Chapter 3

3

"We are a community! The appreciation of this property is in everyone's best interest!"

Arthur glared at me, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Nora, if you back out now, how do you think the other neighbors will feel?"

"You're destroying our unity. You're trying to be the exception!"

He took a deep breath and started the moral blackmail.

"This isn't up for debate. The agreement must be signed, and the money must be paid!"

"Nora, I'm asking you to look at the big picture!"

The neighbors looked at each other. Many of them began to flip-flop again.

"Arthur is right! This is a group effort. You can't just opt out!"

"Exactly, Nora. Don't be so selfish. Are you really going to ruin your relationship with your neighbors over fifty grand?"

"Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you the good news," Arthur said, tilting his chin up.

"Our renovation plan has caught the attention of the city officials!"

"The city council said we're the gold standard for neighborhood revitalization!"

"Once the project is done, we'll be designated as a Model Community!"

"At that point, not only will prices surge, but the local elementary school will be upgraded to a Top-tier Magnet School!"

The room erupted into chaos.

"What? The school is becoming a magnet school?"

"Oh my god! That's incredible!"

"No wonder Arthur was so insistent. He's doing this for our children's future!"

The parents who were wavering a second ago suddenly lost their minds.

Their eyes shone with greed as they shoved their way forward.

"Sign it! We're signing! We have to!"

"Mr. Thorne, for the kids, we'll sell our souls to support you!"

Arthur was beaming. He started organizing the line again.

"Line up, everyone! One by one! Don't rush!"

Brenda was practically glowing with malice.

"Nora, are you still not signing? You're about to ruin your son's entire life!"

"My family spent years trying to get my kid into a magnet school with no luck. Now the chance is right here, and you want to throw it away?"

Leo and I were being pushed around by the frantic crowd.

In my last life, Arthur never used this excuse.

This was a lie he had crafted just to force my hand.

I knew the disaster was less than a month away.

I looked at these blinded people and felt a cold smirk forming in my heart.

I couldn't stay here any longer.

While everyone was swarming Arthur, I grabbed Leo's hand and headed for the back door.

"Shh, Leo. Stay close to Mommy."

"Hey! Look! Nora is trying to run!"

Brenda's voice pierced through the room.

Everyone turned their heads to stare at us.

Arthur's face darkened into a mask of pure rage.

"Nora, don't make this difficult for yourself."

A surge of anger boiled in my brain.

I stopped and shielded Leo behind me.

"Mr. Thorne, watch your tone."

"I've made it very clear. Due to my son's health, we are choosing not to participate. The agreement says 'Voluntary.' Is that just for show?"

"Who gave you the right to just walk away?" Arthur shrieked.

"The community's interest is everyone's interest! The school upgrade benefits all the kids!"

"Your son's grades are average anyway. Now that you have this chance, you're dragging us down instead of being grateful!"

"What's your angle? I think you're just here to sabotage us!"

Brenda pointed at my nose again, her face twisted.

"Sign the damn paper and pay the money. Stop embarrassing yourself!"

The neighbors started shouting insults at me from all sides.

"So selfish! I've never seen anyone this greedy!"

"Exactly. Throwing away her kid's future for fifty thousand dollars!"

Leo was terrified by the mob and started crying.

I tried to push my way out, but they blocked every exit.

"Get out of the way! Let us through!"

I was getting desperate, pushing back against them.

In the scramble, Brenda stuck her foot out and kicked my shin hard.

I let out a sharp cry of pain and hit the floor.

"Mommy! Are you okay?"

Leo sobbed, rushing over to try and help me up.

I gritted my teeth against the pain and looked up.

Arthur and the crowd were looking down at me with cold, dead eyes.

It was the same look they gave me in my last life when they drove me to my death.

"Stop faking it. A little fall isn't going to kill you," Brenda spat.

Arthur looked at me and spoke with chilling indifference.

"You asked for this. This is what happens to selfish people."

"I'm making this clear right now!"

"You are paying that money, whether you like it or not!"

"If you dare to skip out and ruin our kids' education, I'm coming for you!"

"Neither of you is leaving this room until it's settled!"

Leo was trembling in my arms.

"Mommy… maybe… maybe we should just…"

"No, Leo. We aren't backing down."

I wiped his tears and cut him off.

"We didn't do anything wrong."

I held up my bleeding elbow, my gaze sweeping across every face in the room.

"Is this your 'community spirit'? Hurting people for the sake of the collective?"

I let out a harsh laugh. "If this is what your group is like, I don't want any part of it."

Arthur didn't expect me to stay this defiant.

He turned red with fury. "What did you just say?!"

I took a deep breath, stood up slowly, and spoke every word with absolute clarity.

"I'll say it again. We aren't signing. We aren't paying."

"I'm putting this house on the market immediately."

The room went dead silent for a heartbeat.

Then Brenda burst out laughing. She held her stomach, cackling like a maniac.

"Sell the house? Who would buy your piece of crap place? Everyone knows we're renovating and the price is about to skyrocket!"

Arthur joined in with a cold sneer.

"I'm warning you now. Don't come crying back to buy it when the basement is done and the prices have doubled!"

"You want to sell? I'm telling you, with one phone call, I'll make sure no real estate agent in this city touches your listing!"