Chapter 288: Mom, You’ll Be Free Soon
Sadie pointed a finger at Josh and Greg, her voice sharp and cutting. “Is it you? Or you? Or will all you Sanders die next?” Bill had clearly spoiled her so much that she no longer knew what was appropriate to say or do, especially at someone else’s funeral. Sadie was hurling insults, seeking a fleeting moment of satisfaction in her quest for revenge.
The crowd buzzed with whispers. Seeing the rising tension, Ashley grabbed her arm, trying to pull her away. “That’s enough, Sadie. Why waste so much breath on them? Let’s go.” Sadie always listened to him. She followed Ashley without protest. But she didn’t see Anna clutching her stomach, glaring at her retreating back with the eyes of a vengeful spirit.
I quietly recorded Sadie’s arrogant performance at the funeral and sent the video to Bill. This mother-daughter duo had been on their high horse for far too long. It was time to bring them down. Twenty years of debts. The debt of trying to force Mom to miscarry. And the truth behind that “Cinderella man.” I’ll reveal it all.
I didn’t mock the Sanders openly, but I watched silently as Anna clutched her abdomen, unwell. She hurried to the hospital to secure her pregnancy. Who knows if the baby she’s carrying will survive long enough for the test results to come back?
The oppressive air of the wake made it hard to breathe, so I decided to leave. As I was walking out to the parking lot, I saw Sadie and Ashley making out passionately in their car. So, the saying goes: rotten roots yield rotten fruits. Sadie was just like her mother, through and through. When it comes to picking men, their tastes are eerily alike.
After they’d had their fill, they drove off. I told my driver to follow them. Their car eventually stopped at Moonlit Grove. Conveniently, the property belonged to the Boltons, who managed the real estate and the community. A single phone call was all it took to discover the owner of the house: Sadie. A single home here cost millions. After flaunting his wealth at auctions, Ashley had drained all his savings and even embezzled company funds. Where could he possibly find the money to buy Sadie a house in such a short time? There was only one answer: Bill.
Just as I had helped Sadie transfer all her assets to keep her out of trouble, Bill went and gave her new ones. A spoiled, entitled brat like her always had a clueless enabler behind them. And for Sadie, that enabler was Bill. Still, I was curious how Bill would react when he found out who Sadie really was!
Ashley dropped Sadie off at Moonlit Grove and left. Not long after, Bill’s car came speeding into the neighborhood. He must have rushed over to scold Sadie for her outrageous behavior at the funeral. But knowing him, he’d scold her harshly only to forgive her easily. I could already picture the scene.
When I arrived at Sadie’s villa and rang the bell, the look on Bill’s face when he saw me was almost comical—like a man caught red-handed in the middle of an affair. “What are you doing here?” He set down his coffee cup without taking a sip, his voice…
Monica, ever the actress, plastered on her most gracious smile. “Zoey’s here. It’s getting late—why don’t you stay for dinner?” She acted as though the time I made her apologize had never happened.
Sadie, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly as tactful. She stormed into the room arrogantly. “Zoey! You startled me, and now you dare come to my house? Get out!”
Ignoring her outburst, I walked straight toward Bill. My voice was cold and steady as I questioned, “What are you doing here? What happened to the promises you made me?” Bill’s face flushed with panic. “Zoey, look, they’ve got no one else to rely on. Sadie is my daughter, after all. I can’t just watch her freeze to death in some foreign country.”
I laughed, a bitter sound. “So, everything you promised me to get her out of trouble means nothing now? Buying her a house, a car, showering her with luxury—you’ve already forgotten what she did?”
Bill said, “I haven’t forgotten. She’s paid the price for her mistakes. Zoey, we’re family. Can’t you let the past go? I swear they won’t bother you or your mom anymore. I—”
“Dad, do you remember what I told you? You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You made your choice back then—you chose us. If you want to break that promise, then let Mom go. Divorce her.”
The word “divorce” made his face darken instantly. “What nonsense are you spouting? What kind of child tells their parent to get a divorce?”
“Zoey, I only want to be with your father. You have nothing to worry about—I won’t fight your mom for anything.” Monica chimed in, playing the victim and lowering herself pathetically.
I chuckled coldly and said, “Every time my dad comes home, you find some excuse to drag him away. If you weren’t fighting for anything, you’d have left ages ago. Instead, you cling to him like a leech.”
“That’s enough, Zoey. This isn’t your house, and Monica is still your elder. Look at yourself—what kind of behavior is this?” Bill, clearly irritated by my constant challenges to his authority as the head of the family, deliberately put on a stern, condescending tone, trying to assert his dominance.
“So, you’re set on continuing this, huh?” I asked coldly.
“Zoey, you’re young. The world isn’t black and white—there are shades of gray. I promise my heart is with your mom. I just check up on them occasionally. Stop being so aggressive.”
“Fine, Bill. Have it your way.” I said, turning on my heel to leave. He moved to follow me, but Sadie stopped him. “Dad, don’t go yet. You haven’t tried the meal I made. It’s my first time cooking.”
Later, at my mom’s house, I saw a photo Sadie had posted—a picture of her, Monica, and Bill, all smiles, looking like the perfect family. Mom noticed me staring at my phone. “What are you looking at?” she asked, placing some food on my plate.
“Nothing,” I said, smiling faintly. “Mom, do you have a favorite country? Have you ever thought about where you’d like to live while you’re pregnant?”
“Well,” she touched her slightly rounded belly, “I haven’t thought about it.”
“Well, now’s the time to start. You’ve been tied to the Wilchers your whole life and trapped by the Gardners for half of it. From now on, you deserve to live for yourself. I know Nicholas would follow you anywhere.”
After everything we’d been through, it was clear that Nicholas, with his unwavering loyalty, was a far better match for her than Bill. I didn’t know what the future held or what kind of battle lay ahead with that organization, but I did know this: I didn’t want Mom caught in the crossfire, not while she was carrying a child. Once she divorced Bill, I hoped she’d pick a place she truly loved and start fresh.
“Zoey, is something going on?” She asked gently.
I reached out and placed a hand on her belly. “No, Mom. You’ll be free soon, that’s all.”
Just then, Bill arrived, stepping into the room to find Mom and me laughing together. His guilt was evident on his face, as he worried that I might tell Mom about the other family he was still supporting.
“Darling,” he called out, his voice hesitant as he walked over to us. Mom didn’t even glance at him. She didn’t need me to spell it out—she knew. After all, she’s the one who’d shared a bed with him all these years.
“I’m going upstairs to get some rest. Zoey, you finish your meal.”
“Sure, Mom.”
Bill watched her retreat upstairs, then turned to me. “Zoey, about Sadie… I think we need to talk.”