“I think Crystal has been more than generous with Emma. Maybe it’s time Emma figured out her own finances.”
“You stay out of this,” Robert warned, pointing a thick finger at my fiancé. “This is family business.”
“Actually…” Uncle James suddenly stood up, his usually jovial face serious. “I think everyone here needs to hear something.”
He pulled out his phone with trembling hands.
“I’ve been keeping quiet for too long, but this has gone far enough. I’ve been recording conversations at these family gatherings for the past year because I suspected something wasn’t right.”
Martha’s face went pale.
“James, what are you talking about?”
“This,” he said, hitting play on his phone.
My mother’s voice filled the room from a recording.
“Emma doesn’t need to worry about finding a better job. Crystal will always pay. She’s too soft to say no if we pressure her enough. Just keep asking and eventually she’ll cave like she always does.”
