The Fast Rising Billionaire

Bye Mum

Just then, they heard the door to their parent's house open and shut, and Melody ran over to them. “I see that you have borrowed somebody's car.  I know what Christopher earns, so he definitely could not afford that car. Did you buy it? Oh gods, you are letting this lowlife man leech off you. He will run your bankrupt, you just wait and see." 

Turning to Christopher, she said, “ I know you are useless, but if you have managed to make yourself some friends in rich places, you can come back in, and we will settle this amicably. Perhaps we can help you network with them and get you a–” 

“No, thank you,” smiled Christopher, forcing the words through his teeth. “We don't need to prove anything to you, and we don't need you to believe us. This is our car. We have the receipts to show it, not that it's any of your business. Besides, why do you care? You already kicked us out of your home, and we did not argue. We agreed to the suggestion, that you made all by yourself, by the way.” 

“Yeah mum,” muttered Laura. “Besides, why do you want to act like you care? You thought we were broke and you kicked us out of your home. That would have made us homeless, and you did so while you thought we were away at work, so you did not care about what we had to say. Why do you sudden want to talk? We agreed to your terms, we agreed we were not wanted in your home. There isn't any more room for us to talk about it or say anything on the topic. You enabled the arrogance of your son, and you saw how he spoke to me because of the confidence you gave him. He is happy I am moving out, so is dad, and so were you, until you found out that the car was ours. If you want to talk so badly mum, maybe you should just talk to Jim.”

“How did you get the money for the car?” asked Melody, a dog with a bone, refusing to let things go. “You have barely bought anything more than some groceries in so many years! And aren't you my daughter? Why can't I talk to you when I want?" 

“None of your business, mum. We no longer need your help, right Chris?" She turned, asking her husband, who had been standing in place on the other side of the car, watching the interaction 

“Right.” he piped up, picking up from where his wife had left off. “You have picked on me for so long about being unable to provide for your daughter, you have told me all sorts of things in the name of  ‘telling the truth’ or giving us some advice, and we have finally had enough. We will find a place to live without all of the criticism from you and the rest of your family. Especially that Jim. Really, where does he get off?” 

“And,” Laura piped in, her cheeks flushed, “I want all of you to know that I will be cutting ties with you. I don't want a family that treats me the way you treat me. I would rather know that I have no family and no support, and know it intrinsically, rather than have whatever this is.” 

Sidestepping her mother, Laura went to pick up another box of their things, causing her mother to gasp. She had never witnessed Laura walking away from an argument, and now she took it personally, infuriated by her daughter's audacity. 

“It's because of this riffraff you are speaking to your mother this way? Why, we have kept you clothed and fed, along with your useless, good for nothing husband, and we have not collected s dime from you! How dare you be ungrateful? When I am speaking to you, you do not walk away, especially not under my roof.” 

Laura paused and laughed, tripping over a tuft of grass. “If you haven't collected a dime from us, you have charged me in the currency of my health. Do you know what it feels like, being reminded, every second of every day, of whatever tiny bit of good someone has done for you? To watch your family ridicule the man you love just because they can, and he is a calm man? Besides, we're not under your roof, you kicked us out, remember?” 

A year rolled down her cheek, and her mother's mouth gaped open and then shut, at a loss for words. She had realised her mistake too late, and now it was too late to backtrack and retract the words she had said about their living situation. It was the first time she would be hearing her daughter speak to her that way, and she knew deep down that she couldn't be angry at it, because she would be proud of it if it wasn't happening because of the man she had married. Or to her. 

When they had left for work this morning, Melody had been sure she was making the right decision, helping them out of the house, but now she was having a rethink, especially thanks to the flashy sports car that they were now piling their things into. And Jim! He had happily whistled as he got out the moving boxes from the attic, dropping all of their things into the box. His excitement had been the motivation she needed to make the move that day. Austin had not cared either way. 

If they left now, there was no way for her to get her hands on any of the wealth, and she did not like the thought of that at all. Sje deserved at least a bit of it for letting them stay in her home for so long, did she not? 

“Okay, I understand,” she tried, the words pinching together her throat. “But can we talk about this inside? We made the wrong decision, we shouldn't be kicking you out when you're not on your feet. And look, it's late already, you can stay for the night, and you'll figure out where to go in the morning.” 

Christopher chuckled to himself and pointedly ignored her. Laura did the same and loaded the last of the boxes into the back of the car, getting into the first one. 

“Laura, honey, you've told her what you want, and seeing as she was about to do the exact same thing to us, I'm sure she's perfectly okay with us leaving her home,” said Christopher, avoiding the woman's gaze.

Before she could catch herself, Melody screeched. “You this- this useless man, how dare you insert yourself? You don't have any of the money, and yet you are trying to make the decisions for my daughter. So what if she wants to stay here?” 

“You'll never change, will you mum?” asked Laura, shaking her head. “Not even an hour ago, I made mention of your treatment of my husband, didn't I? There is no way I will live with you. We don't need you. Besides, you said it many times yourself before, it's not conventional for a couple to live with their parents. Bye mum.”