Two Reborn, One Throne novel Chapter 89

Grace had probably never met someone this shameless in her entire life.

"I'm going back on my word? You little tramp, are you really trying to play mind games with me? Did I ever agree to that? Get up right now! Do you think dropping to your knees is going to make me forgive you?"

Grace absolutely wasn't going to forgive her. "If you hadn't used your dirty little tricks to manipulate my Lucian into spending thirty thousand dollars on you, this never would have happened! Being with Amber for twelve years, I haven't even spent two hundred dollars on her! But you? Thirty grand in one shot! Do you know how many dishes I have to wash to earn that kind of money?"

"You don't have the money? Fine." Grace stormed into Joanne's bedroom and threw open the closet. She started grabbing everything of value—especially the jewelry and designer bags. She knew what things were worth, and she shoved them aggressively into her pockets.

Joanne screamed, "Grace, please don't! Those belonged to my dead mother! Please, put them down!"

"Grace, I'm begging you! I'll do anything! You can hit me, you can curse at me, but please don't touch her bags and jewelry!"

Joanne collapsed on the floor, weeping hysterically and slapping her own cheeks in a dramatic display of panic. She needed Lucian to walk in and see exactly how badly he had failed to protect her once again.

Grace just kicked her out of the way. "Save the acting for someone who cares, you little gold-digger. I was playing these games before you were even born."

"Mom! What the hell are you doing?!" Lucian burst through the door, his eyes bloodshot. He stared in absolute horror as his precious Joanne knelt on the floor, slapping her own face in despair.

His mother had crossed the line!

Grace jumped, completely shocked that Lucian had actually showed up.

But she didn't back down. "I'm collecting her debt! Lucian, don't let her fake tears blind you! She's nothing but trash!"

Lucian screamed, "You promised me! You said if I brought home the prize money, you wouldn't bother Joanne again!"

"I said that to keep you focused on your exams! Lucian, why do you insist on throwing thousands of dollars at her?! Forget Amber—I'm your mother, and I've never even seen that kind of money from you! Are you trying to break my heart?!"

"Mom!"

"Don't call me mom! Drag the neighbors in here and let them decide if I'm acting like a mother! I worked my fingers to the bone raising you! If you spent that money on Amber, I wouldn't say a word, but on her?! You bet your ass I have a problem with it!"

"Mom..."

Lucian's head was throbbing violently. His mother's hatred for Joanne had always been absolute. In her eyes, Amber was a perfect servant who would handle his meals and laundry so he could focus on studying. But he didn't care about any of that. He just wanted to be with Joanne.

"Lucian, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I thought that if Grace sent Loretta to harass me for her nursing wages every day, she would eventually let it go since you won the competition. Grace, this is entirely my fault. I should have refused when Lucian bought those things for me, but I couldn't say no. We really love each other, Grace..."

"Cut the crap! 'Really love each other'? What do you know about love? Lucian, I'm not sugarcoating this for you anymore. The girl you're so obsessed with is a filthy little tramp."

"Lucian, I know you're under a lot of pressure to get into a top university abroad. I understand that. But you cannot fight me on this. Everything I do is for your own good!"

"And what nonsense are you spouting about Loretta demanding wages?! Didn't you hire Loretta? You threw a thousand dollars away just to hire her! Did you think I'd be touched? Bullshit! You owed me that much. Now pay up. I don't have time to stand here and listen to your sob stories."

"Lucian, if you still consider me your mother, you will either make her pay me back right now, or you will march your ass home! Otherwise... you are no longer my son!"

Grace laid down the ultimate ultimatum. She was a woman in her forties; there was no way she couldn't control two teenagers.