Chapter 8
“Putting up with your uncle all these years was worth it to live hands-free. But this? Nope.”
He grabbed his car keys by the door.
“World’s gone crazy. I’m out. We’re getting divorced.”
I choked up.
“Dad… what about me?”
When Mom was beating me, he’d always just sit there.
I’d thought he was scared of her. Now I knew better.
He glanced back at me.
“You? You’re grown. Why would I need to take care of you?”
I said nothing, just grabbed my phone and tried calling Uncle Jake-no answer.
With no choice, I headed to the spot the “kidnappers” had told Dad to meet them.
Just in case, I brought a fake, losing lottery ticket.
On the way, my mind spun through every possibility.
When I got to the ridge, I finally understood what was going on.
“Amy!” Mom was tied to a post on the slope, flailing her arms. “Over here!”
“Where’s your dad?” one of the kidnappers demanded, his voice obviously disguised.
He was standing with his back to Mom, a ways off.
I spotted a hiking backpack by her feet and two broken trekking poles.
“Dad said…. there’s no money left. He also said he’s divorcing you,” I stammered, clutching my shirt hem.
“He said all our money went to Uncle Jake.”
Sure enough, the kidnapper’s shoulders stiffened.
14:45
Walgreens Notified Mo
——————-་་་
Hoovaded Him to Plan Bankruptcy
75.0
Chapter 8
I almost laughed.
Aunt Karen was even more vicious this time around.
In my last life, she’d bullied and stolen from me until it cost me my life-only to get herself killed in a fight.
Her dream of that $600,000 payout had died with her.
Now, because I’d said I’d take care of Mom yesterday, she’d decided to kill her.
“What now?” a man in the shadows rasped, stepping forward with a cigarette in hand.
“Then we take her out. Divorce or not, she’s still in the way,” the first kidnapper said, pulling out a short knife and walking toward Mom.
As the blade hovered over the rope, I fumbled out the ticket.
“Please-just let her go! I just bought this today. I checked on the way here-it’s a winner!”
I crumpled it up and held it out with shaking hands. “Will this buy my mom’s life?”
The kidnapper’s eyes lit up instantly.
‘How much?”
I held up my hand.
‘Seven… seven hundred fifty thousand.”
I stepped closer, ready to pass it over-then yanked off his ski mask in one move.
‘Jake!” Mom screamed.
Before they could react, I ripped the hood off the other one too.
The bulky frame was unmistakable-Aunt Karen.
“Karen! You…?” Mom’s voice cracked like she’d been struck by lightning.
She froze for several seconds before screaming, “You were gonna kill me?!”
“Why?! What did I ever do to you?!”
Aunt Karen’s face twisted, her act gone.
“Jessi, what gives you the right to live the good life? That money is mine!”
14:45
Walgreens Notified Me About His Plan B’ Purchase… So I Upgraded Him to Plan Bankruptcy
75.2%
Chapter 8
She snatched the ticket, glaring at Mom.
“Babe, you’re amazing-how’d you know this brat was gonna win?”
Uncle Jake said, crouching beside Mom and picking up the knife again.
“Sis, just make it easy for us. Don’t worry-I’ll live well for you.”
Aunt Karen even covered my eyes in mock-protection.
“Don’t look, Amy. Aunt Karen will always take care of you.”
The next second-there was a thud, the sound of someone tumbling down the cliff.
And the shouting wasn’t Mom’s-it was Uncle Jake’s.
14:45
០
Walgreens Notified Me About His ‘Plan B’ Purchase… So I Upgraded Him to ‘Plan Bankruptcy’
75.5
Chapter 9
