Chapter 4 Reclaiming Control

Mary Green's voice through the phone speaker made Emily's shoulders tense reflexively, her fingers trembling slightly.

She had blocked all her family's numbers, yet somehow they'd managed to get a new one to reach her.

Emily smiled bitterly.

But she quickly regained her composure. One lifetime of experience had taught her to control her emotions.

"I've moved out," Emily stated calmly. "I won't be living at home anymore, and I won't be giving you money either."

There was a brief silence on the other end, and then Mary exclaimed, "What? so you think you're hot shit now? Did you take the money from the house? Get back here right now—I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

Emily gripped her phone tightly. "Yes, I took it, but it was my money. Taking my own assets is perfectly legal." She deliberately used the word "assets," reminding herself she was no longer a lamb for slaughter.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mary demanded. "We made you who you are today. You get a little success and turn your back on us—such an ungrateful child!"

Emily laughed coldly. "Yes, you gave birth to me, but I was helping with chores by age five, and getting beaten and scolded when I didn't do them right. You wanted me to quit school after middle school to work. I took out loans for college tuition and worked part-time for living expenses."

She listed everything in a cool, measured tone. "For the past two years, I gave you all my salary, which far exceeds your initial investment. Don't contact me again."

"Education's ruined your brain!" Mary was furious. "If we hadn't allowed it, could you have gone to college? I should have torn up your acceptance letter and sent you straight to work!"

"That's the bare minimum responsibility, nothing to boast about," Emily countered, her voice carrying unprecedented coldness and sharpness. "I was studying while supporting the family. I was foolish before, but now I've woken up."

Mary lost all control, unleashing hysterical threats through the speaker. "Bring the money and your bank card back right now! Otherwise, I'll go to your workplace and make a scene—see how smug you are when you're unemployed!"

"I've already resigned," Emily replied with newfound composure. "Make all the scenes you want—it won't affect me."

"What?" Mary's panic was evident. "You're lying! Quitting such a good job just like that? Impossible!"

"It's the truth. Verify it with the company if you don't believe me," Emily's tone was icy.

On the other end, Mary's voice immediately shifted to a tearful wail. "Oh Lord, what sins have I committed to deserve this? You ungrateful daughter! Without a job, how will our family survive?"

The question irritated Emily. Her parents were only fifty and in good health; her brother Jack Green was an adult who did nothing but loaf around all day, yet she alone was treated as their ATM.

"Enough," she refused to tolerate it anymore. "You're healthy and able-bodied—why can't you support yourselves? I'm rebuilding my life and don't have time for your emotional manipulation." She hung up immediately.

Once, Mary's tears could easily break through Emily's defenses, making her feel guilty and compliant. But having experienced the pain and death of her previous life, she now saw through the controlling nature behind those tears.

Thinking she'd finally have a moment to breathe, Emily was surprised to receive a call from the police that afternoon—Mary had reported theft of household money and bank cards, requesting Emily come to the station for questioning.

Fortunately, she had prepared for this and went to the police station alone.

At the station, her father Robert Green and her mother Mary glared at Emily with hostile expressions.

"Where's the money and the bank card? Hand them over now!" Mary demanded aggressively, her expression contorted. "That's our retirement money, what are we supposed to do now that you've taken it?"

Robert feigned righteousness. "Is this how you repay us after all these years of raising you? Stealing and then acting like you're in the right? We're going to let the police teach you a lesson today!"

Emily took a folder of neatly organized documents from her bag and handed them to the officer.

"These are my pay stubs. The bank card I took is my own salary card. Here are bank records proving all my income has gone toward household expenses for the past two years. Since I just quit my job, I reclaimed my salary card with over twenty thousand dollars in it, plus withdrew ten thousand in cash. After supporting my family for two years, taking back my own money doesn't seem unreasonable, does it?"

The officer accepted the documents, reviewed them carefully, then turned to her parents with an annoyed expression. "This doesn't constitute theft—how can someone steal their own property? If you're bored, maybe find jobs instead. You're young enough, stop thinking about living off your children's money."

Emily precisely corrected him. "Actually, just their daughter's money."

The officer shook his head, his eyes revealing understanding and sympathy. Clearly, he had seen too many cases of parents favoring sons while exploiting daughters.

Mary remained stubborn, justifying herself self-righteously. "We worked hard to raise her, so naturally she should repay us when she grows up. Why else would we raise her?"

"That's enough. Handle your family matters at home," the officer was exasperated and warned. "If you continue with this, I'll have to treat it as a false police report—seven days' detention and a five-hundred-dollar fine."

Hearing about detention and fines, Mary panicked and quickly waved her hands. "No, no, we're dropping the complaint." She tried pulling Emily toward the exit.

Robert seemed about to speak but ultimately just frowned in silence.

Outside the station, Emily shook off Mary's hand. "I've said everything I needed to on the phone. Don't contact me again. When you're too old to care for yourselves, I'll fulfill my basic filial obligations."

Robert softened his tone. "What kind of talk is that? Emily, we're family. Isn't it good for a family to live together harmoniously?"

"Harmoniously?" Emily smirked. "You mean the three of you living harmoniously? I was just an ATM to you."

She had once overheard her parents scheming to find her a wealthy husband so the family could extract money for Jack's marriage fund.

"Doesn't everyone live this way?" Mary put on an anguished expression. "Now that you've got a good life, are we just burdens to you?"

Emily snorted lightly. "Weren't you always complaining I was a burden? Now the burden is gone, and you should be celebrating."

A rideshare car arrived just in time. Emily got in without looking back, Mary's curses fading in the distance as she felt a long-absent lightness, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

Her phone rang; it was Drew calling. "Emily, there's a premium client looking for a live-in housekeeper. I'll send you the address later; go for an interview tomorrow."