The Truth in the Account Book

When I opened my eyes, sunlight was pouring through the living room window onto the floor. The air was filled with the scent of soy milk Mom had just made—a smell both familiar and strange. In the last life, it was from this very day that our family's life plunged into the abyss. "Isabelle, come out quickly—your uncle and Alicia Sue are here." Mom's voice echoed from the living room. I suddenly sat up in bed, my heart hammering wildly. Alicia Sue, my cousin—the one who dragged Mom and me into hell. In the last life, she came to my house in tears, saying her parents were fighting and no one was there for her. Mom's heart softened, and she let her stay. But who could have guessed, she acted obedient on the surface, while spreading rumors behind our backs. She said that Mom mistreated her and accused me of stealing her things. She twisted those rumors and posted them online, unleashing a tidal wave of cyberbullying. Mom already suffered from heart disease; the vicious attacks worsened her condition, and she couldn't be saved in the end. After Mom passed away, I lost all sense of reason. I found Alicia Sue and decided to go down with her. Thinking of all this, I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. This time, I will never let the tragedy repeat itself. I hurried out of the room. In the living room, Uncle was sitting on the sofa, Alicia Sue leaning against him, her eyes red, looking pitiful. "Isabelle's here, come sit down." Uncle saw me and his face lit up with a smile. I ignored him and walked straight over to Mom. Mom glanced at me, her eyes showing a determination I had never seen before, unlike in my previous life when she was meek and submissive to Uncle. Could it be that Mom also... A bold thought suddenly crossed my mind. "Sister, look at Alicia Sue's situation—she has nowhere else to go, so just let her stay at your place for a while." Uncle spoke first, "I'll give 1,000 dollars every month as her living expenses." In the previous life, Mom agreed without a second thought and even said there was no need to provide living expenses. But this time, Mom frowned slightly. "Living expenses are fine, but we need to sign a custody agreement." Mom's voice was calm. "We need to clarify what the 1,000 dollars covers to avoid misunderstandings later." Uncle was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Mom to say that. "Sister, we're family; signing an agreement only strains our feelings." Uncle tried to play the emotional card. "Exactly because we're family, we need to be clear about this." Mom pulled out the agreement she had long prepared. "Take a look—this covers living expenses including Alicia Sue's daily meals and basic necessities, but not extras like tutoring, snacks, or toys." "If there's no issue, just sign it." Alicia Sue looked up, eyes filled with confusion—she probably never imagined Aunt, always kind to her, would be so cold-hearted. Uncle and his wife huddled together, reading the Agreement, their faces growing increasingly grim. "Sister, aren't you taking this a little too seriously?" Uncle's wife couldn't help but say, "Alicia Sue is just a kid. How much could she possibly spend?" "No matter how much she spends, it's always better to be clear and upfront." Mom handed over the pen. "If you don't agree, then you'll have to find another place for Alicia Sue to stay." Uncle and his wife exchanged a glance and sighed helplessly. They both knew that, aside from our family, no one else was willing to take Alicia Sue in. In the end, Uncle signed the Agreement reluctantly. Watching him sign, the stone hanging over my heart finally lifted halfway. We won our first battle in this life.