John sneered and hung up the phone.

I was shaking with anger. I called again, only to find he had blocked me.

Just then, a WeChat message from Ashley popped up. It was a short video.

In the video, she and John were kissing passionately in the office.

"Stop calling, disturbing others' fun time is a deadly sin."

Ashley's text was full of provocation and mockery.

My eyes stung, and I stared at the video in disbelief.

My once tender and affectionate husband was now so intimate with another woman.

But now wasn't the time for sadness. My parents were still waiting for the money to save their lives.

Even if it wasn't for John, I had to save them.

After all, they had always been good to me.

I started borrowing money everywhere, calling friends, relatives, even some business acquaintances I wasn't very close to.

However, the responses I received made me feel more and more desperate.

"Sarah, you know, my business isn't doing well either, I really can't spare any money right now…"

"Sarah, my funds are tight lately, I'm afraid…"

One after another, polite rejections drained me.

I couldn't help but press a friend I usually had a good relationship with.

Only then did I learn that John had actually posted a message on his social media.

He said that whoever lent me money was against him, and the money would never be returned.

Unbelievable, he could be so heartless.

I lowered my posture again, trying to explain nicely to my relatives that I would definitely pay them back, begging them to help me.

But they still refused, some even blocked me directly.

Desperate, I sat slumped on a bench in the hospital.

Since I hadn't been back to Springfield to celebrate Christmas with my parents for the past two years, they missed John a bit.

To give John a surprise and to make up for the past two years, I brought them to Houston, hoping for a family reunion for Christmas.

Who knew the surprise would turn into a shock.

As soon as my parents entered the house, they weren't greeted with warm hugs but with a bucket of dirty water.

Ashley stood in the hallway, looking at us with disgust.

"What kind of beggars dare enter Mr. Carter's house?"

"Sarah, are these your parents?"

"They really are hillbillies. They smell like dirt, it's disgusting!"

I suppressed my anger and quickly wiped the dirty water off my parents' clothes.

Mom has a fiery temper and couldn't stand this kind of insult. She immediately retorted, "Who are you? You have no manners! You keep calling my Sarah a hillbilly!"

Instead of restraining herself, Ashley escalated the situation, picking up a ceramic ornament and throwing it at Mom.

I reacted quickly and blocked it, the ornament grazing my hand as it flew past.

Although it didn't hit Mom, my hand was cut by the sharp edge, and blood gushed out.

Ashley stepped forward triumphantly and declared arrogantly, "I'm the future mistress of this house, Mr. John Carter's current girlfriend."

"Your Sarah will soon be kicked out, you old hag!"

My parents were so shocked they couldn't speak.

They never imagined that their son, whom they had always been proud of, would do such a disgraceful thing.

Dad trembled with anger and stepped forward to reason with Ashley.

But Ashley pushed him away, and he crashed heavily into the shoe cabinet.

"What kind of bum dares enter Mr. Carter's house? How dare you be Mr. Carter's father-in-law, looking like that?"

Ashley laughed scornfully, her voice full of mockery.

Dad groaned in pain, his face pale.

I supported Dad while anxiously calling for the maid to help.

But the maid, who was usually respectful to me, acted deaf to my calls.

Ashley blew on her nails disdainfully, as if brushing away something dirty.

"Someone, tie these three hillbillies up and throw them in the snow to roll around, wash off the bad luck!"