While Crystal was doing the dishes at the Stephenson family at 3 p.m., she received a phone.It was
Betty.She said she couldn't get through Christina.
"Christina is at home alone today"
Crystal was also a little anxious.
"I'll call her later”
"She has been in a good mental state recently"
They chatted for a while.
Having not seen Betty for many days, Crystal invited her to dinner at the apartment and she readily
agreed.
After hanging up, Crystal called Christina immediately.
But there was only a busy tone.
Uneasiness creeping in, she hurriedly explained to Chandler and went home.
In fact, nothing happened to Christina.
She was looking for medicine in the guest room while her phone was left on the TV bench in the living
room.She found the antidepressant prescribed in the hospital.Then she took two pills out and directly
swallowed them like a robot.She didn't want to get sick, nor did she want to worry the people around
her.She couldn't be sick anymore.She should get better soon.She curled up on the sofa for a long time,
looking at the empty apartment confusedly.She was gloomy as if she were left alone in the world and
didn't know who she should trust.
The phone screen on the TV bench lit up, showing she had two missed calls.She put down the
medicine bottle and was to check her phone.
Just then, she heard a key in the door lock.She thought it was Crystal or Derek, but it wasn't.
As soon as the person entered the house, she began to swear, "I heard you forcibly occupied my
daughter's apartment and refused to pay the rent?"
"You look decent, but why are you so shameless?"
She was in her sixties, dressed in a black chiffon dress with floral patterns.She looked like a
fashionable woman in town, but she looked weird, wearing inferior foundation and lipstick.
Christina didn't know her and thought for a while before she said, "Are you Crystal's mother?"
"So impolite of you.My daughter treats you so well, but you are ungrateful.Do you think she has a good
temper so you take advantage of her?"
"No more talking.Just let her get out of here." Another man came in.
It was Simon, Crystal's step brother.Simon looked smuggler now than the last time they met.He was
wearing a T-shirt and black jeans with colorful hair.He was a little stout with a potbelly as if he had been
addicted to nightlife and junk food.And he looked like a gangster.
"Hey, get out of here now!" he cursed in a hoarse voice.
"Isn't your man quite rich? Why are you a freeloader in my sister's apartment?" Simon looked her up
and down.
He seemed to have some scruples and said hesitantly, "Give me fifty thousand dollars, or get out right
now! I'm not afraid of you or your man.This is our house.Get out!"
Being yelled at and cursed, Christina was still and stared at them in a daze.
"This is Crystal's house" She said in a low voice without any emotion.
"This is my daughter's house!"
Crystal's mother roared in an unpleasant tone, "My daughter's house is mine.We're moving in
now.You're just my daughter's friend.Don't stick to my house.Pack up and move out.Don't take
advantage of us anymore."
At five past four in the afternoon, Crystal and Betty accidentally met downstairs and went into the
apartment together.
As soon as they entered, they saw that the apartment was in a mess.
"What's going on? Mom, why are you here?"
When Crystal saw the familiar figure, she immediately ran over and saw her mother moving the
furniture in the guest room.
"Mom, don't move it.This is my friend's room"
"What friend? Are you stupid? You just allow your friend to live here for free,"
Mrs.Zhu turned around and scolded her fiercely with a long face.
"My friend needed somewhere to live while I happened to have a room available.So I let her live
here.Anything wrong?"
"You're stupid.If you rent it to someone else, you can collect the rent every month.You've been saying
you were hard up.Did you just pretend that? Or why did you pay me so little every month? What an
unfilial daughter! Is your mom or your friend more important to you?"
Crystal was very angry and knew how unreasonable her mother was.
At this moment, Betty was heard, "Crystal, where's Christina? I don't see her"
Betty walked around the apartment but didn't see Christina.
She got a little anxious, "Did she go out?"
"She didn't say she was going out today"
Crystal replied subconsciously, then she immediately called, "Mom, where's my friend? Did you see her
when you came?"
Mrs.Zhu looked evasive and mumbled, "She's gone."
"You chased her away?"
"So what? I can't let her be a freeloader in my house.Are you stupid?" Mrs.Zhu said indignantly.
Crystal's face was dark with rage, "She's not feeling well.How can you drive her away? Mom, you're
going too far!"
Mrs.Zhu was immediately displeased with Crystal's tone and scolded.
"Why doesn't she go to the hospital! Don't stay here"
"What are you talking about?"
Betty couldn't bear her anymore.
"She's just not feeling well recently.Don't be so mean."
Then it was noisy in the small apartment.
"She didn't answer the call"
"It's all my fault.I shouldn't have left her alone at home."
Crystal dialed her number again and again anxiously.
Secing how worried they were, Mrs.Zhu felt something wrong, "That woman is a psycho? Why did you
bring her back? She should be locked up in the hospital."
"Can you stop talking?" Crystal bristled with rage.
"How can you be like that? I've done these for you.Your brother just picked up a few tiny wireless
cameras in the trash can.Those are not good people's things.You're not allowed to hang out with her
anymore!"
Crystal didn't know about those cameras, but she noticed that the whiteboard which had been on the
shelf for a long time was placed on the sofa and there was ink on ils corner.
Who took it out? There were no words on the whiteboard anymore, as If somcone had written on it but
didn't want others to know.
"I'l contact Derek and ask him to send someone to find her" Betty couldn't stand such an unreasonable
woman as Mrs.Zhu or stay with her any longer, so she walked out.
Crystal quickly followed, "We can drive around nearby to find her"
"Where did she go? She was driven out and had nowhere to go, Betty was burning with anxiety,
walking side by side with Crystal.They went straight to the parking lot.
As Crystal was about to take the car key, she paused and said hesitantly, "I'll call the Hopkins family”
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