Chapter 7 - Then Let Serena Pay
“Then your golden child can pay.”
Clara’s words did not sound angry. That made them impossible to dismiss as an emotional outburst.
She raised her phone and showed the transaction history.
Richard stared at the screen.
Serena’s expression changed first from confusion to disbelief, then from disbelief to something closer to betrayal.
“You told me the house was paid off,” she said to her father.
Richard looked toward Marjorie.
“It should have been,” Marjorie replied quickly. “Your father made some unfortunate business decisions.”
“And Clara has been paying the mortgage?”
“She offered to help.”
Clara turned toward her mother. “Dad asked me to stop a foreclosure. You told me Serena couldn’t be burdened.”
Marjorie’s eyes moved around the table. “This is a private family matter.”
“You made it public when you used me to make Serena look better.”
Richard opened the envelope.
His hands trembled as he read the repayment total.
Serena reached for the first page. “Is this number real?”
Clara nodded.
Serena looked at her parents. “You let her pay all of this while buying me gifts?”
Richard closed his eyes.
Marjorie sat straighter. “Everything we did was for this family.”
“No,” Clara said. “Everything I did was for this family. You simply made sure no one noticed.”
Richard read the three options in the letter.
“You’re really ending the payments?”
“I already ended them.”
“What happens next month?” Marjorie demanded.
Clara looked at Serena.
May you like
For the first time, the favored daughter had no smile and no praise waiting for her.
“That depends,” Clara said. “Perhaps Serena can show you how a real life is built.”
