Her words made my stomach churn, and I couldn’t hold back. "Have you lost your mind?" I said sharply. "Mr. Kramer’s son has been injured for days, and you’ve been spreading that story yourself. Do you think they’ll just hand over money? You’re practically signing your own death warrant!"
No sooner had I said this than my mother gasped loudly. She had just spotted a new post online—a clarification statement issued by the Kramer Group.
The statement declared that Mr. Kramer’s son had been on vacation abroad all along and was never injured. It branded the online rumors as false and vowed to hold those responsible legally accountable.
Within moments, the once-busy comment sections were silenced, and every post about Julia vanished from the platform.
Julia’s face drained of color, and she froze. My parents, too, began pacing frantically around the room.
Then, just as panic took hold, Julia’s phone pinged. Albert Kramer had sent her a message:
"I’ll send someone to pick you up. Be downstairs in five minutes."
At once, her nervous expression melted away, replaced by a triumphant smirk. She waved her phone in my face. "See? The Kramer family isn’t going to make a big show out of this—it’s natural for a wealthy family to keep a low profile. But they still contacted me right away. They’re probably sending money as we speak!"
Her voice turned cutting. "You’re so spineless, you’ll never amount to anything. You’re not even fit to carry my shoes. Get lost!"
She shoved me aside and strutted into her bedroom to change.
Meanwhile, my parents turned their frustration on me.
"You’re useless!" my father barked. "You don’t have your sister’s talent, but you’re quick to tear her down. Why did we even bother raising you?"
"If you want to leave, then leave!" My mother snapped, her voice rising with anger. "All you do is get in the way!" Her eyes glistened with excitement as she added, "This is our chance! We made the right gamble! Who knows—maybe we’ll be moving into a villa by tonight!"
My father, already caught up in his fantasies, pulled out his phone and began browsing for luxury cars. He called a dealership to reserve a Maybach on the spot. My mother, not to be outdone, dug out a dress she had stashed away for years, applied flawless makeup, and started planning a shopping spree.
Seeing their unbridled excitement, I quietly returned to my room to finish packing.