Chapter 3

He always said that family shouldn't fuss over money, and I agreed. But now, it's time to settle the accounts.

I took out the transfer records for Lynda and the medical expenses for his mother over the past two years, which amounted to more than thirty thousand dollars.

"I won't even count the living expenses. This money was supposed to be a loan from you. Pay it back!"

A brief silence filled the living room.

His mother tried to persuade me, "You and Gavin are married. Does it really matter who manages the money?"

"Sure, if it's the same, then he can give me all the savings. That way, I can keep track of it better."

She fell silent.

Gavin pulled his mother into the room, and they whispered for a while before coming out with a card.

"This card has thirty thousand dollars. Consider the extra as household expenses. Take it."

I took it without a second thought.

Gavin thought that because he had hit me, I had changed so drastically. He believed that if he coaxed me a little, I would revert to my old self.

"Alright, Valerie, I promise to hand over all the money to you from now on and never hit you again. Let's live a good life together."

Since I got some of the money back, I snorted, "We'll see how you behave."

Dream on. This family had no clue what they were planning.

I found out soon enough.

His mother had been unusually considerate lately, always leaving dinner for me no matter how late I got home from work. This was a stark contrast to before when I had to cook even if I got home late.

One weekend, I went shopping with a friend and spent all the money on gold jewelry. The thousands of dollars were exchanged for a few small boxes.

I returned home in a good mood, my smile not yet faded when I walked through the door.

Gavin and his mother saw me.

My husband and his mother exchanged a glance, thinking their chance had come.

"Recently, our company developed a new housing complex. It's pretty good, and employees get a twenty percent discount."

I didn't respond.

His mother couldn't hold back, "You should buy it. You could make a big profit by selling it later."

"Valerie, why don't you two buy a unit? Mom can help you out a bit."

"Sure."

"But Mom doesn't have much. Your wedding used up all our savings. Now we only have a few thousand dollars left for our retirement. You see..."

"Oh, I don't have any money either. Gavin, you should have saved enough over the past few years to afford a house, right?"

I wasn't lying. After we got married, he got promoted, earning over thirty thousand dollars a year, plus performance bonuses and commissions, totaling forty to fifty thousand dollars.

It's been three years, and he should have more than enough for a down payment.

"Valerie, the twenty percent discount requires paying in full. So, could you sell your place? We can pool our money to buy it first, and then pay you back after reselling it."

I looked at Gavin, then at his mother. They were clearly plotting something, but I wasn't about to fall for it. "No, I think I'll hold onto my place. It's a good investment, after all."

Their faces fell, but I didn't care. I had learned my lesson. This time, I was going to protect myself.