Chapter 249 Your Mother And I Will Manage The...


    Ellie''s expression darkened at her family''s uninvited arrival. These were her closest blood rtives, yet when she had been pregnant with Jayceon''s child, they had turned their backs on her.


    At that time, Jayceon''s parents refused to let her live with them. She had been forced to return to her own


    home, but her family had only treated her with rejection.


    Her parents and brother had branded her unwed pregnancy as shameful, driving her away with harsh orders,


    telling her never to return.


    During those first grueling years in Norview, there had been no calls from them,


    no financial support. They had let her struggle in a foreignnd, fighting for survival on her own.


    She had convinced herself that her family meant nothing to her. That was why she hadn''t informed them when


    she hade back this time.


    Yet now, they hade to her.


    Years of pent-up bitterness erupted. "What are you doing here?" Ellie demanded, her eyes zing. "You''re not


    wee here."


    Tori snapped, her voice dripping with disdain, “Ungrateful wretch! After all we invested in you, how could you say something like that to us?"


    She then marched toward the table, grabbing Patrick''s arm roughly.


    Brenna had heard Ellie''s stories but had never grasped the full extent of her family''s cruelty. The elders'' greedy sneers confirmed to her that they were not good people at all.


    In one smooth motion, Brenna positioned herself protectively between Patrick and the intruders.


    Patrick watched silently as the strangers appraised his home like inspectors, their eyes roaming with


    entitlement.


    "They are your grandparents," Brenna said to Patrick carefully, her gaze locking onto Tori''s.


    Noticing Brenna''s polished appearance, Tori''s tone shifted. "You must be Ellie''s friend?" she asked politely.


    "Yes. I''m Brenna Harper," Brenna confirmed curtly, maintaining basic politeness despite the tension.


    Tori''s eyes narrowed as they raked over Patrick. Then, she hissed at Ellie, "You kept the bastard? What were you thinking? How will you ever marry someone now?"


    Meanwhile, Leif and Hank wandered through the apartment, visibly impressed. "This apartment will do nicely," Hank announced. "Ang and I will take it after the wedding."


    Leif looked like he owned the ce. "This ce is adequate for newlyweds. With this space, Ang should have no reason to refuse to marry you,"


    Hank began snapping photos of every corner. "I will let Ang see this ce."


    His phone captured Ellie''s private spaces, including her bedroom and bathroom, invading her privacy. Ellie''s anger red as she snatched Hank''s phone from him. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Tori, in a sh, unleashed a torrent of reprimands. "Stop yelling. We have every blessed right to everything here! You vanished post-graduation, not sending home a dime. Did we nurture you all these years for nothing? After the mountain of money we poured into your education, you have to repay us. Hank is about to get married. Since he and his girlfriend are both working in Shirie, you can give this ce to them. Consider it as a repayment. You should move out quickly."


    Hank justughed, reiming his phone to continue showing off to his girlfriend. "You''re all mistaken," Ellie said, her voice a low growl. "This isn''t my property; it''s my friend''s. You have no right to im this ce as your own."


    The family exchanged incredulous nces, eyes wide as saucers. "Stop lying!" Hank spat, his voiceced with venom. "Everyone knows you''re a famous designer now. You can make tens of millions a year. How could this ce not be yours? You''re just being an ungrateful person for not wanting to give this ce to us. How dare you not repay Mom and Dad after all they''ve done for you?"


    His face contorted, a mask of aggression.


    Tori and Leif settled onto the sofa, a picture of entitlement. Leif dered, "You''ve turned your back on us for years. Now that you''re swimming in money, you should buy us a house, and another for Hank. That''s fair,


    right? And I believe you don''t need so much money as a woman. Once you''re married, your money will be


    someone else''s family''s!"


    Brenna, not wanting to meddle in Ellie''s family affairs, guided Patrick to his room, shielding him from the scene.


    Ellie faced her parents, her gaze unwavering. "I already told you-this ce belongs to my friend, Brenna. You just met her."


    Tori''s eyes narrowed to slits. "Stop trying to fool us. Just tell me if you are rich or not. Aren''t you a famous designer now?"


    "Fine. I''ve earned some money over the years," Ellie admitted.


    Tori''s face underwent a miraculous transformation, a smile as fake as a three- dor bill spread across her lips as she pulled Ellie onto the couch. "That''s my girl. Now, you''ll support us financially. We don''t ask for much. You just need to buy two houses, one for me and your father, one for Hank. And you need to give us some


    money."


    Leif spoke with authority. "Listen here, Ellie. Raising you was no pic, and your college education bled us dry. Here''s the deal-keep twenty thousand for yourself and give the rest of your savings to us. Your mother and I will manage the money for you."


    Ellie, her voice as cold as ice, replied, "That''s not going to happen."


    "Don''t be so ungrateful!" Tori shrieked, pinching Ellie''s arm with force. "We have raised you! You''d rather give


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