Chapter 37

Chapter 37:

Selma was utterly dumbfounded by Fernanda’s audacity.

She had never imagined the insolent brat would have the nerve to display such arrogance toward her.

To think Fernanda dared to tell her, straight to her face, to leave! Caught off guard by the sheer boldness of Fernanda’s words, Selma found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

Erika stepped in, her finger accusingly pointed at Fernanda as she exclaimed, “How dare you speak to my grandmother in such a manner? This place is as much her home as it is yours. What gives you the right to order my grandmother out p>

“It’s not your place to question my right,” Fernanda retorted, dismissing Erika with a wave of her hand. “Perhaps you should ask your parents whether they believe I have the right to speak so p>

“You…” Erika began, her face flushing with anger.

“I’m not speaking to you. Shut your mouth and stay out of this,” Fernanda cut in sharply, turning her icy gaze back to Selma. “The house you’re standing in still belongs to my late mother, Gracie. Even your daughter is merely a temporary resident here. Who are you to try to dictate anything to me p>

Selma’s eyes widened in disbelief, her voice filled with incredulity. “What nonsense are you spouting? This house was purchased by my daughter and her husband. It has nothing to do with your mother who passed away so long ago! Don’t assume you can deceive me! I’m certainly not foolish p>

Fernanda scoffed, her laughter tinged with disdain. “You are really foolish. How else could you remain so oblivious to your grandson’s true nature p>

The onslaught of harsh words triggered a fury in Selma that burned through her veins. Her head throbbed with rage, her vision blurring. Gasping for air, Selma’s body staggered backward, only to be caught in time by Ector and Erika.

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“Grandma, are you alright?” Erika’s voice was laced with concern as she steadied Selma.

“It’s my chest—it hurts so much!” Selma clutched at her chest, her voice strained with pain. “Please, we need to get to the hospital. Hurry p>

Erika nodded frantically, turning to Ector with urgency. “Ector, get the car started now. We can’t waste a second p>

Ector’s brows knit together, his expression one of concern yet tinged with confusion. Despite Selma’s evident distress, he hesitated, questioning if her reaction was solely due to anger rather than a genuine health issue.

“Ector, come on! We need to move—now!” Erika’s urgent voice snapped him back to reality.

Ector’s concern deepened as he considered the potential severity of Selma’s condition. Not wasting another second, he snatched up the keys and dashed towards the garage.

Meanwhile, Erika stood with a fiery gaze locked on Fernanda, her voice booming with fury. “You’d better pray that Grandma is alright! If anything happens to her, I will make you pay p>

Fernanda, unfazed by Erika’s outburst, replied with chilling indifference, “She brought it upon herself p>

While Erika seethed with rage, Fernanda maintained her composure. “Your grandmother came here to make a mess, and now she’s paying for it. She had it coming p>

The tension escalated as Selma clutched her chest tightly, her discomfort growing by the second.

“Enough already!” Erika bellowed, her eyes blazing with fury. “You just wait, Fernanda. You’ll regret every bit of this once Mom and Dad hear what you’ve done p>

With a nonchalant shrug, Fernanda retorted, “I’ll be here waiting.” Turning sharply, she headed up the stairs.

Erika trembled with anger at Fernanda’s audacity, feeling nearly overwhelmed.

Outside, Ector revved the engine and swiftly maneuvered the car from the driveway, while Erika assisted Selma into the rear seat.

They had barely cleared the gates of Dawn Villas when Erika’s patience snapped. “Ector, did you hear the absurdities Fernanda was spouting? How can she speak to Grandma that way?” she vented, her voice thick with irritation.

Ector maintained his focus on the winding road ahead, choosing silence over engagement.

In his mind, the day’s upheaval was a direct result of Selma’s own actions.

Selma had started it, provoking Fernanda without hesitation. At her age, it was only natural to have the sense to choose her words carefully rather than trading sharp insults with someone so much younger.

Given Fernanda’s temperament, Ector found it rather commendable that she hadn’t simply evicted Selma on the spot. To him, this restraint was a testament to Fernanda’s underlying consideration.

Meanwhile, Erika’s tirade from the back seat grew more heated by the moment, her words a continuous stream of criticism directed at Fernanda.

“That’s enough,” Ector finally snapped, his patience fraying.

But his sharp tone only incited Erika further.

In a fit of defiance, she thumped the back of his seat with her foot. “Why can’t I express how I feel? Ever since that country bumpkin entered our lives, it’s been one disaster after another. Grandma just arrived today, and already Fernanda has upset her this much! I’m telling you, Fernanda is nothing but bad luck for us p>

Triggered by Erika’s sharp outburst, Ector hit the brakes with force. The tires screeched violently, and the car jolted to a harsh stop. Selma and Erika, completely unprepared, were tossed forward, colliding awkwardly with the front seats.

Clutching her head, Selma winced from the sharp pain. “Ector, could you please pay attention to the road?” she implored with a grimace.

“Keep up that chatter and you might just get out of my car,” Ector retorted icily, his eyes meeting Erika’s in the rearview mirror with a frosty glare. “You’re insufferable p>

Erika inhaled sharply, on the verge of a sharp comeback, but Selma’s firm grasp on her arm and a cautionary shake of her head stopped her.

With a frustrated exhale, Erika turned away, staring out the window.

A tense couple of minutes passed before Ector restarted the car.

A heavy silence fell over them, the air thick with unspoken words and palpable tension, making the brief journey to the hospital feel endlessly long.

Upon their arrival, Erika quickly took charge, instructing Ector to handle Selma’s registration while she escorted her directly to Crowell’s hospital room.

Inside, Robert and Michelle were already present. The atmosphere shifted as Erika and Selma entered, their distress evident. Puzzled, Robert and Michelle exchanged looks of concern.

“What’s going on?” Michelle inquired with a furrowed brow. “What’s upset you so much, Erika p>

As Michelle’s words sank in, a tide of sorrow engulfed Erika, blurring her vision as tears brimmed in her eyes.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Michelle’s voice was laced with worry.

Her concern triggered a cascade of tears down Erika’s cheeks. Seeking solace, Erika collapsed into her mother’s embrace, her sobs punctuated by gasps and hiccups as she recounted the day’s events.

Selma occasionally interjected, both of them casting Fernanda as a nefarious villain.

Robert’s brow creased with concern. He knew Fernanda as a reserved soul, one who steered clear of conflict. It was unlike her to initiate confrontations. What could have driven her to such a direct clash with Selma?

“Fernanda even assaulted me! Pushed me with her own hands!” Selma declared, her voice heavy with drama. “Had Erika not been there to pull me away, who knows what lengths Fernanda might have gone to? She almost ended my life p>

Selma dramatically clutched her chest, leaning back against the hospital bed, the picture of despair.

“Mom, please, let’s stay calm,” Michelle said, her voice steady. “I’m pretty sure this is all just a big misunderstanding p>

“A misunderstanding? I’ve only just arrived, and already this chaos? No, she’s simply a bully p>

Fixing Robert with an icy glare, Selma spoke with cruel authority. “Robert, listen to me carefully. If you want me to stay there, you’ll get rid of her. I won’t spend another minute under the same roof as her. Either she’s out, or I am. Make your choice p>