Chapter 4
Aline stared at Penny in disbelief. “These are my parents’ remains. What’s unlucky about that?”
They had died serving their country. They were heroes. They deserved to be honored.
“I don’t care whose ashes they are,” Penny snapped. “They’re still bad luck! Take that thing out of here-now. It’s not coming into my house!”
Aline held the urn tightly to her chest. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my home too. Clayton and I bought it togeth- er after we got married.”
“Bought it together?” Tanisha scoffed. “Please. It was all my brother’s money. You didn’t contribute a cent.” She turned to Clayton, her voice rising. “Clayton, Mom just had eye surgery! The doctor said she can’t get too emotional. Make her leave!”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Clayton’s face. After a beat, he said, “Just… take the ashes somewhere else for now. We’ll figure something out later.”
Aline felt her heart sink like a stone in water. ‘How could he say that?’
“You really think my parents’ ashes are bad luck? That I can’t even keep them here for a few days?” She looked him dead in the eyes, demanding an answer.
He said nothing.
And his silence told her everything.
“What if I say no?” she said quietly, but firmly. “Clayton, I’ve been your wife for three years. I’ve never wronged you, or your family.”
“When you started your business, I stayed up late, worked by your side, poured everything I had into helping you. When your mother’s cataracts were threatening to make her blind, I ran with her from hospital to hospital. I used ev- ery favor I could call in to get her an appointment with the top eye specialist in Uslille. That’s the only reason she can still see today.
“I treated your family like my own. But have any of you ever treated my family with the same respect?”
Her words made everyone in the Hill family look uncomfortable.
Tanisha snapped, “Oh please. The only reason that doctor helped Mom is because my brother’s rich. And don’t act like you built the company. My brother supported you, not the other way around. The company went public because of his ability, not because of anything you did!”
Aline ignored her and looked at Clayton. “We’ve been married for three years. All I’m asking is to keep my parents’
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Chapter 4
ashes in the house for a few days. Is that really so much?”
Clayton frowned. “Aline, stop making this into a scene.”
“And if I won’t?” she stepped forward.
That was when Penny stormed up, eyes blazing. She raised her hand and slapped Aline hard across the face.
“As long as I’m here, you’re not bringing those ashes into my house!”
The blow sent Aline stumbling backward.
Before she could steady herself, Penny lunged again and shoved at the urn in her hands.
It slipped-tipping forward-just about to fall…
288 Vouchers
Aline’s eyes narrowed in an instant. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms tightly around the urn, shielding it with everything she had, not letting it budge an inch.
“These are my parents’ ashes-how could you?” she shouted, her voice trembling with fury.
“This is my son’s house!” Penny snapped. “If you dare bring that cursed thing inside, I swear I’ll smash it to pieces. Let your dead parents see what kind of daughter they raised-spiteful enough to bring bad luck into the Hill family!”
Her words were cruel and venomous.
Aline’s eyes burned with anger. She clutched the urn even tighter. “Even if you’re my mother-in-law, you have no right to insult my parents like that!”
Clayton stepped in, his voice low and tense. “Aline, just take the urn outside. Don’t upset my mom-she just had surgery. If something happens to her, I won’t forgive you.”
Aline’s hands trembled around the urn, her heart pounding with rage.
Three years of marriage, and he couldn’t even show her parents the most basic respect.
