28


    Miss Cam, Miss Erica, hi, Brody greeted politely.


    Lily was Cam’s college friend who unexpectedly became pregnant in her sophomore year and got


    married, leaving her studies unfinished: Once bright and clever, she now spent her days as a


    housewife, busy with three meals a day, taking care of her husband and child, bing dull and


    listless.


    “Brody is such a good boy!” Cam said, patting his head.


    “I’m starving. Let’s order some food,” said Cam, exhausted from a busy day. “I’m so hungry I


    could eat a whole cow.”


    “Wait a minute. I’ve got a coupon,” Lily said, pulling out her phone with a smile. This meal deal for


    four is a real bargain, just over a hundred.”


    Erica nced at the menu, which seemed scant. “Alright, if it’s not enough, we’ll order more


    “Hi-I have a coupon,” Lily called to the waiter.


    The waiter quickly verified the coupon,


    “Didn’t your husband get a promotion?” Erica asked. “Why are you still pinching pennies?”


    “He said the sry hasn’t increased,” Lily replied, stroking her son’s hair


    “That doesn’t make sense. A branch manager at Capital Solutions should be earning a decent


    wage. Is he still only giving you five hundred for household expenses?” Cam asked, surprised.


    Lily nodded bashfully.


    Erica frowned. “At his level, his sry should be at least ten thousand, right?”


    Lily, who had never worked, was clueless about these matters and simply went along with what her


    husband told her. “He showed me his paycheck, just over two thousand. He says he’s under a lot of


    pressure with the mortgage and car payments, barely has money left for himself,” she sighed.


    “Daddy hit Mommy,” Brody blurted out. His little face crumpled almost to tears.


    “He hit you?” both women eximed in shock.


    “That b a s t a r d, how could he hit you! We need to confront him. That’s outrageous! Erica burst


    out angrily.


    “He was just drunk, and he apologized,” Lily said, pulling her cardigan sleeve down.


    “How can you forgive him so easily! Your family is far away, but here, we are your support,” Cam


    said, grasping her hand.


    “Divorce him! Why tolerate such an a s sh o l e who doesn’t even provide for you?” Erica mmed


    the table.


    Lily stroked her son’s hair, smiling helplessly. Divorce had crossed her mind. “I haven’t even


    graduated from college. I have no money. How would I win custody…”


    The harsh reality silenced everyone at the table.


    “Come work at my fashionpany. I’ll arrange something for you,” Erica offered.


    Brody looked up. “Mom, you can go to work and eam money”


    Really? Lily’s eyes sparkled with hope. “But if I work, you’d have to go to after-school care…”


    “A few kids in my ss wait there for their moms too. I can do it” Brody said sensibly.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    That settles it. I’ll talk to my dad about it tonight,” Erica dered.


    Lily nodded, tears streaming down her face.


    After dinner, Lily took her son home.


    “I think your luck has been turning aroundtely” Erica remarked


    “Really?” Cam responded skeptically.


    “Look, your sry doubled, and you got a free luxury apartment. Maybe Conpor broke your streak


    of bad luck?” Erica teased.


    Cam’s cheeks reddened, but upon reflection, her luck seemed to have improved since meeting


    Connor.


    “Maybe try a scratch card?” Erica suggested, spotting a lottery shop across the street.