Chapter 264 She Will Definitely Help You Pay It Back
"Just spill it. I can give you some advice and guidance, but I won't meddle too much." As the elevator doors slid open, Katniss stepped out first.
They hung around the entrance for a bit before Rupert finally spoke up, "Katniss, after Mom remarried, things didn't go so well for her either. The stepdad had some money, but then he got diagnosed with a terminal illness and blew it all before he passed away."
He looked down, speaking softly and hesitantly. "After that, things got rough. She was a single mom trying to raise me, and there were times she just broke down crying while holding me. Eventually, she asked around to set up a marriage for me. Jessica's family didn't want her to marry me, but Jessica did. Her parents made it tough, asking for so much money that I almost gave up."
Back then, Jessica was still young and not too materialistic. She didn't fully get how tough things were but was determined to be with Rupert.
It was rare to find someone so devoted to Rupert, and Ember did a lot of shady stuff.
Ember's new husband spent his $40,000 savings on a fancy cemetery plot before he died.
She had her eyes on that plot, and Rupert couldn't wrap his head around how she could dig up ashes buried for so many years and move them.
Even crazier, someone actually bought the second-hand cemetery plot from Ember.
To this day, Jessica still didn't know where the money came from. Ember had forbidden anyone from talking about it, fearing it would bring bad luck.
Even though Ember's dealings with loan sharks caused Rupert a lot of pain, before that, she was pretty dedicated to him.
After hearing all this, Katniss started to get what Rupert was saying. She didn't know how to respond. She had no feelings for Ember and had drawn a clear line in her mind, forgetting that Ember was Rupert's mom, someone who had been in his life for over twenty years.
"Katniss, I know I've let you down. I'm planning to take Mom and Jessica back to Harmony City, have a proper talk with Robert, and work hard to pay off the loan sharks. But if Mom gambles again, I'm done." Rupert was sensible and hopeful for the future. He was only in his twenties, and going through some tough times was part of the deal.
He continued, "I'll make it clear to both of them that apart from family ties, there won't be any financial ties between us. If Jessica is willing to tough it out with me for a few years, great. If not, we'll get a divorce."
Katniss had her hands in her pockets, thinking. Seventy thousand dollars wasn't a big deal for her; she could just give it to Rupert directly.Yet, Jessica and Ember were a tricky situation. If they found out Katniss was being nice to Rupert, they might jump at the chance to take advantage of him.
After a long pause, she took a deep breath and said, "Let me help you out with a small favor."
"Anything but money, I'd gladly accept your help!" Rupert replied, eager to keep their family bond strong.
Hearing this, Katniss sighed in relief. Seeing his strong resolve to stay away from financial ties, she figured Rupert might not let her help him at all.
Katniss suggested, "Let's go shopping first. We'll have lunch at my mom's place, and in the afternoon, I'll take you to get some new clothes and a phone. Then you can call Jessica and Ember, tell them your plans, and see if they're on board. Then we can plan step by step."
Any plans now were premature since they didn't know what Ember and Jessica thought.
Rupert agreed right away. They bought some gifts nearby and had lunch at Sophia's place.
Sophia had met Rupert twice. When Rupert and Jessica came to seek help from Katniss, Rupert visited Sophia in the hospital out of courtesy.
Even though they hadn't spent much time together, Rupert's honesty and simplicity, combined with Sophia's friendly nature, made the meal feel calm and relaxed.
In the afternoon, Katniss took Rupert shopping. After buying a phone, Rupert couldn't wait to call Ember. "Mom, where are you and Jessica? Did Robert come looking for you?"
Since Katniss didn't provide any money, Robert would keep looking for Ember. A few thousand dollars was a big deal for them, enough to cover the flight from Harmony City to Velvet City.
Ember had been chased by Robert over debts and had been kicked out by Jessica. Despite her struggles, she had some survival skills.
For the past few days, she had been staying in an abandoned building. While she wasn't in immediate danger, she was hungry, cold, and starting to catch a cold.
When she heard Rupert's voice, she instantly perked up. "Rupert, you have to help me! I worked hard to raise you and even helped you find a wife. I can only count on you from now on!"
"Mom, stop talking so much. Where are you?" Rupert asked again.
But Ember didn't know her exact location.
"Let Jessica answer the phone!" Rupert was getting anxious.
Mentioning Jessica made Ember angry. "She threw me out of the motel and took all our money! I had to find a place in an abandoned building to stay. Rupert, I don't know where I am, and my phone is about to die."
Hearing this, Rupert felt a wave of worry, but before he could ask anything more, the call was cut off. When he tried to call back, the phone was dead. Rupert was overwhelmed with anxiety.Katniss said, "I know where the motel they stayed at is. If Jessica kicked her out, she shouldn't have gone far. We should be able to find her."
