Jelena sipped her coffee with a grimace, "Where did he get the cash for an SUV?"
"Loans," Aurelia shrugged nonchalantly.
Jelena snorted, "He expects you to foot the bill?"
She knew all too well what kind of character Ritchie and Perla were, deceitful, wicked, and shamelessly tenacious.
Aurelia didn't respond. When the time came each month to make the car payments, Perla would make a scene at their place, wailing and causing a ruckus, begging for money. But Jolin would send her packing every time. It would be strange if Jolin ever let Perla take advantage of them.
Unable to get cash from them, Perla would trot over to Belinda's, hauling back a stash of groceries and goodies. Belinda couldn't refuse to offer such things.
During dinner, Perla took a jab at Jelena for fun.
"Jelena, you don't have a boyfriend yet? You're not getting any younger. You should learn from Aurelia and date a few rich bachelors. Even if you get divorced, you wouldn't have to worry about finding another match."
Jolin rolled her eyes, sneering, "Are you jealous? You might want to stop that whining when it’s time to make your car payments. Not earning a dime and yet you dare to buy a car worth two hundred thousand? What a joke!"
Perla's face turned pale, "Ritchie is your cousin. Now that you're so well-off, and it's only right you buy him a car."
Jelena let out a scoff, "Aunt Perla, that's some moral blackmail. Do you even remember how you treated Uncle Zack? If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to ask. And Ritchie, siding with crooks against Aurelia, a real snake in the grass."
Perla looked as if she had been slapped, her cheeks burning with anger.
She glared at Jelena venomously, "What would a brat like you know? There’s no such thing as lasting grudges in a family. If you had given Ritchie a little more money to spend, he wouldn’t have been duped by those con artists."
Jolin was seething, "I'm laying it out right now. Don't even think about getting a penny from us ever again."
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