Chapter 18 - The Rats Flee the Ship
The next morning, I received a text from an unknown number.
Sarah, this is Chloe. Please, you have to help us.
I stared at the screen, genuinely bewildered. After the way she and her mother had treated me, the audacity to ask for help was staggering. I didn't reply, but ten minutes later, my phone rang. I answered it just to hear the desperation.
"Sarah? Please don't hang up," Chloe begged, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.
"What do you want, Chloe?"
"It's Mark. He showed up at Mom's apartment last night. He told us everything. About Mia, about the money... about the divorce." She sniffled loudly. "Mom is furious. She threw him out. She said he’s a disgrace to the family for losing his golden goose."
I scoffed. "Golden goose. That’s a lovely way to refer to your sister-in-law."
"I know, I know! We were awful to you, and I’m so sorry!" Chloe pleaded. "But Sarah, the hotel in Aspen... they’re coming after Mom for the bill. They said if Mark doesn't pay, they're sending it to collections under Mom's name because she signed the incidental waiver at the front desk when Mark's card declined!"
I actually laughed out loud. It was a beautiful, karmic twist. Brenda, the woman who had demanded I unfreeze the accounts so she could enjoy her luxury vacation, was now on the hook for the entire $4,800 bill.
"That sounds stressful, Chloe," I said smoothly. "Has she tried getting a second job? I hear a little hard work is good for the soul."
"Sarah, please! Mom is on a fixed income! It will ruin her credit!"
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"Then she better start making payment plans," I replied. "You enabled his behavior for years. You enjoyed the fancy dinners and the vacations, knowing full well Mark wasn't the one paying for them. Now the bill has come due. Don't ever call this number again."
I ended the call and blocked her. The absolute silence that followed was glorious. For the first time in five years, I was completely untethered from the parasitic weight of Mark’s family.
