Chapter 5

The moment I hung up, Steve let out a scoffing laugh.

"Marta, what are you pretending for?"

"You don't have a cent on you. Who could you possibly call?"

Mila also sighed softly, her tone gentle:

"Marta, I know you can't accept this right now, but things are what they are."

She lowered her head and stroked David's hair.

"Steve only transferred the house to me because he feels bad for us, a widow and orphan."

I said nothing, just looked at them.

Our arguing attracted quite a few neighbors. Someone recognized Steve and called out:

"Isn't that Mr. Steve? Do you need us to call the police?"

Mila smiled graciously:

"It's fine. She's our friend from back home who won't leave my house..."

Hearing this, they all looked at me with disgust. Someone even shouted at me:

"Ugly woman! Get out of here!"

Steve turned to look at me:

"Just leave, Marta. This isn't something an apology can fix anymore. You... you're already dirty."

I looked at him expressionlessly:

"$350,000."

"What?"

"The total price of this house." I said calmly: "I paid half, so you paid $350,000. Steve, I'll pay you back that $350,000."

Steve looked at me and lost his patience.

"Marta, stop talking nonsense. You probably took out loans for years just to scrape together your own $350,000. Where would you get the money to pay me back?"

He pulled out his phone and made a call:

"This is Steve. I want to report someone for forging documents to fraudulently obtain a marriage green card."

"Yes, I have evidence. Please come take her away immediately."

Steve hung up and looked at me with a complex expression:

"Marta, this could have been resolved with just an apology."

"I already explained to you—once David gets into college and he and Mila are completely settled, I can get our marriage certificate. Why won't you accept that?"

"You were willing to wait ten years. What's another ten years?"

I laughed coldly, but felt only sorrow in my heart.

So this is the kind of man I wasted ten years on.

Steve took a deep breath and said to me:

"As long as... you promise never to mention the thing with Mila and me again, I can explain to immigration that this was all a misunderstanding..."

"I know you don't want to keep traveling back and forth. I can promise that every year during university winter and summer breaks, I'll go back to spend time with you... Back home, we can still be like husband and wife..."

Hearing this, Mila glared at me venomously, though her tone remained soft:

"Marta, stop being stubborn. Do you know that if immigration takes you away, you'll not only face ten years in prison, but also a fine of hundreds of thousands of dollars?"

"The restaurant bill could be handled by the manager helping you out, but you can't possibly handle the prison bill by..."

Just as she finished speaking, footsteps sounded outside.

Steve's face darkened, with an undertone of threat:

"Marta! This is your last chance! If you agree, I'll go send them away. If you don't agree, I can only let them take you..."

But I calmly pulled at the corner of my mouth, shook off Steve's grasping hand, and walked over.

Several tall men in black suits and sunglasses walked in.

Steve's jaw clenched. He seemed to finally make up his mind, looked at me deeply once, then pointed at me and said:

"It's her..."

Before he could finish, I raised my hand and said:

"Smash it. Smash this house to pieces for me!"

Mila and Steve's eyes widened instantly:

"You're crazy!"

Before they could say anything else, they were tied up and thrown to the ground.

I smiled and walked forward, slapping each of them until my palms went numb:

"$350,000, right here."

I casually tossed down a check.

"Steve, my things—I'd rather smash them than give them to you."

I said coldly:

"Smashing isn't enough. Bring explosives. I want this filthy marital home razed completely to the ground!"

"Marta! You're insane!"

Amid Steve and Mila's terrified screams, the house was instantly blown to rubble.

The massive explosion drew attention. Within minutes, countless vehicles bearing immigration and security bureau insignias blocked the entrance.

Steve roared:

"I'm Steve! A senior consultant hired by America! This woman is insane! She forged a green card and hired illegal personnel to maliciously threaten me!"

"She should be imprisoned for life! Arrest her now!"

But I wasn't afraid at all. I just smiled faintly.