I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

Did Jonathan seriously think he could control me just because he once saved me?

It seemed I had spoiled him too much, to the point he was letting it get to his head and making him think he could order me around.

Materialistic? Vain? Me? Did he even hear himself?

For other people, being materialistic meant wanting luxury cars and expensive houses, yet when it came to me, wanting to drink a five-dollar milkshake somehow counted as being materialistic.

What was even more ridiculous was that I had bought it with my own money. I hadn't spent a single cent of his money. On the contrary, he was spending mine.

Ever since Jonathan and Leah moved into my place, all their expenses had come out of my pocket. Oftentimes, they would even spend an exorbitant amount while I wasn't paying attention. Jonathan would top up his game credits using my card to buy skins, while Leah would splurge on all sorts of branded clothing and bags.

Nonetheless, since Jonathan was unemployed and had no income, plus I genuinely wanted our relationship to progress further into marriage someday, I had never made too much of a fuss.

Now, however, they were actually accusing me of being materialistic, just because I spent some of my own money on myself? So only they had the right to spend my hard-earned money, was that it? Such double-standards!

Fury blazed through me, and I scoffed, "Jonathan Jenson, you truly are ridiculous! You spend my money so frivolously, yet you expect me to be frugal? You know better than anyone just how much of my money you and your mother have spent behind my back!

"I've never made an issue out of it, yet you two have the nerve to lecture me now? Saying I'm wasting money, all over a milkshake?"

Leah was instantly annoyed at how I was lashing out at Jonathan. Heaving her massive body to her feet, she stepped toward Jonathan and spread her arms wide in a protective gesture.

"Cassie Yowley, Jon is your future husband! How dare you talk back to him? Besides, how are your situations possibly the same? Jon is a man and was born for great things! What's wrong with him spending a little money?

"As a woman, all you need to do is focus on managing the household and serving your husband well. What do you need to spend money for? And you even got yourself a milkshake! If that isn't wasting the family's money, I don't know what is!"

What sort of ridiculous, backwards thinking was that? Only men were allowed to spend money, while women had no right? I had honestly never met anyone with such old-fashioned thinking in this day and age.

"You—"

Before I could say anything more, Leah swiftly cut me off.

"What? You'd better hurry up and hand me your payroll card. I'll look after and manage it for you. Otherwise, you're bound to waste all the money there one day!

"Oh, and you can forget about dinner. The only thing you'll be getting in your tummy is air as you stand outside and reflect on yourself! Ha! A milkshake? Seriously? It seems you don't know your place, do you?"

Anyone who didn't know the truth would've thought I had blown through millions of their money.

Expression cold, I turned to look at Jonathan, wanting to see what he would do. To my disappointment, he once again defended his mother.

"Just listen to Mom. It's not like she means to harm you. All she's doing is simply for your own good!"

His words added fuel to the fire, and I exploded. Fishing out my phone, I froze their bank card right then and there as they watched.

"I have to be frugal, do I? Then I'll listen to your advice and freeze your card. That way, I can save quite a lot of money, you know!"

From the shock in their eyes, Jonathan and Leah clearly didn't think I would do this. Their faces flushed red before paling, while their chests heaved violently.

"Cassie Yowley, what the hell are you doing?"

Furious, Leah smacked me hard across the face before launching into a tirade, her spittle flying everywhere.

"Who told you to freeze our card? What are Jon and I supposed to do if we can't access that account? More importantly, did you even think to ask for our permission before you froze our card?"

Leah hadn't held back with her slap, and it wasn't long before a bright red handprint bloomed across my cheek.

"Hmph, serves you right! That's what you get for pissing off my mom!"

Jonathan's first reaction wasn't to express concern over my injury, but to stand beside his mother with a sneer as he kicked me while I was down.

How had I never realized what an off-putting mama's boy Jonathan was?

In an instant, I felt both aggrieved and angry. Tears slipped down my face before I could stop them, though I wasn't sure if it was from the pain of my stinging cheek or my broken heart.

From childhood till now, not even my parents had ever hit me.

Never would I have ever imagined that I would be slapped by Jonathan's mother, all because I refused to be a pushover and allow them to spend my money.

How could such shameless people exist? They were the ones staying in my house and spending my money, yet they still had the audacity to treat me so harshly. Not only did they scold me, but they even slapped me.

Fine. I must have been blind and stupid to have treated this shameless mother-son duo with utmost sincerity in the past.

Seeing that I had gone quiet, Leah shook her hand before saying in a smug tone, "That was just to teach you a small lesson. If you've realized the error of your ways, then hurry up and unfreeze our card."

Unfreeze their card? To hell with that!

Wiping the tears from my face, I charged straight to their room and stuffed all their belongings into two ratty sacks. Then, I tossed the sacks out of the house, right before their eyes.

"Think I'm a doormat, do you? How dare you two still be so arrogant when you're the ones sucking me dry? I'm not only going to cancel your card, but I'm kicking you out! This is my home, and neither of you has any right to stay here! Get the hell out of my house!"

Jonathan and Leah widened their eyes in shock as they stared at me in disbelief.

