Over the years, she had been busy with her business, leaving most of the household matters to my stepfather.
He had been good to her even before they got married, pursuing her with genuine care. They didn't get together at the time only because my grandmother objected.
Now, with their past history and his attentiveness to the family, my mom was starting to let go of her anger.
Seeing that my mom was about to calm down, I decided to intervene.
"Mom, don't smash the computer—it's not worth it. Uncle Jeremy just helped me load 300 dollars into a game."
"Jeremy! You told me that 300 dollars was for Susan's tutoring classes!"
Another round of chaos in the living room.
Jeremy's face turned beet red, unable to find an excuse.
I gracefully made my exit.
There's no way Jeremy would have enrolled me in tutoring classes.
Thanks to him in my past life, I barely studied at all.
Whenever important exams were approaching, he'd take me out for fun—whether it was an amusement park or an arcade, he didn't hesitate.
The next day.
Jeremy brought out breakfast, forcing a bitter smile.
"I just wanted to make you happy, Susan, but now I'm the bad guy in everyone's eyes."
I joined in the act: "Sorry, Uncle Jeremy. I didn't expect Mom to be so upset."
"As long as you understand, Susan, that's enough. It's okay—we're family."
"Oh, by the way, Uncle Jeremy, is Emma coming to stay with us?"
"How did you know..."
"Even though I'm moving back home, Emma can't stay in my room. But we do have that storage room—she can squeeze in there, right?"
Jeremy's smile visibly twitched.
In my previous life, after Jeremy deliberately led me astray, his daughter Emma, who was a year older than me, moved into our home.
She enjoyed my bedroom, took my place in the household, and lived my life.
A few days later.
Through a door, I overheard an argument between father and daughter.
"Dad, didn't you say I could stay in the master bedroom? How am I supposed to sleep in that crummy storage room?"
"Don't worry, sweetheart. Her mom and she are always fighting—they won't last long. Once she leaves, the master bedroom will be yours."
Emma grumbled a bit more, but Jeremy managed to pacify her.
Leave?
This was my home. Why should I leave?
In my past life, I was brainwashed by that yellow-haired boy and Jeremy, missed the college entrance exams, borrowed money, and went on the run, only to end up being sold to a scam syndicate.