When Xenia saw her mother walk in, she immediately jumped up.
"Mom, what happened? Is it true? Do we really have to give that bitch all our money?"
Darleen sat on the edge of the bed, utterly defeated.
Like everyone else, Xenia had assumed Starla was just throwing around empty threats.
"It's completely unfair! Why does she get to take all the personal funds? It's too far!" Xenia shrieked.
If Starla really took everything, they would be left with nothing. Even if this storm passed, how were they supposed to survive?
The more she thought about it, the more panicked Xenia became. She remembered the frantic phone calls she had received from her grandmother and father earlier that morning.
"Why did Dad and Grandma agree to such an insane demand? And why are they forcing us to hand our money over too?"
Xenia was losing her mind.
All of it? Every cent? That meant they'd be plunged into poverty. What was the point of enduring all this humiliation if there was no light at the end of the tunnel? They had thought that as long as they kept their heads down and held onto their cash, they'd bounce back.
Darleen took a shaky breath. "What choice do we have? If we don't pay up, this nightmare never ends."
Maybe if they paid, it wouldn't end either. But if they didn't, they were guaranteed to suffer forever.
Xenia's chest tightened. "Mom, what are you saying? You're going to give it to her?"
"We have to. Your brother just called. He said to do it."

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