I Funded Her for Ten Years—Now She'll Pay

The charity student I'd been funding got into a college near my house, and now she wanted to move in a few days early to get used to the area.

In my last life, I said yes without a second thought. I bought her everything she'd need to set up, and on top of that I put together a full set of Apple gear as a reward.

But the moment she saw it, her face went dark.

"Auntie, I always thought your family were just ordinary working people. I was actually grateful to you."

"I had no idea you were this rich. Giving me only this much seems a little unfair, don't you think?"

"Two thousand a month for living expenses is way too little. It should go up to at least twenty thousand."

I turned her down flat, and told her if it wasn't enough, she was welcome to find someone else to fund her.

At that, she apologized right away, said she was only joking.

I thought she'd learned her lesson.

I never imagined that very night, while I was working late, she'd give my three-year-old daughter a heavy dose of sleeping pills and then climb into my husband's bed.

By the time I found out, my daughter was already dead from the overdose.

I was beside myself with rage, and while I was fighting with her, she shoved me off the balcony. I died on the spot.

And with the baby in her belly, she not only won my husband's forgiveness, she took my place and walked away with the entire family fortune.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the charity student called.

Faced with her request to come stay at my house early, my expression stayed calm.

"Sorry, but it's not convenient for my family to host outsiders."

"And since you're an adult now, from here on you can sort out your own tuition and living expenses."

"..."

Before I could hang up, my husband Connor Dickerson reached over and snatched the phone from my hand, softening his voice for the person on the other end.

"Mamie Fox, sweetie, your auntie's had a rough day at work and she's in a bad mood. Don't take it to heart."

"It's just staying a few days early, that's all. I promise you, I'll come pick you up at the station tomorrow."

Then he turned to talk me down.

"Babe, what is wrong with you?"

"You've funded her for ten years already. What's a few more through college? If you're going to do a good thing, finish it."

"The poor kid's coming all this way for school. She doesn't know a soul here. What's the harm in staying a few days?"

I grabbed the phone back and looked at him coldly.

"When I say no, I mean no."

"It's my money. I'll give it to whoever I want, and if I don't want to, then nobody's getting a single cent out of me."

Mamie's voice came through at once, thick with tears.

"Auntie, Uncle, please stop fighting."

"This is all my fault. I didn't think it through. I never meant to intrude on your family's life."

"I just won't come, okay? Auntie, please don't be angry with Uncle."

"Please, please don't cut off my tuition and living expenses. I really want to go to college."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Save the act. I'm not changing my mind on this."

And I hung up.

At that, Connor's face darkened in an instant.

"Did you take something today? Since when are you this cold-blooded?"

"Mamie's such a good, sensible girl. Why are you pushing her like this?"

I stared at Connor's face, and all I could see was that ugly look he wore in my last life, up on the witness stand, lying under oath.

Mamie was the one who'd killed me and my daughter.

Yet to protect the child in Mamie's belly, he twisted it all around and painted me as a madwoman, a depressive who poisoned her own daughter and then jumped to her death.

A hatred I couldn't hold down came surging up from somewhere deep.

I pointed at the front door.

"Connor, I'm putting it plainly today."

"If you dare contact Mamie again, we're getting a divorce."