Chapter 3
Ella's mom, Sophia Brown, was on the other end of the line. Hearing the sudden change in Ella's tone, she sounded a bit embarrassed and hesitant. "They're already at the house, but don't worry. I told them you wouldn't be home until after work. Just come back for dinner."
Ella held her phone, unsure of what to say.
She despised these relatives, who were nothing but leeches.
There was some rustling on the other end, and the background noise quieted down, as if Sophia had moved to a quieter place.
Sophia's voice came through, lowered, "Don't be difficult. I know what I'm doing. Just come home."
Ella always trusted Sophia. Hearing this, she didn't argue further and replied sullenly, "Okay, I got it."
That evening, Ella dragged her feet home.
The small house was packed to the brim.
Uncle Aiden Brown and Uncle Finn Brown, along with their families, were seated on the couch and chairs, while Sophia sat on a small stool, as if she weren't in her own home.
Ella's heart ached at the sight. She silently brought out her office chair and gestured for Sophia to sit.
Aiden was the first to speak up, "What's this? You don't even greet us? Are we not welcome here?"
Aunt Veda Brown chimed in, "Seems like we're not welcome. Do you think we're a bother?"
The couple's mocking tone was clear, taking advantage of Ella and Sophia's lack of support.
Ella kept a cold face and didn't respond, only asking, "What's for dinner?"
Aunt Faye Brown tried to smooth things over. "Ella's a good kid, always thinking of us. We'll eat whatever you make, we're not picky."
Finn and his son, Chase Brown, sat with furrowed brows, as if something was on their minds.
In the silence, Veda suddenly nudged her five-year-old son and coaxed him softly, "Didn't you say you wanted king crab? Go tell Ella."
The child, unaware of the adult dynamics, immediately brightened up, "I want king crab!"
Ella couldn't be bothered with these relatives. She replied sternly, "We're having simple home-cooked dishes. If you can eat, eat. If not, you can leave and eat at your own place."
"Ella, is this how you treat your elders? We helped you a lot back then. If it weren't for us, your dad's funeral..." Faye raised her voice in accusation.
Ella sneered, "Help? You mean showing up to cry a few tears after my mom and I arranged everything?"
Realizing Ella was no longer the timid girl she once was, the elders fell silent.
Sophia tugged on Ella's sleeve and said, "Go buy some groceries. I'll give you money."
Ella glanced at her, feeling helpless, wondering when Sophia would stop being so soft-hearted. "No need, I'll go buy them."
Any excuse to escape these relatives, even for a moment.
Ella deliberately went to the farthest market, walking as slowly as possible, not wanting to return. But she eventually arrived.
She prayed countless times that the seafood vendor would be closed, but the market was bustling, far from closing time.
Ella resigned herself and walked into the crowd, spotting a half-dead king crab at a seafood stall from a distance—cheap and perfect to disgust her relatives.
She took a step forward, only to see a familiar figure at the stall.
Ella's cheeks flushed before her brain could react.
What was he doing here?
Could he live nearby?
The moment she saw him, memories of last night's absurdity and the message she received in the morning flooded back. She turned away, trying to slip away quietly.
Too bad for the king crab.
Ella wandered around and finally found another king crab she liked. She opened her mouth to ask the price.
Before the vendor could respond, a deep male voice spoke first, "This one's no good. It might make you sick."
Ella's heart skipped a beat. She turned to see Michael's chiseled jawline.
He looked righteous, like a king crab judge.
It wasn't just Ella's imagination; even the vendor smiled awkwardly and explained, "This one's for disposal, not for sale."
With that, he tossed it into the trash.
Ella felt a pang of regret but couldn't voice her intention to make her relatives sick in front of Michael's righteous face. She awkwardly thanked him, "Oh, I see. Thank you."
She turned to continue her search for a crab, but Michael stepped forward, "If you don't mind, I can help you pick one. I know a lot about this."
His tone was firm, almost like a declaration.
Ella found it both amusing and exasperating. She decided to clarify, lest Michael really tried to pick the best one for her, "No need. I don't want anything too good. They don't deserve it."
Michael's expression froze for a moment.
Ella nodded in farewell.
She hadn't walked far when Michael grabbed her wrist.
He handed her a packaged, half-dead king crab, "It's free."
Ella was stunned and looked back at the vendor.
The vendor waved her off with a bitter smile.
Ella wrestled with her conscience but ultimately followed her heart, "Thank you."
Back home, Ella's joy vanished.
The relatives acted like they owned the place, waiting for her and Sophia to serve them, not even bothering to get their own utensils when dinner was ready.
Ella watched Sophia bustling around like a servant, feeling a surge of frustration.
After dinner, Aiden finally spoke up, "Ella, I heard your job's going well lately?"
Ella didn't respond.
Aiden continued, "I hate to ask, but you know your cousin is about to start private school. The tuition is steep, and Veda and I are tied up in the stock market. Could you help us out a bit?"
Ella looked at Aiden.
He rubbed his hands, a bit embarrassed, and replied, "Not much, just around a hundred thousand dollars."
"No," Ella replied firmly, glancing at Aiden and Finn. "Whether it's for school or a house, I don't have any money for you."
Aiden and Finn's faces darkened, and they pressured Sophia, "You should talk to Ella."
"Her money is her own. I agreed to have you over for dinner to make this clear," Sophia said calmly, setting down her utensils, "Don't expect anything from Ella."
Ella looked at Sophia in surprise, then felt more confident. "As my mom said, if you're done eating, you should leave."
The two families exchanged awkward glances.
Aunt Faye didn't give up and said, "Ella, when your dad passed, we..."
"If you insist on bringing that up, I don't mind discussing how much you took that rightfully belonged to my dad," Ella interrupted.
That shut them up. They hadn't expected such resistance.
Despite the awkward end, Chase still managed to snap a family photo and posted it on Facebook, captioning it, "Family is everything."
A minute later, a comment from someone important read: [Who's the young woman?]