The Year She Stopped Being Crazy for Him novel Chapter 175

Walking through the entryway, Tilda's husband, Kern Hawthorne, sat in the living room with their son, a high school senior, and daughter, a sixth grader. The three of them were sitting in silence.

Seeing Natalie, they politely greeted her.

"Why are you all still up?" Tilda asked as she helped Natalie to the sofa.

"It's nothing," Kern said, gently squeezing his son's shoulder. "You two go to bed. Don't worry."

The atmosphere between the three of them was inexplicably heavy, and Tilda immediately sensed that something had happened.

Once the kids were back in their rooms, Tilda poured Natalie a cup of hot water and turned to Kern. "What happened?"

Kern glanced at Natalie, then pulled Tilda out onto the balcony.

Natalie kept her head down, sipping the hot water. Judging by the tension, their family was clearly facing some sort of crisis.

Natalie knew her aunt and uncle were the types to hide bad news. Enduring the pain in her legs, she stood up.

Leaning quietly behind the balcony curtains, she heard Kern's hushed voice. "I had to work late today, so I told the oldest to rent a bike and bring his sister home. There was an accident on the way. They hit someone disabled and broke her prosthetic leg. It's a high-end, smart bionic leg, and it costs five hundred thousand. We have to take full responsibility and pay for the damages..."

At this point, the man's voice broke. "What a nightmare... How are we supposed to come up with five hundred thousand right now?"

Tilda's legs gave out, her voice trembling. "I told you to pick up the kids!"

"I was working overtime! What was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to know an accident would happen? If I'd known, of course I would have gone! I was just trying to make a little extra money! For this family! Just like you!"

The crushing weight of a five-hundred-thousand-dollar debt on an ordinary family was enough to make anyone lose their mind.

Kern lowered his voice. "Could you... could you ask Natalie to lend us the money? She..."

"No! Don't even think about it!"

"Tilda! Do you even care about this family? She isn't short on cash. Why are you always so determined to draw a line between you and her? Besides, it's just a loan! It's not like we won't pay it back."

"If we do it once, there will be a second time, a third time, countless times! Then you'll start thinking she has bottomless pockets, that since she's so rich, what does it matter if she gives us a little more? We'll end up greedy and selfish. I won't let you become that kind of person! I'll find a way to borrow the five hundred thousand myself. If worst comes to worst, we'll take out an online loan and pay the interest."

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