Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Liberty shot back, “Hank, I’m the one who takes care of our child all day! Yet, you see me as some useless person who just eats and spends money.”

“I can handle it because I want to give our son the best I can,” she added.

“But your sister’s kids have nothing to do with me. They’re not my responsibility,” Hank replied firmly. “There’s no way I’m going to care for her children! I can’t believe you actually want guardianship of them. The burden of providing for their needs and education would fall on us.”

“The title deed doesn’t have my name on it, so if you want to transfer ownership to your sister, that’s your business. If you can’t get the house back, that’s also your problem. But one thing is certain: you need to return the renovation costs to me before you put her name on the deed.”

“I won’t be able to get my money back once the house is hers,” a shadow of gloom crossed Hank’s face.

“I mentioned that I’ll be giving you extra allowance. Isn’t that enough? You’re already at home with our child, so I don’t see why adding two more kids is such a big deal. Kids over ten years old are hardly a handful. You can just help them with their homework,” he continued.

“If you think a thousand bucks isn’t enough, I can add another five hundred. You should be grateful for a total of fifteen hundred,” he insisted.

“So what if the responsibility for their well-being and education falls on us? They’re my sister’s kids. It’s the least we can do. I trust my sister. She will give the house back to me,” Hank argued. “And what do you mean by renovation costs? I bought the house with my money. Shouldn’t you contribute to the renovations since you’re living here as well? The audacity of you to ask me to repay you for the renovation costs—dream on!” Liberty glared at him.

Her heart plummeted as she gazed at her husband. The couple, who had shared a long-term relationship before exchanging vows, now faced a challenging reality. Hank, once the ideal boyfriend and husband, began to change two years into their marriage. His actions were now causing her immense heartache.

Hank consistently sided with his parents and sister, neglecting both Liberty and their son, Sonny. It seemed that all of Hank’s attention was focused on Chelsea, catering to her every whim. The contentious issue of catchment areas had escalated into a national problem, leading to rifts even among siblings.

“Hank, I’m standing firm on this,” Liberty asserted. “This is not about money. It’s not my responsibility to take care of your sister’s kids or tutor them. If you want to go down that path, you might as well pay me like a tutor. I’ll charge five thousand dollars for each kid per month—that’s ten thousand for both. Honestly, for that price, I could cook, handle the pickups and drop-offs, and tutor them as well. Take it or leave it; that’s a discount since she’s your sister. I’m highly qualified as a tutor, so I believe I’m worth that price.”

Since it was all about money, Liberty decided to play Hank at his own game. “I won’t agree to transfer the house to your sister’s name until you reimburse me for the renovation costs. If you proceed anyway, we can get a divorce, and I will still demand that renovation money as part of the settlement.”

Although her name was never on the title deed, as Hank had purchased the property before they married, Liberty was determined to fight for what was rightfully hers. The Browns had no intention of giving her a share of the house. Upon learning that Liberty and Hank were becoming serious, the Browns had quickly bought a house for Hank, ensuring their interests were protected.

Liberty found herself in a tough situation when it came to the prenuptial property; she was not entitled to anything that wasn’t in her name. Hank, visibly upset, turned pale and exclaimed, “Five thousand dollars for each child? Why not just rob a bank? A divorce? Do you think you’re just eighteen? You’re a married woman with a child and no job!”

With harsh words, he continued, “You’re fat and ugly. Just looking at you makes people sick to their stomachs. How are you going to support yourself after the divorce?”

“Alright now,” he said after a moment of contemplation. “I need to think about this. Ten thousand is out of the question. The best I can do is three thousand bucks.”

“No deal!” Liberty firmly replied, turning away and refusing to engage further in the conversation with Hank.