I wasn't surprised at their reaction. After all, I was usually sweet-natured and docile toward them. This was the first time I had ever raged against them in such a manner.

"Cass, could you stop with the tantrum?" Though the words were still meant to lecture me, Jonathan's tone had noticeably softened. "Mom just said a few harsh words to you. Is there really a need to be so petty?"

"I'm not throwing a tantrum! I'm being dead serious. I want you and your mother out of my house right this instant!"

I'd been blind to how ungrateful they were before, but now that I saw things clearly, I certainly wouldn't allow them to step all over me again.

At last, Leah snapped back to her senses. Upon realizing that she had indeed been cowed by my earlier words, she raised her voice again, shrilling several octaves higher, "Cassie, you dare speak to Jon and I in that tone? Are you rebelling now?"

Turning to Jonathan, she went on, "Jon, I told you long ago that you had to keep a tighter leash on Cassie! Look at how bold she's gotten! Not only does she dare to shout at us, but she's even chasing us out of the house!

"What terrible luck for us to end up with a troublemaker! If she's already like this before she marries into the family, I can't imagine what she'll be like once she does!"

I coldly interrupted Leah's theatrics. "This is my house, so why wouldn't I dare? You two, on the other hand, truly are beyond shameless! You're living under my roof, yet you still think you can yell at me! Hurry up and leave! Or I'll call the cops and have you two dragged out!"

My threat immediately silenced Leah, while Jonathan decided to take the softer approach.

In a cajoling tone, he said, "Alright, alright. Cass, don't be mad. Mom and I will leave, but could you give us a few days? You know I'm unemployed and have no income, so even if we wanted to move out right away, we can't.

"How about you let us stay for several more days? Then, once I find a house, we'll move out immediately. Cass, I'm begging you. Please?"

Leah opened her mouth to say something, but a glare from Jonathan made her shut it again. Then, as though in unspoken agreement, both their eyes took on a scheming glint.

I saw it all, but after telling them to move out as soon as possible, I coldly turned to leave.

For the next few days, their attitudes toward me were significantly warmer, especially Leah's. She had always been on rocky terms with me, but during this time, she even personally cut some fruits before delivering them to my room. She claimed it was to mend things between us.

Anything out of the norm was certainly fishy. They had been shameless and overbearing for so long, so there was no way they would suddenly have such a massive change of heart.

With that thought in mind, I made sure to be extra careful. That was how I realized that every time Leah came bearing fruits, she would surreptitiously glance at the drawer I kept the house deed in. Besides that, several times after coming home from work, I would catch them trying to slip into my room.

Could it be that they were thinking of stealing my house deed? But what could they do with it? It wasn't like the house would miraculously turn into theirs if they had it.

Despite puzzling over the matter, I wasn't able to think of an answer. However, it didn't take me long to understand what they were planning.

…

One day, I returned home from work and took out my key to unlock the front door as usual.

To my surprise, I discovered that the lock had been changed, so my key wasn't able to open it at all.

I was completely unaware of this change, which meant that this definitely had to be Leah and Jonathan's doing. After all, they were the only people staying in my house who had a grudge against me.

My anger flared, and I began knocking on the door madly.

The audacity! I let them stay in my house out of the kindness of my heart, yet they repaid me by locking me out?

Despite knocking till my knuckles were red, nobody came to open the door.

However, I had seen a post from Leah just three minutes ago, and the background of the photo was my house.

So, that was the game she wanted to play? To pretend not to be home so she didn't have to open the door?

I shouted through the door, "Leah Doherty, I know you're inside! If you still refuse to open the door, I'll forward your photos to the residents' group chat!"

Leah's previous posts were usually slightly more revealing in nature, and since she was the sort who cared more about her reputation than anything else, she couldn't keep quiet any longer when she heard my threat.

Within seconds, Leah's voice drifted out from inside the house.

"What's with all that banging? I have a heart condition! Are you going to take responsibility if anything happens to me?"

Take responsibility, my foot! She took over my house, and now she thought she had the moral high ground?

"Open the door! This is my house! Why did you change the lock and lock me out of my own home?" I couldn't stop the anger from leaking into my voice.

Leah didn't even hesitate as she outright refused, her tone grating on my nerves.

"I can't do that. This is punishment for how rudely you treated Jon and me before! Just stay outside and reflect on yourself. Once you're ready to apologize, unfreeze our card, and promise not to throw us out, then I'll let you in!"

A bark of furious laughter left my lips.

What? To get into my house, I had to first apologize and give them access to my money again? This was my house!

Well aware that Leah was purposely doing this to show off her superiority and humiliate me, I didn't bother arguing with her further. Instead, I called a locksmith over to come open the door.

When Leah heard the noise coming from the door, she started screeching at the top of her lungs, "Everyone! Someone is trying to break into my house! Cassie, this is trespassing on private property! I'll call the cops on you! I really will!"

Her voice was so loud that all my neighbors heard it and poked their heads out to watch the drama.

"Go ahead and call the cops! This is my house. Why should I be afraid?"