Chapter 1 - The Splash of Reality
The warm water hit Margaret squarely in the face.
It dripped down her expensive silk robe and completely ruined her perfectly styled hair.
The entire living room fell into a deathly and stunned silence.
Vanessa dropped the empty porcelain pitcher onto the hardwood floor with a loud crash.
Daniel stared at me with wide eyes as if I had just grown a second head.
Margaret gasped for air while wiping the dirty water from her eyes with trembling hands.
"Are you completely out of your mind?" Daniel screamed, stepping toward me with his fists clenched.
I did not flinch or back away from his sudden display of anger.
"I am completely in my right mind for the first time in six years," I replied calmly.
Margaret pointed a shaking finger at my face.
"You disrespectful little brat, I will make sure my son divorces you and leaves you with nothing!" she shrieked.
I smiled a cold and empty smile at the woman who had tormented me for years.
"He cannot leave me with nothing when he owns absolutely nothing," I stated clearly.
Vanessa crossed her arms and glared at me with pure hatred.
"Daniel owns half of this house, and you are going to respect his mother," Vanessa spat.
I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and held the screen up for all of them to see.
The bright notification about the Home Equity Line of Credit application glowed in the dim room.
"Someone tried to take out a massive loan against my property twenty minutes ago," I announced.
Daniel suddenly went completely pale and took a step backward.
He knew exactly what that notification meant for his secret plans.
"I have no idea what you are talking about," Daniel lied, but his voice was shaking violently.
I looked around the room at the family of parasites I had foolishly allowed into my home.
"You all thought I was just a quiet, submissive wife who would not notice financial fraud," I said.
Margaret wiped the last drop of water from her chin and stood up straight.
She dropped her fake persona of a sweet mother and glared at me with absolute malice.
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"We did not just apply for a loan, Claire," Margaret sneered with a wicked grin.
"The bank manager is a close family friend, and he already approved the funds."
