Reborn Against Family Schemes

Kingsley dropped me off at the entrance to the apartment complex, and I waved goodbye.

"Thanks for everything today. I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it. We all have our own challenges."

I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the door handle.

"Hold on a second."

Slightly taken aback, I paused as he requested.

"Actually, I have a favor to ask. I meant to call you tonight, but it's quite unexpected that you're the buyer of the house."

I knew there’s often a catch when someone offers help. Since I've benefited from his assistance, I might as well hear what he has to say.

It turned out he wanted me to work overtime. Initially, I was reluctant, but considering I had missed work before, and he approached me warmly with a generous overtime pay, I agreed. He also mentioned that his special assistant had quit, and he was keeping that position open for me, which made me even more delighted.

As I was about to leave, I suddenly remembered what Kingsley called me when he first got into the car.

Did he call me "Ginny"?

No, no, don’t dwell on it. Right now, my top priority is focusing on my career. If love isn’t in the cards, at least I have work to rely on.

Once the house deal is finalized, I plan to take some time off to register my move. Kingsley kindly granted me half a day for this, and reminded me to stay safe. With a boss so considerate, I silently counted my blessings.

As I got closer to the police station, my phone rang with a call from an unknown number.

After the incident with those two people earlier, I hadn't been bothered by them again, so I’d let my guard down.

So when I heard my father's voice through the phone, I was startled.

He was simply inviting me to a family dinner on Saturday night, gently reminding me, "Family shouldn't hold grudges for long."

Suddenly, it dawned on me that they wanted to use me as a scapegoat.

In my previous experience, a friend of my father's borrowed his car for some errands. I advised my father against it because this friend was notoriously unreliable. However, my father couldn’t refuse, and my mother reprimanded me for meddling in adult affairs. Isabella chimed in, saying parents naturally knew best, and my mother praised her for being mature.

Unfortunately, soon after Thanksgiving, that friend was involved in a drunk driving accident and fled. According to the law, my father wasn't legally liable. But because the friend’s license had expired and he couldn’t compensate the victims, my father, as the car’s owner, was forced to pay tens of thousands in damages.

My parents were financially stable, with substantial savings and investments. However, they planned to buy a wedding house for Isabella and had already found one they liked. If they paid the damages first, they'd lose the house.

So, they targeted the money I’d saved over the years, knowing how to manipulate me using familial bonds.

"After all we’ve done for you, won’t you help us out in this emergency?"

"Genevieve, this house is a real find, and it would be a shame to miss out. I made a mistake earlier; could you help your father this time?"

I saw the pride in Isabella’s eyes and refused to give in.

Isabella, with a concerned tone, interjected, "Buying a house isn't urgent, and I might not even marry in the next couple of years. Besides, considering my health..."

Do my parents even remember that I'm only two years younger than Isabella?

"Don't worry," my mother said with unusual gentleness. "Leigh is a good man; he won't mind..." Realizing Peyton was my ex-boyfriend, she quickly finished, "Anyway, that’s not your concern."

She then turned to me and, with rare patience, said, "I know you’ve felt we favored your sister, but given her health, it’s natural we are more attentive towards her. But we love both of you equally."

I was so desperate for that illusory familial love that, in the end, I surrendered my hard-earned savings under my parents' combined pressure and Isabella's performance.

The past is truly painful to recall.

I wanted no further contact with them, but to ensure they lose hope completely, I accepted my father’s dinner invitation.

They booked the same restaurant where we had Thanksgiving last time. When I entered the private room, they were already waiting.

Upon seeing me, my mother pressed the service button to bring out the dishes and lightly chided me, "We've ordered all your favorites today. Eat up!"

She seemed to think I’d sever ties over a meal.

Isabella wore a calm expression, as if the previous incident hadn't happened, casually asking if Kingsley was my boyfriend.

My father was surprised, saying, "You have a boyfriend?"

"No," I replied casually, "He's my boss. Didn't I say that in front of Isabella before?"

Isabella softly smiled, saying, "Your boss seems nice. That dining place isn't cheap, and your salary might be a bit tight for it."

I agreed, "Absolutely. I'm strapped for cash after buying a house and have depleted my savings."

"What?!"

The shock on their faces brought me great satisfaction.