Standing at my front door, I couldn’t shake the annoyance bubbling inside me. I dreaded the confrontation, but there was no escaping it—I had to face them.

I knocked, and Patrick opened the door, his face lighting up with smug disbelief.

"See? I told you. What’s the point of all that fuss when you always come crawling back in the end?" His tone dripped with contempt and disdain.

Ignoring his words, I stepped inside, immediately noting that Ria and her son weren’t around.

"Ria said it’s inconvenient for her to stay here and didn’t want to upset you. So, I rented her an apartment. Satisfied now?" he said, his voice brimming with admiration for Ria, as if she were some saint.

I gave a nonchalant reply, "As long as you’re happy."

My calmness took him by surprise, but I wasn’t done.

"I’ve been thinking about selling this house," I said, glancing around. "Maybe we can get a bigger place in the southern suburbs. You’ve been eyeing that area for a while, haven’t you? It’s closer to your office."

He looked at me, stunned. The idea of moving had been his suggestion a while back, but I had refused then. Now, I was using it to bait him.

Recovering from his surprise, he scrutinized me carefully, his gaze searching for hidden motives.

"Are you serious? Why the sudden change of heart?" he asked skeptically.

I turned away, walking to the balcony, my eyes landing on the spot where Amy used to play. My chest tightened, and my nails dug into my arm as I steadied myself. Finally, I said, "This house is filled with Amy’s memories. I don’t want to live here anymore."

It was a reason even Patrick couldn’t question. After a pause, he followed me and said cautiously, "Let me think about it first."

I knew what that meant. His “thinking” involved consulting his mother or Ria—or likely both. Either way, their decisions no longer mattered to me.

Behind the scenes, I had already enlisted Karter’s help to stage this perfectly. We set up everything in the southern suburbs, knowing Patrick’s next move.

Sure enough, the following day, Karter texted me to say Patrick was at the Golden Neighborhood inspecting houses. His eagerness wasn’t surprising, but seeing him take the bait so quickly still left a bitter taste.

By the afternoon, Karter’s team had managed to stall him enough to seal the deal. Shortly after, Patrick called me.

"I’ve decided. Let’s sell the house."

Predictable. I arranged for us to meet and sign the sale agreement. Patrick agreed readily.

But when we arrived at the signing, there was an unexpected twist—he brought his entire family, including Ria.

Karter and I had arrived earlier, and when they entered, he glanced at me for my reaction. I remained unfazed.

"Since everyone’s here, let’s get this done," I said, handing over the prepared agreement.

Patrick's mother snatched it up, quickly scanning the document. Her eyes lit up when she saw the clause about full payment.

"We need the money transferred quickly. We’ve already picked out a house and are ready to pay the deposit," she said haughtily.

Pleased with herself, she even turned to show Ria the agreement.

"Once the money comes through, we’ll put the down payment on that school district house. It’s perfect for Kevin’s education."

Their delusions were almost comical. Karter, clearly disgusted, finally interjected. "Just a reminder, selling this house and purchasing another will still make it a joint marital property. Ms. Andrea will have a rightful share."

Patrick's mother bristled at his words.

"This is our family’s business! We don’t need your interference—just handle the payment!"

I signaled Karter not to waste his breath on them. Patrick’s expression darkened as he picked up the agreement and flipped to the last page. When he saw the bank details, he finally voiced his concern.

"This house is marital property. Why is the account listed only under Andrea’s name?"

I had anticipated this question and was fully prepared.

"Selling the house involves several procedures, and for large transactions like this, the account holder must handle them in person. You’re so busy with work—surely you wouldn’t have the time, right?"

Patrick wasn’t one to bother with tedious matters. Simply put, he was lazy. Hearing my explanation, he stopped questioning it.

However, Ria couldn’t resist chiming in. "Patrick, I think you should think this through more carefully—"

I cut her off sharply. "Miss Rodriguez, even if you want to claim what’s not yours, you should at least know your place. This house is marital property; as an outsider, your opinion isn’t needed."