Share

Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead
Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead
Author: Beloved Farewell

Chapter 1

Author: Beloved Farewell
Staring at the screenful of replies flooding the family group chat, along with all the relatives gushing with praise, I made no reply to any of the messages.

The group kept buzzing with messages until the early hours of the morning.

It wasn't until noon the next day that my cousin, Jeffrey Coleman, finally called. His tone was light and breezy, as if everything was already set in stone.

"Hey Chrissy, you saw the invitation, didn't you? I've already mapped out the route. We'll head out from your place at 7:00 am. The first run will be to pick up the bride, then we'll make a second trip for the relatives.

"Let's set it at two runs for now, and we can add more if needed. Make sure you wash the car and fill up the gas the night before."

The coffee in the mug I was holding had already gone cold.

"Jeff, I told you last time. I'm not lending you the car."

Jeffrey went silent on the other end of the line for a couple of seconds.

"Christine Schmidt, this is all because of the money, isn't it?" he asked.

Then, lowering his voice, he said, "If 500 dollars isn't enough, then I'll add another 300. That'll make it a total of 800 dollars. How about that?"

"It's not about the money."

"Well, then what is it about?" Jeffrey challenged, letting out a cold laugh as he did so.

"You're treating that beat-up old car like it's a family heirloom! How much did the refurbishment even cost?

"I'll have you know, I've already put down the deposit at the restaurant, the invitations have been sent out, and the bride's family has already been informed. And now you're saying no? Have you got any idea how embarrassed I'll be?"

"That's not my problem," I responded flatly. "Did I not tell you that I wouldn't be lending you the car when you came to my house yesterday?"

The sound of teeth grinding came from the other end, and his voice dropped even lower. "Fine, Chris. You want to do things the hard way, huh? Well, don't you dare think for a second you have any say in this.

"Just you wait, Chris. Just you wait."

He hung up, then immediately transferred me 500 dollars with the remark "car fee".

In less than ten minutes, the family group chat started blowing up.

Jeffrey singled me out and tagged me in the group chat.

"What an awesome cousin I've got! I've really got to thank Chris for this. I can't believe she'd be willing to lend me the Toyota Crown to use as my bridal car!

"We've just talked things through a while ago, and if there aren't enough seats when the time comes, we'll just arrange to make a few extra runs to pick everyone up!"

My Aunt Mindy—Jeffrey's mother, Miranda Coleman—immediately followed up with a long voice message.

"That's my Jeff, always thinking of everyone! I'm telling you, this car is an original import from the '90s. Back then, there couldn't have been more than three of these in the whole city! When the bride's family sees it, they'll have to look at the Coleman family in a whole new light, won't they?"

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead   Chapter 13

    The bailiff tugged at Jeffrey, but Jeffrey pulled his arm free."Grandfather said there was a secret to this car. He told me that when I grew up, I could come and discover it myself. I want to know now—what was the secret?"I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "There was no secret. He just wanted you to grow up right. But you never did."The expression on Jeffrey's face went rigid as the bailiff led him away.People in the gallery gradually left, but Rosalie and Natalie remained seated in the front row, motionless. Rosalie's eyes were red and swollen.I walked over and addressed Rosalie, "Mrs. Chapman."She looked up at me, opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out."About the 8,000 dollars for renovations," I said, taking a bank card from my pocket. "Jeffrey's accounts have been frozen. It's going to take time to recover the money. But you don't need to wait.""What do you mean?""This is what my grandfather left me. He didn't want me spending it recklessly, so

  • Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead   Chapter 12

    "I left the last column, which asks for the donor's name, blank. I initially intended to fill in my own name. This has been my lifelong wish. But I don't have the right." Frank placed the pen on top of the agreement and slid it across the table toward me."Ms. Schmidt, I want to buy the car. I'll take it at an extra 50,000 dollars above the market price. That 50,000 is the interest on the 10,000 dollars from 30 years ago. But the donor's name must be your grandfather's."I looked at the blank column on the agreement and didn't answer right away. Instead, I asked, "Why didn't you come to me directly? Why go through Jeffrey?"Frank let out a sigh. "I didn't go through him. He was the one who found me. Six months ago, he posted about a Toyota Crown on a used car forum. I left a comment below, saying if the owner was willing to sell, I'd pay a high price for it. Then, he added me on my social media account."He told me he was the owner, and we agreed on 15,000 dollars for the car. So

  • Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead   Chapter 11

    "Why do you insist on getting that car?" Aunt Mindy asked with a trembling voice. "Why?"Jeffrey leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. "Because that person said that as long as I hand the car over to him, the 80,000 dollars I owe him will be written off."The other end of the line fell deathly silent for five seconds."8… 80,000?""There's three years' worth of interest on top of the principal, so I need to get that car. I'm not borrowing it. I'm taking it. The guy who's buying told me the market value for that car is at most a little over 15,000 dollars. But he only wants this one. He said he's been searching for it for three years."Jeffrey opened his eyes. "I didn't ask him why. All I know is that I give him the car, and my debt will be settled. But if I don't, Mom, you know those people aren't the police. They won't let me off so easily."A thud came from the other end of the phone as Aunt Mindy collapsed to the floor."So go to the hospital. Find Aunt Jodie. No matt

  • Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead   Chapter 10

    Jeffrey's exact words were "get my hands on it"—not borrow, not buy, but get. From that moment on, he had already made up his mind.Officer Grayson put the documents away. "This case is more complicated than we thought. Our colleagues in Economic Crimes are already pulling his bank records."Also, we found several encrypted folders on his phone. They were filled with your personal information—your address, license plate number, daily routines, and bank account details. He even saved the name of the hospital and the ward number where your mother was hospitalized."I said nothing."We'll handle this according to the law," Officer Grayson said. "But you should also be vigilant and watch out for your safety."He paused. "A person like him, when backed into a corner, is capable of anything."I nodded.By the time I left the bureau, it was nearly dark. My phone buzzed again. This time it wasn't a text, but a video call from my mom.I answered. "Mom."She studied the building behind

  • Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead   Chapter 9

    "Your mom isn't in the best of health, is she? When was the last time she was hospitalized?" Jeffrey asked.My fingers tightened around my phone.Aunt Mindy whipped around to stare at Jeffrey, as if seeing him for the first time. "Jeff, what are you saying? That's your Aunt Jodie you're talking about!""Mom, stay out of this," Jeffrey said, not even sparing Aunt Mindy a glance. "I'm talking to Christine."Officer Grayson set down his pen and stood up. "Jeffrey Coleman, every word you're saying is being recorded on this body cam."He pointed to the camera on his chest. "If what you just said constitutes a threat, then this is no longer just about illegal commercial transport."Jeffrey glanced at the camera, then back at me. "Fine. I'm done talking."He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Anyway, you won't be able to hold on to that car."…At 3:00 pm, the Traffic Control Bureau concluded its investigation. Jeffrey was transferred to the local police station for fur

  • Using My Heirloom Crown? Enjoy Prison Instead   Chapter 8

    "Jeffrey Coleman, you forged my mother's signature," I said.Officer Grayson stopped writing. "Forging another person's signature and creating a false authorization letter."He drew a hard line across his notes. "This changes the severity of the case."Jeffrey clenched his jaw."Is there anything else you're still keeping from us?" I asked. "Six months ago, you added the contacts of three used car dealers. Old Toyota Crowns, old Mercedes Benzes, and old Lexuses—you were asking about all kinds of cars from the '90s. But the one you cared about most was the Toyota Crown."You thought no one would know. But what you didn't know is that I knew all three of those dealers. Because the Toyota Crown you were asking about was mine. So this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea."My tone remained steady. "You didn't just wake up one day and decide to use the Toyota Crown as your bridal car. You've been plotting to get this car for half a year. The wedding was nothing but a cover. What you wan

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status