Chapter 15
I sold the house, bought a small new place, and found a job. It was time for a fresh
start.
Soon after, Alan began flooding my phone. with messages. He was full of apologies, saying he’d made a huge mistake and hadn’t appreciated me. He begged for another chance, promising he‘ d treat me right in the future. I kept his number but didn’t block it–mostly just for laughs.
Then Iris somehow tracked me down at
work With Alan in a wheelchair and her
lim g along, they showed up at my office. She looked like a mess–dirty, ragged, and with a sickly pallor. Alan was just as bad off, his amputated leg smelling horrible from neglect and infection.
Alan held out a rose, probably scavenged from somewhere and looked at me with a mix of desperation and hope. He wanted to give our relationship another shot.
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Meanwhile, Iris strutted in, acting all high and mighty.
“Katrina,” she said, “You‘ ve made your point. You‘ re a lonely orphan with no support. But since Alan still cares about you, I’m willing to overlook everything you’ve done. Just take us back, hire a nurse for me, and I won’t hold a grudge.”
Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in their heads. Why would I want to take in trash that‘ s both dirty and smelly?
I gave her a one–word reply: “Get lost!”
Wher er usual tactics didn’t work, she went rull drama–sitting on the floor and wailing.
ing “Help! Everyone, look! This woman is so cruel! She abused me, left me disabled,
blys
stole money meant for my son‘ s
treatment, took our house, and kicked us
out…
Er “Oh my God! She’s trying to kill us, the
ETS
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Chapter 15
poor mother and son… I can’t go on…”
People naturally sympathize with the underdog. Seeing two disabled people in such a sorry state, some started to buy into her sob story and whispered among
themselves.
As the crowd grew, Iris cranked up the drama. She really thought she could guilt- trip me this way. But I had already exhausted my moral reserves by not taking drastic actions. No matter what she tried, she wasn’t going to manipulate me.
Luckily, someone in the crowd recognized
Iris as the abusive mother–in–law she was.
And lan, in the wheelchair, was known as the scumbag who‘ d ended up this way after his affair.
People looked at them with pity for me and began to loudly criticize the pair. Security came quickly, escorting them out and warning them that any more trouble would land them in jail.
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apter 15
I care whole scene was filmed and posted
line. The sight of Alan and Iris getting eir comeuppance, especially with them. gging me to reconcile, went viral. The
athize.
disable
ne stand
spered
tizen even dug up Alan’s mistress, bella, and started questioning her line–asking why she didn’t take Alan
s crank ck and care for him.
aght she
had al
eseries
atter wa
a final attempt, Iris dragged Alan to bella’s place. Unsurprisingly, Isabella ked them out too.
manipul topped keeping up with their drama
er that. I vaguely remember a news story out a disabled beggar fighting over a therinther.
he cromet
ат
lcharecha
*tle and getting killed, but it no gemattered to me.
ended ende
for me, my skies were clear and bright
m then on.
1 wien will
za theize th
nghting the
vmony mo