Love on the Dotted Line

Chapter 22: Home, Sweet Home? Not Anymore: Katherina's Gambit!

Grace chases after Jade after her wedding, her heels clicking like castanets. "Jade, please listen! I'm sorry!"

"It's okay, Grace! This is what you wanted, and look at you—you did it!" Jade beams, trying to keep the mood light. But then her smile falters. "Just promise me one thing: if you catch him with other girls, don't tell me, alright? You know what kind of guy he is. Anyway, it's your life. I can't believe you..."

Suddenly, Jade pauses, her eyes wide as she puts two and two together. "Oh my gosh, Grace, are you doing this for money?" she exclaims, mouth agape in shock like she's just seen a ghost!

"No! He's not a bad guy. He's different now," Grace insists, glancing nervously at some of Dion's relatives who are straining to listen in like a bunch of cats on a hot tin roof, trying to catch every juicy detail of the gossip.

Jade scans the room and spots the relatives, their ears perked up like curious puppies, pretending to look elsewhere but clearly tuned in to every word. "Okay, Grace, I'm happy for you!" she says with a grin as bright as a sunflower, determined to shield her friend from any embarrassment in front of the new family. Grace can't help but appreciate Jade's understanding.

"I'll call you after we get to the hotel," Grace promises, knowing they don't have enough privacy to hash it all out right now.

"Cool! Have fun!" Jade replies, forcing a cheerful grin and giving her a playful wink, all while feeling like a cheerleader who just tripped during a big routine.

—-----------------

After everyone settles back at home, Kostas is simmering with frustration and calls for Antonios. "Hey, get in here! We need to talk," he barks, his tone as sharp as a knife.

Antonios steps into Kostas' room. Meanwhile, Katherina is playing the role of a secret agent outside the door, pressing her ear against the wood like a kid eavesdropping on a surprise party.

"Antonios, what kind of mess did you make of Dion's wedding?" Kostas starts, his voice dripping with disappointment.

"Dad, let me explain..." Antonios begins, but Kostas cuts him off faster than a knife through butter.

"I don't want to hear your explanation! I didn't call you out at the wedding because, well, it was a wedding! But did you even feel like it was a wedding, Antonios? The wedding of a wealthy man's son?" Kostas asks, his gaze as firm as a bulldog's grip.

"Dad, Dion didn't want a big wedding!" Antonios shoots back, frustration bubbling like a pot about to boil over.

"I don't care if he wanted a small wedding or not! I wanted a grand celebration for him. He's my son!" Kostas declares, puffing out his chest like a proud rooster.

"You act like he's your only son! Don't forget, Dad, we raised your son—the one who's been dragging our family through the mud!" Antonios finally snaps, his patience wearing thinner than a piece of tissue paper. He's had enough, not even sure if Kostas has changed the will, but his anger can't be contained any longer.

"You call him your son, but Rita and I are the ones who did all the heavy lifting! All you did was spoil him rotten! You never see the sacrifices I make for this family, but my little slip-ups? Oh, you notice those, don't you?" Antonios fires back, his voice rising like a rocket. "And what the heck is Dion doing? Clubbing and hooking up with random girls like it's a sport! You act like you don't see a thing. But if I mess up, you treat me like the black sheep of the family!"

With that, Antonios storms out of the room, leaving Kostas momentarily stunned, feeling the weight of his son's words. Deep down, he knows Antonios isn't wrong, and it stings more than a bee on a summer day.

As Antonios strides out, he spots someone darting down the corridor, disappearing faster than a cat at bath time. Who on earth was that, and why were they running? It's none other than Katherina, who has been eavesdropping with the stealth of a ninja, her heart racing like a sports car!

—-

"Finally, we can head home!" Ginna sighs, practically skipping as she turns to Katherina, expecting a shared sense of relief.

"Home? Oh, honey, we're not going home," Katherina replies, her expression turning as serious as a judge at a sentencing.

"Wait, what? Why not?" Ginna asks, her face scrunching up in confusion.

With a dramatic sigh, Katherina takes a deep breath. "Listen up, Ginna. I had to sell my house—my house, mind you. Not ours, just mine, okay? And I did what I had to do—I sold it," she declares, hands on her hips like she's giving a sales pitch to a roomful of skeptics.

Ginna blinks, her jaw practically dropping to the floor. "Why, Mom? You never breathed a word about this to us!" she gasps, as if someone just told her the family cat could talk.

"Because I needed the dough, that's why! Lost a heap of cash on some loans, and... well, a little gambling," Katherina mutters, her voice filled with more annoyance than regret. "And that's why we're here, sweetie. I'm hoping Kostas—dear old loaded Kostas—might help us out a bit."

"But, Mom! You never told us we were drowning in loans! And gambling? What's going on?" Ginna is practically spinning, her face as shocked as if she's seen a ghost.

"Oh, Ginna, you wouldn't get it. Too young and naïve to understand the ins and outs of 'business,'" Katherina sniffs, waving her hand dismissively. "This mess is mine, not yours, so let's just keep your nose out of it, alright?"

But Ginna isn't buying it. "No, Mom! That stuff was Dad's, which means it's ours! You sold everything? You ruined everything?" she shouts, her voice quivering. "You ruined us, Mom," she finishes, tears glistening in her eyes as she looks at her mother, almost like she's seeing her for the first time.

"He gave them to me. They're all under my name," Katherina huffs, crossing her arms as if that settles everything.

"So you just... destroyed them?" Ginna shoots back, her voice breaking. "And you think I'm the stupid one? What about you, Mom? Can't you see how stupid you've been?" Ginna's face is streaked with tears, her voice trembling with a mix of heartbreak and fury.

"I can do whatever the hell I want with my own property, Ginna," Katherina retorts, her voice sharp. But inside, a small voice nags at her; deep down, she knows she's messed up, but she'd sooner bite her tongue than admit it.

"You made us homeless, Mom!" Ginna sobs, her shoulders shaking.

"Why are you blaming me for everything, Ginna? I'm not responsible for taking care of you now! Get your husband to take care of you," Katherina barks, throwing up her hands.

"And what about Dad's things? You destroyed everything that was his, everything he worked for. I'm his daughter too. Aren't you supposed to look out for me, for us?" Ginna shoots back, her voice raw. "But you treat me like a stranger. Money's all you care about—that's why we're homeless now!"

"Shut your mouth, Ginna!" Katherina snaps, her face red with fury.

"Where the hell are we supposed to go now?" Ginna cries, refusing to be silenced.

"You're too loud, you ungrateful little brat!" Katherina hisses, glancing around anxiously. "Are you trying to tell the whole world our business?"

Unbeknownst to her, Lakis is already pressed up against the door, eavesdropping on every explosive word, his eyes widening as he takes it all in.