Chapter 109: The Cause of the Fire
After a few days of investigation, the police determined the fire was an accident with no signs of arson. The cause was a faulty electric heater in Seraphina Sterling’s home, which started an electrical fire!
The most severe consequence of this finding was that Seraphina Sterling and Kimberly Jennings were now saddled with enormous compensation fees! There were three units on the entire floor. Besides their own, the compensation for the other two units would cost three million!
As soon as the police report was released, the two families went to the Jennings Family’s home to demand money!
Kimberly Jennings was also stunned by the findings. She remembered clearly that she had turned off the heater before leaving. ’Perhaps someone really was targeting our family, but the cause of the fire definitely isn’t what the police report says!’
"You have to compensate us for all our losses today! After a few days as a rich man’s wife, you’ve gotten so delicate you even need an electric heater! Go around this town and count—how many people actually use one of those? Now there’s a fire. Are you happy now? One and a half million! You have to pay up!"
Aaron Chaney was fuming. He had never lived in an apartment building before in his life. With the New Year just around the corner, he had planned to move in for the holidays. Now, one fire had turned it all to ash.
"I’ve said it many times—I turned off the heater before I left. The fire must have started some other way!" Kimberly’s stance was clear: she absolutely would not pay this money.
"Hmph! Stop making excuses! Don’t think you can get out of paying just by saying that! This is the official police report! If you have a problem with it, take it up with the police yourself! You *are* going to pay this money!" Aaron Chaney was the type who wouldn’t listen to reason.
"Kimberly, that’s my older brother’s apartment. We’re family, after all. You can’t just screw over your own relatives! I knew you shouldn’t have spent so much money renovating your place! All that talk about ’enjoying life’ and ’pursuing a higher quality of life’—it’s all useless! So what if you spent over four hundred thousand on renovations? A single fire still burned it all to a crisp!"
Aria Cheney gloated from the sidelines. She was the most delighted by Kimberly Jennings’s misfortune. "So extravagant back then, but now you can’t come up with the money, can you? It’s not that I’m trying to nag you as your sister-in-law, but do you still think you’re the matriarch of the Sterling Family, with no money worries?" She smirked, her eyes full of ridicule.
"A person should know their place. You’re just a widow with a child now! Don’t go thinking you’re still some high-society lady, pursuing a ’refined lifestyle.’ Well, look where that got you. You’ve caused this huge disaster and can’t come up with the money. How does that feel? You need to be more down-to-earth. You should act according to your station in life!"
Aria Cheney once again adopted the condescending air of a school dean, lecturing down at her.
"Kimberly Jennings, my sister is your sister-in-law. You can run, but you can’t hide! You’re not getting out of paying this!" Aaron Chaney and Aria Cheney were a well-rehearsed duo. One spewed mockery, contempt, and lectures, while the other relentlessly demanded money.
"It wasn’t just your relative’s place that burned down; my apartment did too! If you don’t pay up today, I’m just going to camp out here and not leave! I’m a bachelor anyway. As long as I’m fed, my whole ’family’ is happy!" Finn Warren resorted to shameless, desperate tactics.
"Kimberly Jennings, you caused this mess, so you’d better solve it quickly. Zoe is about to take her college entrance exams. Don’t let your trashy problems distract her from studying! Our Zoe is aiming for Sovereign University! If you really can’t come up with that much money, just marry Finn Warren. It’s not like you have a husband anyway!"
Aria Cheney shot a few glances at Kimberly Jennings. ’This way, they won’t have to keep camping out here, taking over my study!’
"Sister-in-law!" Kimberly’s voice deepened involuntarily. "This is my problem, and I will solve it! I don’t need you here making unwarranted comments and criticisms!"
Stared down by Kimberly, Aria Cheney grew flustered, her expression turning unnatural. "Hmph! No good deed goes unpunished! You think you’re some young, untouched maiden? Even if you were willing to marry him, Finn Warren might not even want you! After all, one and a half million is real money. How could a widow like you possibly be worth that much!"
She had just finished speaking when, with a loud CRASH, Seraphina Sterling kicked the front door open and strode inside.
The living room fell silent in an instant. All eyes turned to Seraphina Sterling.
"Quite a party in here. Don’t mind me, just carry on with your conversation." She walked to Kimberly Jennings’s side. "Mom, this door is too stubborn. I tried pushing it nicely, but it wouldn’t open. It just had to make me kick it! You think it’s one of those things that’s just bored and looking for a beating?"
Aria Cheney: ...