Chapter 45 Do Not Need Your Money
Christina’s expression darkened as she stood face to face with Emilia, who was now seething with anger. It was the same old pattern—Emilia’s attempts to tear her down, to belittle her, as if Christina hadn’t earned everything she had through her own effort. The taunts, the insults—they were nothing new. But something about the way Emilia sneered at her, her words laced with venom, struck a chord.
Christina straightened up, her eyes cold but steady. “You think you can hurt me with your words? Go ahead, try.” She took a step forward, her voice unyielding. “But the truth is, I’ve worked for everything I have. I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation for my life.”
Emilia’s grip on Christina’s collar tightened for a moment, but when she saw the calm confidence in Christina’s eyes, she faltered. “You think you’re better than me?” she spat, taking a step back as if Christina had just slapped her.
Christina wasn’t afraid of her anymore. “I’m not better than anyone. I’m just trying to live my life without being dragged down by people like you.”
Emilia’s face twisted in disbelief. “You’re nothing but a gold-digger. You’ll always be nothing more than that.”
Christina’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t let Emilia’s words get to her. “If that’s how you see me, then it’s your problem, not mine. I’m leaving. I have better things to do than waste my time with people who can’t even show respect.”
With that, Christina walked out of the room, carrying her bag of clothes. Emilia’s angry shouts echoed behind her, but Christina didn’t look back. As she made her way out of the Steele residence, she felt a strange sense of relief.
There was a time when she would have cowered, when her mother’s shame and the family’s mistreatment would have crushed her. But not anymore. She was stronger now—stronger than they could ever understand.
When Christina arrived at her car, she pulled out her phone and quickly texted Nathaniel back: “I’ll meet you at 8. Let’s talk.”
As she put the phone down, her thoughts shifted to the upcoming dinner. Despite everything that had happened earlier, she was willing to try and make things right with Nathaniel. The tension between them wasn’t easy to ignore, but she knew it was better to resolve things now, rather than letting it fester.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she looked at the time. She had enough time to grab a quick bite before heading to dinner. Maybe, just maybe, she could begin to understand why Nathaniel was acting the way he was. But only time would tell.