Chapter 89

A swarm of reporters crowded around my front door, causing the neighbors to call and complain.

Brandon was juggling calls from the media and the neighbors, and finally, he snapped.

"Those reporters showed up on their own! How is this my fault?"

"If you're annoyed, move to another neighborhood, or kick them out yourself. Don't come to me, damn it!"

He vented his frustration into the phone, then collapsed onto the couch, breathing heavily.

Kathy and I watched from the second floor. She smirked, "Brandon's about to lose it."

I chuckled, "Just wait, the real show is yet to come!"

Hearing this, Kathy's anticipation grew.

Soon, the door was flung open, and a few people barged in.

It was Earl and Karen, with Renee in tow!

"Brandon, where's that bitch Caroline?"

They stormed in, looking like they were ready to kill me.

Brandon, still on the couch, pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "What now?"

"I asked you, where's that bitch Caroline? Tell her to bring Jason back!"

I leaned over the second-floor railing, looking down at them. "Who's looking for me?"

Karen looked up, her eyes narrowing with malice. "You bitch, get down here!"

She started to charge up the stairs, ready to hit me.

Brandon, exasperated, blocked her way. "Mom, can you stop? What do you want?"

Karen glared at him. "Brandon, you're siding with her? Caroline took your son!"

"He's not my son!"

Brandon finally exploded. "That kid is Elora's and Earl's! What does that have to do with me? Or you?"

Renee stepped forward, arms crossed. "Brandon, did you get a paternity test? How do you know he's not yours?"

Earl, also with arms crossed, sneered at Brandon. "Yeah, Brandon, how can you be so sure? What if he is yours? Aren't you worried about your kid?"

Seeing this family airing their dirty laundry, Kathy rolled her eyes.

"I've seen shameless people, but this is a new low. Caroline's right here, and you're already talking about illegitimate children? How can you be so shameless?"

Karen glared at Kathy. "Shut up! This is our family business. Say one more word, and I'll tear your mouth apart!"

Kathy rolled her eyes again. "Tear my mouth apart? Look at you, doing such despicable things at your age. Aren't you afraid of dropping dead?"

"You..."

Karen pointed at Kathy, her hand shaking with rage.

Brandon glanced at Kathy. "Enough, you should say less."

I rolled my eyes and led Kathy downstairs.

"Why should she say less? I think she's right!"

"Whose kid is it? I need an answer today. Brandon, if it's your illegitimate child, the Sharp family won't accept you as a son-in-law. You'll leave with nothing!"

"Why should Brandon leave with nothing? Look at you now, it's a miracle we haven't kicked you out."

"What do you mean?"

I sneered. "How much has Brandon benefited from marrying me?"

"If it weren't for me, would you be dressed so decently?"

"When I first visited your place, it was a dump. You and Renee were sleeping on a bed crawling with roaches, Brandon on the couch, and you didn't even have a dining table. You ate on the kitchen counter."

"If it weren't for me, would you be living in a mansion?"

Karen's face twisted with anger. She hated when people brought up the past.

Renee's expression was just as dark. "What's the point of saying all this? We're here to get the child back."

Karen snapped back to reality. "Exactly, you wretched woman, give us our child back!"

"I bring bad luck? If I brought bad luck, would Brandon be where he is now? Who's really bringing bad luck? Your husband died early, didn't he?"

I was referring to Karen's husband, the father of these kids. He had died of illness years ago, leaving Karen to raise the children alone, which is why they were in such a sorry state.

Brandon's face was grim. "Enough, Caroline, watch your mouth. No matter what, she's still my mom."

"Mom?" I laughed. "She says I bring bad luck, isn't she cursing you? I'm just standing up for you, honey."

Karen gritted her teeth. "Say one more word, and I'll tear your mouth apart!"

I crossed my arms, looking at her. "Try touching me."

We stared each other down, tension crackling in the air.

Finally, Earl spoke, pretending to be reasonable. "Caroline, no matter whose child it is, you shouldn't have taken him. He's a Jordan family child."

"And now, with all the rumors flying around, everyone thinks you kidnapped him. How will you handle that?"

Though Earl's words seemed to advise me, he was actually accusing me.

I sneered. "Handle it? There's nothing to handle. I didn't kidnap your child. We can call the police if you want."

"So what if there are rumors? You two sleeping with the same woman isn't embarrassing, but I should be?"

Earl frowned, falling silent.

Karen glared at me. "You little bitch, you dare talk back. If I call the police, you'll have no way out, understand?"

I rolled my eyes, about to speak, when the noise outside grew louder.

Elora had arrived, crying and demanding her child back, as if her tears could erase her recent infidelities.

Karen turned to me. "Do you hear that? Look what you've done to Elora. Hand over the child now!"

I shrugged innocently. "I didn't take the child. What am I supposed to hand over?"

"If you're so sure I kidnapped him, call the police!"

Karen and her crew were all talk, none of them actually calling the police, as if they could find the child by arguing.

Kathy and I exchanged a glance, and she instantly understood.

"None of you are calling? Fine, I'll call."

Kathy said, reaching for her phone.

Karen's face changed, and she lunged to grab the phone.

But Kathy dodged, standing on the stairs. "What are you doing? Aren't you anxious to find the child? Why don't you want me to call the police?"

"I get it." Kathy pretended to understand. "You hid the child yourselves to frame Caroline, didn't you?"

At this, they exchanged guilty looks, their eyes betraying their unease.