Chapter 380
The middle-aged woman blew out a lazy ring of smoke. “Wire me two million, and
I swear you’ll never see me again p>
Two million?
Amanda clenched her fists, rage burning in her eyes.
“Do you even know the meaning of your own promises?” she spat. “Last year, you said the exact same thing-except you wanted five million back then! Yet here you are, standing in front of me again p>
Amanda had heard this speech more times than she cared to count.
The first time, she’d believed it.
The second, third, fourth, and fifth times-she’d still clung to hope.
Now, if she let herself fall for it again, she’d be the biggest fool alive.
The woman glanced at Amanda with a sly smile. “This time’s different. I’ve decided to leave the country. Just give me two million, and I swear, I’ll never set foot in the city again. You’ll never have to lay eyes on me for the rest of your life p>
“You really think I’m going to fall for that line?” Amanda’s voice trembled with fury; she was teetering on the edge of losing control.
The woman’s lips twisted up in a half-smirk. “Of course, you’re free not to believe me. But if you don’t, I’ll just go find Keira. What do you think will happen if Keira sees me, hmm p>
She sighed, as if lost in memory. “It’s been twenty years… Everything’s changed. I wonder if Keira would even recognize me. I can’t help but be curious p>
Amanda’s face drained of color. She gripped the table to steady herself. “Are you threatening me p>
“Damn right I am!” The woman blew another smoke ring right into Amanda’s face, her expression turning even more arrogant. “Not only am I threatening you, I’m blackmailing you. So what? What are you going to do about it? Call the police p>
She pulled out her phone, tapping three digits on the keypad.
9-1-1.
Handing Amanda the phone, she sneered, “Here, dial it. Call the cops. Maybe they’ll take me away p>
Amanda slapped the phone from her hand before it could reach her.
Smack!
The phone clattered to the floor.
“Tsk,” the woman chuckled, unfazed. “Guess you don’t have the guts after all p>
“Don’t try to scare me!” Amanda snapped, her voice shaking with anger, “If you drag the police.into this and my mother hears about do you think you’ll walk away unscathed? Don’t forget what you did twenty years ago p>
Her last words dripped with threat.
But the woman only smiled, meeting Amanda’s furious glare without the slightest fear. “Oh, I know exactly what did. But m not scared. After ally’ve got you to take the fall with me. My life’s worthless, but yours isn’t. You’re the eldest daughter of the Gonzales family-your life is pure gold. If you end up in the gutter with me, well, I’d say that’s a fair trade p>
Never wrestle with pigs, Amanda thought. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
There was no mistaking the truth: Amanda was staring into the eyes of a woman with no shame and no limits.
Her self-control snapped. Teeth clenched, she hissed, “Even a cornered rabbit will bite. I’m warning you don’t push me too far p>
“Too far?” The woman laughed, exasperated. “How am I being unreasonable? I just want what’s rightfully mine.” She waved away further argument, all pretense
Of
patience gone. “Let’s cut to the
chase. My time is valuable. Are you
going to pay me, or not p>
Amanda exhaled slowly, locking eyes with her. “You swear this is the last time p>
“I swear.” The woman nodded.
Amanda shut her eyes in frustration. “Fine. I’ll trust you one last time p>
She pulled out her checkbook, scribbled out a check, and shoved it at the woman. “Take it. And get out. I never want to see you again p>