Chapter 4

The financial crimes unit worked with remarkable efficiency. As they reviewed the forged signature, the fraudulent guarantee agreement, and the clear bank transaction records spread across the desk, their expressions darkened.

"He forged an official company seal and used someone else's identity to take out 300 thousand dollars in online loans! Paired with home invasion and extortion, the nature of these crimes is egregiously severe!"

The officer slammed his stamp onto the case file and issued an order on the spot, "Bring the suspect in right now!"

The moment I received the case acceptance receipt, my phone began vibrating nonstop. My oh-so-loving family was busy showering each other with money and showing off in the family group chat.

Bonnie sent more than a dozen videos in rapid succession, flooding the screen with blinding flashes of red.

Elio stood in front of a brand-new BMW in the videos, a large red celebratory rosette pinned to his chest, his face beaming with pride. Mom was dressed in a brand-new gown, grinning from ear to ear.

The document she was holding was the exact agreement they'd forced me to sign the night before, surrendering my rights to the property.

"This is all thanks to Elio! This car cost more than 500 thousand dollars out the door!"

Uncle Axel instantly accepted the transfer and piled on the praise. "Elio's really made something of himself. Your mom's finally getting to enjoy the good life! Unlike a certain ungrateful wretch who only knows how to scheme against her own family."

Aunt Anna sent a voice message as well, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That bitch, Irene, is nothing but a jinx and a parasite. Sons are the only ones you can count on! Bonnie's the real MVP for carrying this baby!"

Elio's ego inflated to the absolute limit. He sent a voice message into the group, his tone unbearably arrogant, almost as if he was doing everyone a favor.

"I'll treat everyone to dinner at the seafood restaurant tonight, Uncle Axel and Aunt Anna! I'm booking the whole place, so order whatever you want! Next month, I'll cash out Irene's 100 thousand dollars provident fund.

"Then, I'll marry her off to some rich old man so we can get at least another 300 thousand dollars from them. When that happens, I'll book Bonnie the best postpartum care center in the city!

"Irene's an old hag anyway. There's no point in leaving all that money with her. It's going to end up in our family's hands eventually!"

I stared at the screen, a chilling smile curling at the corners of my lips. Elio wanted to take my provident fund and marry me off for money? The only thing he was going to be doing was spending his days behind bars.

Bonnie immediately posted a carousel of nine photos on her social media. "My hubby bought me this BMW outright, and my mother-in-law has my back. A certain unwanted old hag is only fit to rot in some crappy rental for the rest of her life!"

Even while everyone was celebrating, Mom still didn't forget to take a jab at me. She tagged me in the family group chat and sent a 60-second voice message.

I played it.

Her voice was shrill and grating as she cursed, "See that, Irene? This is what your brother is capable of! If you know what's good for you, wire your salary to your brother as soon as you get paid next month!

"If you dare bring up that 700 thousand dollars again, I'll go to your company and hold up a banner, telling everyone that you abused your own mother and drove a pregnant woman to her grave!"

The suffocating despair I had felt in my previous life as I lay on a hospital bed and waited for death to claim me came rushing back. I swallowed the metallic tang of blood in my throat, my eyes completely drained of warmth.

With one hand, I replied in the family group chat, "Nice car. Too bad you won't get to drive it. Eat up all the seafood you can tonight. After all, prison food isn't half as grand."

The instant the message was sent, the group chat exploded. In less than three seconds, Mom video-called me.

I answered it coldly.

The private dining room was awash in neon lights and liquor on the screen, with king crab and lobster piled high on the table.

Mom's eyes were narrowed into slits, and her face trembled violently with rage. Glaring viciously into the lens, she cussed at me, spittle flying from her mouth, "Who do you think you're jinxing, you bitch? You damn jinx—"

However, the very next second, a piercing police siren suddenly blared in the background. Then came a deafening crash.

Four fully armed police officers barged into the private dining room, their faces stern and their presence menacing. The instant the cops broke into the room, the image in the video shook violently.