Filed to story: The Disguised Billionaire and His Accidental Wife Novel
“They said that we don’t have to pay for family support in exchange for a bigger chunk of the insurance payout. They took six hundred thousand dollars and signed the contract to relinquish care for us and our responsibility to them. My grandparents also moved into the two-story house my parents had built just before passing away. They said the house was theirs since my parents were no longer around.
“My grandparents mentioned that we don’t need a house since we can find a guy to depend on when we grow up. We were young back then, and no one had our backs, so the house was occupied by my grandparents. We used to return for a short stay during our school holidays, but we received judging looks as if we were there to steal the place from them.
“Liberty said that our parents’ names are on the title deed. We’ll file a suit and reclaim the property when our grandparents are gone. We won’t leave the house to our uncles.”
Zachary uttered, “Let me know if you need our help when you go to court. I know a lot of lawyers.” York Corporation had its own legal team.
Serenity was grateful. “I’ll ask if I need help.”
It would be probably a few years before her grandparents kicked the bucket.
Serenity and Zachary would probably be divorced by the time the legal battle came about. “Did your mom’s family stick up for you?”
The maternal grandparents tended to have a softer spot for their grandchildren. Serenity said bitterly, “My mom had a rough life. She had been through the system multiple times before she was adopted. Since Mom isn’t my grandparents’ own, they only felt the responsibility to raise her without giving her much love. After my mom was gone, they believed they got nothing out of bringing her up.
“So, they took four hundred thousand dollars out of the pot of insurance money. Liberty and I were left with two hundred thousand. No one looked out for us. No one stuck up for us. All they were looking out for was their own interest. If it weren’t for the village officials, Liberty and I would probably be left with nothing.”
Saddened by the past, Serenity turned her head away and looked out the window. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Time had not been kind. She still could not get over the matter even after fifteen years.
Blood was thicker than water. Never mind her maternal side of the family as Mom was adopted. However, Dad was the Hunts’ flesh and blood, but the family showed no mercy toward the sisters.
It took a while for Serenity to get ahold of herself. She uttered faintly, “Now my Grandmom is sick. It’s the early stage of liver cancer. She wants to be treated in a hospital here in the city. My cousin had the nerve to call and get me to organize the whole thing.
“He also told me to pay the medical fees. Cancer treatment is not cheap. Even if I do have the money, I’m not going to waste it on her. To think they expect me to pay after what they’ve done to me and Liberty.
“The best I can give her is a thousand bucks for food.
They won’t get any more out of me.”
Zachary unhurriedly replied, “You don’t have to give them a penny if you don’t want to. They won’t thank you for giving the money. They’ll call you cheap and ungrateful. You won’t feel comfortable giving them more anyway. It’s pointless to do it since you can’t win.
“Screw them. They did you wrong years ago, so don’t let them claim the moral high ground.”
Zachary had to be tough to take the helm of York Corporation.
Zachary believed Serenity should not fork out even a dime.
Serenity would be labeled ungrateful whether she dished out the cash or not. She might as well save herself the pain and not pay the family at all.
The sisters were underaged when they lost their parents. Yet, the relatives had the heart to abandon them, by not only taking a chunk out of the insurance payout but also occupying the sisters‘ family home. Thank goodness Liberty knew better and managed to overcome the years.
Seeing that Zachary had a point, Serenity thought about it and said, “You‘re right, Mr. York. I‘ll take your advice and give them nothing. I couldn‘t care less what they say about me.”
Those people were not ashamed of their own actions back then. Why should she now?
Anyone who came at her about Grandmom being old and she was family would feel Serenity‘s wrath. Those people should step into Serenity‘s shoes before they have the right to judge. Serenity would only accept criticism from the people who could forgive and forget as well as repay hurt with kindness for what she had been through.
People should never judge a man until they have walked a mile in his boots.
Serenity could not stand people who claimed the moral high grounds. Soon, Zachary dropped Serenity off at the entrance of Wiltspoon School
Since the students were in class at this hour, business was slow around the school area.
Sitting behind the cash register, Jasmine fiddled with her phone. With Zachary dropping Serenity off, Jasmine immediately rose to her feet.
“Mr. York.”
Jasmine said hello to Zachary.
Without getting down from the car, Zachary rolled down his window and looked into the shop. He responded to Jasmine with a nod and half a smile.
“You better get to work. Send me a text when you arrive at the office.”
“Sure.”
Zachary nodded at the girls before winding his window up. He put the car in reverse to back his way out and drove off.
“Where‘s your bike?”
Jasmine asked suggestively, “Is your husband going to do
pick-ups and drop-offs from now on? It seems that you’re getting along well.”
“Yeah, we are.”
The couple got on fine when Zachary did not cross her line and Serenity did not whack him.