Kyle parked the car and looked around hesitantly, fearing his car would not be safe there.
Antonette read Kyle’s mind, though, and tried to comfort him, “Take it easy. People here are too shy to touch your car. They’ve never seen anything like it.”
That much was true. Kyle felt quite relieved.
Then Antonette walked Kyle to the residential building where she lived. His face twisted in pain when looking at the ground covered with trash and dirt.
“This place is going to be renovated, right?” Kyle asked, straight out.
Antonette glanced at him and nodded, “Yes. After demolition, we’ll get a large sum of money to relocate and move out of this hellhole.”
Kyle was absorbed in thought, before asking, “So marrying into money would help you get out of here?”
“No, it’s a change rather than an escape. Same as you are longing for the top position in the William family, that is also a change.”
Kyle didn’t express an opinion on her words but raised his eyebrows.
Walking along, they stopped in front of one of the least run-down houses. Antonette looked at the house for a while and then turned to Kyle, “Here we are.”
Kyle was still hoping for a way out of the situation, but once Antonette had entered the house, he had to follow.
There was a strong smell of dampness in the dark corridor. Dust and spider webs were everywhere. The banister beside the staircase was rusted to the point that it could barely support any weight.
Finally, Antonette stopped in front of a green iron cage protecting a stained, white door. Then she took out her keys to open the many locks.
As they entered, Antonette shouted out a cold greeting, “Mum, I’m back.”
Kyle stayed at the doorway, wondering how to introduce himself.
“I thought you’d forgotten your own home. Did you come back to check if I was dead?” A shrill, rasping voice came ringing out from the other room.
Was that Antonette’s mother? Kyle remained hesitant.
At the same time, Antonette produced a scathing grin as she shouted out, “I brought my boyfriend to see you.”
A clatter of noise sounded from the other room, and a small, thin woman came out. She wore an old corduroy skirt, her face framed by shoulder-length, blonde hair. It was clear that she had been a beauty when she was young, but now there was a malicious quality to her.
“Nice to meet you, madam. I’m… Antonette’s boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Antonette’s mother let out a sneer, “You must be a gigolo that this wicked girl hired, right? How could a liar like my daughter get a boyfriend?”
“Mother!” Can’t you stop badmouthing your own daughter?!”
“Excuse me?” Antonette’s mother looked sharply at Kyle. Her viperous glance struck him deep in his soul.
“He doesn’t love you at all. One glance is enough for me to know that. Look at him; he can’t even bring himself to enter the house.”
Jenny was very observant, for indeed, their relationship was different from that of a normal couple.
Kyle didn’t expect Antonette’s mother would be such a creature. All he could do was wait to see how Antonette dealt with the situation.
Antonette felt too ashamed to show her face now. She bit her lip and struggled to say, “So what? We have an arrangement. And he is very wealthy. But I can accomplish what you couldn’t! I’m better than you, mother!”
“A deal?” Jenny burst out laughing at hearing her daughter’s words, “Do you think you are clever? Such ‘cleverness’ will always come undone!”
After that, she looked back at Kyle and questioned him, “What’s your name? She says you’re rich, so what family are you from?”
Kyle had never been treated in this way. He winced with dissatisfaction.
“Have you ever heard of the William family?”
“The William’s?”
All of a sudden, Jenny’s complexion changed completely. She stared at Kyle as if he were a piece of shit. “Who is Simon William to you?” she hissed venomously.
“To me?” Kyle looked at Jenny with suspicion, “He is my uncle. Do you know him?”
“Uncle. Hahaha. He is your uncle!” There was a weird expression on Jenny’s face.
Antonette also realized something was wrong with her mother, but before she could react, her mother rushed to Kyle and pushed him away.
“Get out! The William family is not welcome here!” she shouted.
“What are you doing?” Antonette lost her temper as well and dragged Jenny White away.
Out of nowhere, Jenny White lashed out and slapped Antonette’s face hard as she tried to grab her hands.
The sound of the slap echoed through the apartment.
Kyle was in amazement. This mother-daughter relationship was utterly abnormal! He adjusted his tie and tried to slink away without being noticed.
“Hang on, Kyle!” Antonette was going to pursue him, but Jenny White pulled her back.
“Where do you think you’re going?!” Jenny screamed at her daughter.
Antonette got crazy with anger and fiercely pushed her mother away.
“You are jealous of me for finding a rich man?!”
Without hesitation, Jenny gave Antonette a second, fierce slap to the face.
“Antonette White, are you that cheap? Why did you have to get into a relationship with the William family?”
Antonette covered her face as tears filled her eyes.
“Why am I not allowed to do that? I just love money…”
Suddenly, a distant memory struck Antonette after seeing the despair on her mother’s face.
After a long time, Antonette struggled to say, “The man…the man you told me about is…”