She then located the motel on the map and started searching the surrounding area. Within ten minutes, she figured Ember was likely in an abandoned building about ten miles from the motel.
Rupert also called Jessica, asking her to meet at the abandoned building without explaining anything.
Half an hour later, Jessica arrived by taxi and frowned at the messy environment.
When she saw Katniss's car, she knew Katniss wouldn't just stand by and ignore Rupert's situation.
Inside the abandoned building, when Katniss and Rupert found Ember, she was huddled in a corner crying.
She hadn't dared to use her phone for days, and just when she hoped for Rupert's call, the battery died.
How could she be so unlucky?
Suddenly hearing footsteps, Ember panicked, thinking it might be Robert's people. She covered her head and shouted, "Don't hit me! I don't have any money. You've seen my daughter; you know she has money. Go ask her!"
"Mom!" Rupert's expression darkened upon hearing her words.
He walked over and pulled Ember up, feeling both angry and heartbroken seeing her like this.
"Rupert?" Ember, as if in a dream, touched Rupert's face, which still had some marks from being hit.
Rupert avoided her hand and got straight to the point. "Mom, I'm taking you back to Harmony City. We'll talk to Robert, pay off the debt, and live a good life without gambling. Okay?"
It was a mindset filled with a desire for an encouraging response.
But Ember was not pleased to hear this. She glanced over at Katniss, who stood at the door, and then released Rupert.
Ember said, "Katniss, you can't be so heartless as to just watch us go back like this, can you? Seventy thousand dollars, and with Rupert earning alone, when will we ever be able to pay it off? You could help us with some money to settle it!"
Katniss stood her ground, her gaze icy, as she watched Ember grow more agitated and walk over.
If Rupert couldn't handle this situation today, it would be a mess when they returned to Harmony City.
So, Katniss decided to refrain from intervening.
At that moment, Rupert pulled Ember away from Katniss. "Mom, can you stop trying to exploit Katniss? She earned her money through hard work, and you have no right to ask her for it!"
Rupert's anger made Ember fall silent.
Jessica, who had just arrived, also heard Rupert's words and stood still outside.Seeing Jessica, Rupert said directly, "If you two still want to stay with me, go back to Harmony City and stop having those crooked thoughts. Your only family is me; you have nothing to do with her anymore!"
The "her" referred to Katniss.
"What about the gambling debt?" Jessica asked, thinking Katniss should help pay it off. That was Ember's debt. Why should she and Rupert bear the burden while Katniss, as Ember's daughter, hadn't contributed anything?
"I'll talk to Robert about it when I get back and plan to pay it off. It might take a while. If you can't handle it, then get a divorce. If you can, come with me." Rupert's tone was firm.
He turned to Ember, "And Mom, Katniss owes you nothing. If you come to her for support and expect her to keep giving you money, the only outcome is a dead end. Either stay here and die or go back and quit gambling. I'll help you solve the problem."
He took on all the responsibility.
Katniss stood still, clearly not intending to pay off Ember's debt.
After a long silence, neither Ember nor Jessica spoke.
Ember, having never experienced much of the world, didn't fully understand the significance of a lawyer's letter. But Jessica had given her a brief explanation: if Ember kept harassing Katniss, she could end up in jail.
Even if Katniss didn't pay back the debt, Ember could not do anything about it.
Ember had only two options: either have Rupert help her pay it off, or wait for Robert to exact brutal revenge on her.
At this, Ember decisively stood closer to Rupert and said, "Rupert, you're my only son. I'll listen to you."
"But if we go back like this, how are we supposed to live?" Jessica hesitated. "He'll come to our house every day and make trouble. How are we going to earn any money?"
"I'll help you negotiate with him," Katniss said at the right moment.
Jessica parted her lips, unsure of what to say, but under Rupert's intense gaze, she found herself unable to speak.
After a long pause, she asked, "If we leave, when do we go? After your wedding?"
"We're not attending," Rupert said without hesitation. Seeing Katniss frown, he added, "We'll go back to Harmony City immediately. I'll come back for Katniss's wedding myself. You stay at home. If it works, fine. If not, we'll part ways."
In other words, he was going back to Harmony City. If Jessica didn't go, they would divorce. If Ember didn't go, he wouldn't care for her anymore.
At this moment, Katniss felt relieved.
She turned and left, giving them time alone.
Her departure indeed made it easier for Ember and Jessica to communicate with Rupert, especially Ember. Ember said, "Rupert, when will you pay off that money? Ask her for help; she'll definitely help you pay it off!"
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