Shades of Solace

ed to his parents, cl

relatives, eating and taking whatever they want

r Neil. My son picking you is your good fortune. So ill

of my home, I made a call. "

ue paintings are worth about sixty mi

pay, but they're

light, I booked a

r, a sour stench hit me. A grou

inks scattered everywhere. A few women lo

, littered with eaten mel

spit sat on the floor,

at waved me over. "You must be Mina. This is my

shirt, flashing a grin

y, but the problem was I

turned to the group of women behind her. "T

h of women in their fifties li

uge house will probably be Nei

ed. Got into a top university, landed a job at

to size me u

ou'd think she's some heiress. No

il? You've g

flattery, her eyes

ken me for someone else, but th

my subordinate, Neil,

of this have

ter-i

en met Neil

strutted to the living ro

Emma. Back home, that's the gi

thighs. Doesn't look proper. Only Neil's good nature puts up with

ans with your parents. Let's be clear, Neil p

ke, I say quit your job after the wedding a

Grab chairs for everyone. Can't y

laying the mother

st felt

s you an elder? I'v

lent. The group of wome

rted between

-in-law, did you? She's saying she doe

ctures. It's her. Even the

t even acknowledge you? What's this about?

red among

ched, her expres

e's Mina Ford, and you live in unit one of Will

l's boss. We've never had personal cont

the women swarmed me, the

nt all that money on you? Moved in

arriage and you act

phone, shoving cha

ighborhood, my door number, even my hom

re their

my girlfriend off a

ntenance. I bought al

not ready to marr

ap my head around wha

photos of my ho

and subordinate. I'd

was taken

y, then lunged forward,

im. You're just after his cash, aren't you? People like you, what's t

int, it al

, and his mom came to inspect

, they thought I

of mess

I made one last a

Neil's made-up story to fool you. I suggest

ed me, sneering an

just s

ought this house. All his salary and side money went to you

artist. Got the money and

shameles

drowned out m

, and I couldn'

anian, Annie, out from the

, all white fur, looking

she stood firm in front of me,

the women kicked her, sendi

e coffee table, w

warning you one last time. Leave my

ken, I pulled out my

feet, snatched it and s

how much of my son's money did you ta

ouse, her eyes gl

you got aren't cheap. Clara, Emma, trash her place. Take everything v

hat's my property. St

t laughing, scanning the

bought with Neil's salary.

u has the nerve to talk? Gold-

from jade ornaments to computer headphones. Anything

ets overflowed,

even yanked the diamo

tioned this brand. Patek something. Worth over two million. Little

e group gasp, their g

miss out. Every

ing like lunatics, even dragg

The glittering jewelry ins

re knows how to spend. Ho

d in sharp

wo million was an

s looked ev

ink. Could Neil even afford this stuff? I told you I have no connection to him

iving room camera,

hieves, never imagining it'

on tape. If I called the

women froze, then

tormed over, jabbing

this. So what did you do? You've b

this expensive? Only way she go

she been with to ge

has Neil been pl

w uglier. Maia's ey

into her shirt, advancin

o cheat on my son. You thin

as clear. I

led to her feet and lun

m the earlier kick, she stil

, you dare fight

murderous glint flashed in her eyes as she

N

until my vo

. Maia's swing was

She yelped once and cr

m her mouth, and

crawling to scoop Annie into

top hurtin

e slick with

had been my constant comp

to care for

ven whimper, her white

ed down my face as I clutched An

e police and get

e lunatics, capa

stick. "Stop her! Don'

lized a crowd

n neighbors, blocking

few times, stood at the front, expres

ehind him, pleading. "They're trying to kill my d

s to neighbors to b

ake it as flirtation, showing

clined, and he

any decent person would h

lanced at my face

spotting him. They exchanged

hundreds of thousands. It's family

ever dated her son. You know I've always lived

ulled out his phone and ai

"Everyone, check this out. This is the gold-digger I me

family she scammed has come

e, stu

d a livestream, ex

y, he knew how

stream's viewers jumped fr

ted and sneered, their ey

t. A gold-digger. Who knows where s

this, gettin

d a fortune to

's reaction, Mai

wailing and playing the victim.

my son out of hundreds of thousands

s wedding. Us country folk don't ear

ural woman sobbing on the ground, with others c

e narrative, flooding the

leeches. How many g

her ruin

g a big donation. I wanna see thi

in Zachary's eyes

mugs, which I'd accepted

grudge, spread lies about m

s. You've conned who knows how many m

old-digger like you

jeered from

he women exchanged glances

t won't help. A shameless fraud

houlders, draggin

ing I had, but their

known, blood-hers or mine-soaking

rlier, but she didn't respond,

ng, I broke down, pl

e to the vet. She's cough

ut laughing

worried about that dog? What's wr

our dog? Kneel and ap

lit up with

you were wrong, or you're

ll, zooming in on my

The gold-digger's ab

alth, looking all polished, but secre

we'll get a close

cting like some ri

ust humiliated from my reje

two women dragged me

I had, but their str

fraying, only a shred of pr

tramp's still

e snapped, reaching to fo

he elevator

ard arrived with two com

he officers, on patrol, came to ch

omeone in public? W

ns, pushing Maia and her gro

ous, went quiet, not daring to

od to the s

I grabbed an officer's sleeve. "Annie... ple

"I'm informing you now. You're fired from Pinnacle, blacklisted for life. Als

pain. I'd never been so

knew caused this disa

sue this, my na

"Wait, she's really his boss? S

op-tier, no wonder M

coming-his mother

ound, cursing. "She wouldn't dare. Who knows if she's really h

ly. "I'm not just Neil's boss. I'm Pinnacle's CEO. You dared la

ed forward and slap

e dizzy, collaps

me, you little tr

son's hundreds of thousands and denying ev

That's assault." Stunned by Maia's braz

g venom. "You're protecting this tramp. What, you sleeping

police protection? Clara, Emma, trash her house. Cops won't g

he lawless mob stormed bac

tchen dishes, shattering

s too heavy to car

t from Nivida were yanked from the

ike a tornado hit

the officers rushed t

zed with destructi

arrived, sweatin

is relatives trashing my h

nside, shouting. "Stop it, Mom, what are you doi