight thousand or not? We're poor, and we had to scrape together this thirty-eight thousand by borrowing from relatives. If you don't want to accept it and want to drag things out, fine by us. But at the end of the day, the one being gossiped about won't be our family.”
• Noticing my mom's face pale, Fiona smirked, a hint of triumph flashing across her face.
• Then, turning to me, she added with a sneer, “Besides, your daughter slept with my son before marriage. Clearly, she's not from a proper family and doesn't deserve one hundred and eighty-eight thousand! We're only offering thirty-eight thousand for the sake of the baby she's carrying!”