“Really?” Elara challenged. “Was the designer luggage for the family? Were the spa days and the secret trips to Sedona for the family? I’ve been wearing the same shoes for three years while you treat my paycheck like a lottery win.”
Dante slammed his fist against the wooden dining table. “You will show some respect to my mother in this house!”
“I am the only reason this house even exists,” Elara countered. “I pay the rent, I buy the food, and I do all the chores while you sit on that couch and pretend to be a provider.”
That was the breaking point for Dante. He lunged forward and grabbed a handful of her hair, yanking her head back with such force that she cried out in pain.
“Give me the damn card!” he screamed into her ear.
Elara managed to shove him away, her scalp stinging and her eyes watering from the shock. “Don’t you ever lay a hand on me again.”
Something in her icy tone made him pause for a split second. She used that moment to bolt into the bathroom and lock the door, her hands trembling as she pulled out her phone to transfer the bulk of her savings to a third, even more secure bank.
Outside the door, Dante was pounding on the wood and screaming threats. Martha was right behind him, egging him on and telling him to show his wife who was boss.
When the shouting finally stopped, Elara sat on the edge of the bathtub. She knew she couldn’t just run; she needed leverage to ensure they could never hurt her or Maya again.
That night, while the house was finally quiet, she opened her laptop and began digging. She started with Martha’s social media and eventually moved into public records and tax filings.
What she discovered was far worse than she had imagined. Martha had been collecting a hefty widow’s pension for nearly a decade, even though her “deceased” husband was very much alive and living in San Diego.
Furthermore, Martha was running an illegal catering business out of the apartment, selling high-end meals and alcohol without a single permit or tax record.
As for Dante, Elara found records of a secret side business repairing high-end drones for cash. He had been making thousands of dollars a month and hiding it all while demanding every penny of her modest salary.
The next morning, Martha walked into the kitchen with a cold, triumphant smirk. “You’re going to regret the way you behaved last night, little girl.”