"Seven thousand was just for the meals. But for the last thirty days, you crashed at my place every single day just so you could sleep in and slack off. You completely invaded my personal space."

Hester paused, a malicious smile spreading across her face.

"I won't ask for much—hotels go for about three hundred a night. Let's call it nine thousand for the room and board."

I stopped mid-step, turning to stare at her in disbelief.

If the seven thousand had been shameless greed, this was pure audacity.

I yanked my arm free and felt something inside me snap.

"Hester, have you lost your mind? You seem to have forgotten that I'm the one who searched this entire city to find you this apartment!"

"I paid your deposit. I paid your property fees. And now you have the nerve to charge me for staying here?"

Hester let out a derisive snort, rolling her eyes so hard they nearly disappeared into her skull.

"Oh, drop the act. You think I don't know what that was about? You were dating my brother back then. If you weren't trying to marry into our family, would you have followed me around like a desperate little puppy?"

"You weren't helping me. You were helping yourself."

"Besides, you've benefited plenty from marrying into the James family. What's wrong with me asking for a little room and board?"

The neighbors chimed in, pointing at me with righteous indignation.

"Typical gold-digger—she'd do anything for money! No wonder she dresses so tight all the time. Who knows what other schemes she's cooking up!"

I'd had enough.

My palm connected with Hester's cheek before I even registered moving.

She clutched her face, gaping at me in shock.

"You hit me?"

I regarded her coldly.

"Does your brother know you're saying all this?"

"So what if he does! He's my brother—we're actual family. You think he'd ever take your side over mine? You're just an outsider!"

I ignored her and pulled out my phone, dialing Wallace James.

After a few rings, his voice came through.

"What's up, honey? Aren't you still at Hester's?"

I switched to speakerphone and recounted every detail of what had just happened, loud enough for everyone present to hear.

Silence stretched from the other end.

Finally, Wallace spoke.

"Hannah… Hester's still just a kid."

"Don't stoop to her level. Just transfer the money—it's only nine thousand. I'll pay you back when you get home."

A bitter laugh escaped me. The ache in my chest twisted deeper, sharp and suffocating.

I lifted my gaze and met Hester's smirk head-on.

"Fine. I'll transfer it."

"But let me make one thing crystal clear: from this moment forward, anything involving the James family has nothing to do with me, Hannah Gilbert."

"Honey, don't be mad—"

I didn't let him finish. I blocked his number.

Then I transferred the nine thousand to Hester.

The moment the payment went through, she and the neighbors erupted in cheers.

I couldn't stomach another second of this circus. I grabbed my things and headed straight to April Manning's place.

When April heard what happened, she slammed her palm on the coffee table so hard the glass cracked.

"Hannah, those two are absolutely unhinged!"

"From the day you started dating Wallace to your wedding, you've spent over a hundred thousand on that man—clothes, gifts, everything. And this is how he repays you?"

She ranted about Wallace for a solid five minutes before turning her fury on Hester.

"And that overstuffed brat Hester—she actually thinks your marriage was a loss for their family? If she had any idea how much you've set aside for her dowry, she'd choke on her own regret!"

April seized my hands, her grip fierce, her eyes blazing with frustration.

"Hannah, promise me. Promise me you won't give her a single cent of that dowry."

I let out a soft laugh and gave April a reassuring pat.

"Relax. After everything they've put me through, why would I hold back?"

"But tell me—what do you think Hester will do after she gets that million-dollar prize?"

April stared at me, clearly lost. I let the silence hang for a beat before continuing.

"Hester just made a million dollars practically overnight. That kind of rush? It's addictive."

"And the show's already announced a second season." I tilted my head. "Think she'll be able to resist?"

April's jaw dropped. I just smiled and dialed a number I'd saved weeks ago.

Two months later, I was packing my bags when a frantic pounding erupted at my door.

I opened it—and nearly stumbled backward.

The mountain of flesh in front of me was barely recognizable. It took Wallace standing beside her for me to realize this was Hester. She was bigger than before. Bigger than the 180 pounds she'd started at.

"What do you want?"

Wallace tried to reach for my hand with that simpering smile of his. I stepped aside before he could make contact.

"Just say what you came to say."

"Babe, you've been giving me the cold shoulder for two months now. Everyone's talking." He attempted a wounded look. "Just come home. We can work this out."

I scoffed. Two months of blocking every number he owned. Two months in the apartment I'd bought without telling him. And somehow, he'd still tracked me down.

Before I could fire back, Hester cut in, her voice grating with forced sweetness:

"Sister-in-law! Great news—I signed up for Season Two! They've upped the stakes this time. Lose a hundred pounds, win two million!"

Her piggy eyes gleamed with greed.

"But here's the thing—I only have one month. If I don't make it, I owe them one-point-two million in penalties."

She waddled closer. "So when do we start? You're going to help me, right?"

Ah. There it was. The real reason these two had crawled out of whatever hole they'd been hiding in.

I sighed dramatically and gestured at the suitcases on the floor.

"What terrible timing, Hester. I've signed up for an American parkour competition show myself. My flight leaves today."

I examined my nails. "Withdrawal penalty is half a million dollars. But hey—cover that for me, and I'm all yours."