28 Chapter 24 ~ Unexpected Outcome (1/2)

…

”And what is this?” Linda asked as she pointing out to the large blue capsule that is filling one-third of Siola's room. She blinked her eyes a few times, thinking of an efficient way to explain it. burning through an entire 100.000$ in a single day is never a good thing, of course, she would need a reasonable excuse of why she bought it. Even if it has been a week since then, it was still quite the excessive amount for someone her age to spend. ”Uhm… this is one of those VR gaming consoles. It was really popular and I kind of want to try one…”

”…” Linda frowned, ”Gaming?”

Being one of the people living in high society, people might think that Linda wouldn't be so familiar with the term. However, she is. And when Siola mentioned it, that means it's not a good sign.

Siola is panicking and starts to sweat, ”T-The capsule is a box where you can go to another world and p-play… together… uhm, with people. And, you, y-you can also earn m—”

Linda suddenly cut it, she asked, ”Wait, hold on. did you… spend all the money I gave you… on this?” That kind of trap question always being thrown around by her, Siola's sweat dripped from her cheek, ”Err, uhm… w-wait, Aunt Linda, I can explain.”

”I don't need your excuses!”

Siola flinched, glancing down in silence, she can't bring herself up to look at her when she's angry. Linda then said, ”Goodness, why are you wasting so much money to buy some toys. I thought you would spend them wisely, especially now that you're living alone without a job no less.”

”B-But I'm working on it.”

Linda's eyes light up a bit, ”Really?”

”Y-Yes” Siola nodded repeatedly.

”Do you work in the market or something?”

Another sweat dripped from her cheek, Siola started shaking. She pointed to the capsule, and Linda looked at it confused, she wonders of what Siola meant by that.

”I err, w-working in there…”

Linda tilted her head.

And then she soon realized what is going on. Linda was okay when Siola lied once or twice every once in a while, but when she's like this, Linda can't just buy it. Especially again, she is worried that Siola won't be able to support herself now that she's living alone away from her family. Sighing, ”I told you not to lie at people, especially to me.”

”But I'm not lying, I really work—”

”ENOUGH!” Siola's persistence triggered Linda into a bad mood.

Siola startled by her shout and started trembling. After another sigh, Linda continues, ”You… you could've bought many other things, but you chose this. You, you could've used it to rent a hotel, or get yourself a better house, maybe some soap and food, but instead of all those crucial things… you bought this, what, a gaming console? What are you trying to do with it? An entertainment is supposed to be just an escape, from what are you escaping from, hm?”

Siola thought that… what Linda said was true, back when she asked the money, she didn't really consider any of these enough and just rushed off to get the capsule right away without any repercussion.

Again, she could've used that absurd amount of money on something else, something even better and much needed for her to fill up her necessity first before getting into gaming.

Linda walked closer to the frightened little lady and grabbed her shoulders, ”Siola, what happened to you. You would never spend so much money on something like this before asking us first. That money are not for you to play around with, it's to support you starting your new life, but instead…”

”…” Siola's expression started hardening.

What has happened to her, happened a long time ago. But obviously, Linda wouldn't know any of it. The girl she's looking at now... is not truly the same girl. 4 years have passed, people bound to change regardless of whether or not they want it, and it comes naturally.

”Siola, answer me, why did you do it?”

”…” her eyes soaked in tears as her expression kept turning despicable.

Linda shook her body, ”I TOLD YOU TO ANSWER ME!”

”BECAUSE I WANT TO!!” *hic*, it's as if Siola's brain cracked. She whimpers as she yelled, ”WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND, THIS IS—”

*Plash!*

As her face turned, her eyes widened.

Linda slapped her. ”Don't you dare to shout at me, I'm the one who raised you! Siola, I NEVER teach you to be like this. I'm disappointed.”