Chapter 82 Live off Her Parents?
Heather grinned and sauntered over to Jared, hooking her arm through his. "Well, ain't this a small world, Bella, bumping into you here."
Bella returned the smile and nodded. "Heather."
"So, what brings you and Camilla to the sales office? House hunting?"
"Nah." They'd already snagged one yesterday.
"Gotcha." Heather gave her a once-over, her grin stretching wider. "We're here scoping out the digs at Stardust Enclave. It's the place to be! Heard it's so hot, folks are lining up and even slipping the sales agents some cash to get a spot!"
"Thanks to Patricia, who’s got the hookups with a real estate consultant here, we scored a unit. We just signed the papers and sealed the deal."
Heather's eyebrows shot up, practically hitting her hairline.
Her grin turned smug when she caught Bella's shocked look.
Like she was saying, 'Surprised, huh?
'Jealous, much?
'Sucks to be you.'
Bella was definitely taken aback, but more so because Jared and Heather were on the move again.
She thought, 'Didn't they just settle in three years ago?
'Why the shuffle now?'
"That place was a shoebox, and the amenities can't hold a candle to this spot."
Bella nodded. "So, you gonna sell or rent out your old place?"
Jared started to answer, "We're thinking of—"
Heather cut him off, pulling him back with a smile. "We're not selling or renting it out. We don't need the cash. Why sell? We'll hang onto it and let it appreciate."
The White family had deep pockets, and Heather's folks spoiled her rotten, so they could swing it.
"Bella, have you checked out the high-rise units here?"
Bella shook her head. "Nope, haven't had the chance."
Yesterday, Camilla was all about the villas, and they snapped one up before even peeking at the high-rises.
"Let me tell ya, the interiors are decked out! Top-notch range hoods and water heaters, and the layout is designer-level. And the landscaping, you gotta see it, the lawns are lush, all the tracks are plasticized, and there's even a basketball court and a badminton court."
Heather rattled off proudly. "I'm telling ya, living here will add ten years to your life, no joke!"
Jared's mouth twitched. "Is it really that great?"
"Why not? Didn't you just see it yourself? It's all right there, I'm not making this up."
Jared felt a bit awkward.
He thought it wasn't cool to brag in front of Bella.
After all, Bella and Alistair had been in the same old neighborhood for ages and never moved. Talking about this stuff would just rub it in.
But Heather was aiming for exactly that.
She rolled her eyes and said, "Bella, you've been in that neighborhood for over twenty years, right? Never thought about moving? You should totally get a unit here. We could be neighbors and have each other's backs."
"But the price here," Heather hesitated. "might be a bit steep, but you can swing it. Alistair's a teacher, he can tutor on the side for extra cash, right? No biggie!"
Bella replied, "Schools don't allow teachers to tutor outside anymore. Alistair's always played by the rules and never does that."
Heather pouted, thinking, 'What a waste, not cashing in while he can!'
"If Alistair can't rake in extra cash, you sure can! I see those writers making bank from book royalties. You've been at it for years, you must be doing alright."
Bella forced a smile.
If she was really rolling in royalty dough, she wouldn't have needed Camilla to buy them a villa.
Camilla noticed Bella's discomfort and jumped in, "Jared, my mom and I gotta bounce, we have some stuff to handle."
"Don't rush off, what's the big hurry? Camilla, you're pushing thirty, no school, no job, no boyfriend. Look at other girls your age, still mooching off their parents?"
Heather still remembered when Camilla had thrown shade at her before.
Now that she had the chance, Heather had to dish it back. "Just look at Lester, running his own company in Imperial City, future looking bright. Patricia might not be as capable as Lester, but she landed a solid gig at the power company all on her own. Sometimes I really feel for Alistair, raising a kid who can't even stand on her own two feet and still leans on her folks."
Heather shook her head, sighing dramatically.
Jared kept shooting her warning looks, but she brushed him off.
Bella's smile turned icy, her tone flat. "Yeah, Patricia's really something, landing a job at the power company with just a community college degree."
Heather, acting clueless, beamed even more. "That's right! Patricia's always been a good girl! My dad's planning to set her up with a great match in a couple of years."
Heather's voice got louder, "I don't ask for much in life, since I have everything. Just want my family to stay healthy and safe!"
"Why go on like this?" Jared finally snapped. "Bella, I'm sorry, she just talks without thinking, don't mind her."
Heather was livid. "Jared, seriously? I can't even speak my mind now? It's the truth, why apologize?"
Jared felt humiliated.
He didn't dare push back.
Jared's whole life was tied to his in-laws. Heather's parents were big shots at the power company, and his cushy job was thanks to Heather's dad.
He worked at a third-party inspection company outsourced by the power company, pulling in over ten grand a month just by clocking in and out, barely lifting a finger.
He lived the good life thanks to Heather's parents, and Heather was their only kid. No way he could cross her.
Seeing him clammed up, Heather got even more ticked. "Speak up, you had plenty to say a minute ago! Why so quiet now?"
Jared's face darkened.
Getting chewed out by Heather in front of Bella and Camilla was beyond embarrassing.
But Heather either didn't notice Jared's sour mood or didn't care, and kept going, "Back in the day, I was the queen bee at the power company, how did I end up with you!"
Just then, Mia came running out from the reception room.
"Ms. Learmond! Thank goodness you haven't left!"
Camilla asked, "What's up?"
"My bad, I grabbed the wrong contract. The original 'Purchase Agreement' should be with the owner, and we keep a copy. I was in a rush and mixed them up. Can you check if this original is the right one?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
