Section 3
My phone buzzed furiously on the kitchen table as I poured myself a glass of water. It was Brenda, and the irritation in my gut twisted tighter. “You need to come home, Melanie,” she demanded, her voice sharp through the speaker. “We need to talk about the wedding money.”
I rolled my eyes. “What about it?”
“We’ve had to dip into it. There are... issues,” she stammered. “We need it back.”
“You what?” I gasped, adrenaline surging through me. “You’ve spent my money?”
“It’s our family’s money now, Melanie. You have to understand.”
The audacity of her tone made my blood boil. “I understand that I won’t be financing your family’s debts. You raided my savings?”
“We’re in trouble, and you have no idea what we’re facing.” The urgency in her voice felt almost frantic. “You need to return and sort this out.”
“Sort out what? Your incompetence?” I spat back, slamming my glass down. The cool water splashed against my wrist, mirroring my rising anger. I had trusted this family, and now they were trying to manipulate me into footing their bills. “You can’t just take my money!”
“If you don’t, we’ll have to pursue legal action.”
A wave of dread washed over me. I had left Brandon’s home thinking I was free, but now I felt the weight of their threats pressing down. “I’ll think about it,” I muttered before hanging up. I had to confront Brandon.
