Chapter 570
Chapter 570:
Yelena raised an eyebrow, pausing to look at Leo. “Oh? The house is mine too. Why can’t I get my share?” she asked coolly.
Leo was boiling with anger, but before he could reply, Ava interjected, her tone anxious. “Yelena, have some decency! The house belongs to Uncle Archie—he’s our direct relative. You’re an outsider. Even if the house is given away, it won’t be to you p>
Yelena looked at Ava, amusement dancing in her eyes at her self-righteousness.
“Back then, Grandpa Archie saw you were pitiful and allowed you to stay in the house. Does that make it yours?” Yelena asked, deliberately emphasizing the word “allowed p>
Ava and Leo exchanged a quick, startled glance. “That house is old. The roof leaks, and the wiring’s outdated. It cost our money to fix everything, including the doors, windows, and floors p>
Leo leaned forward, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Exactly! You think upkeep comes for free? We’ve sunk a fortune into this place! All these years, have you ever even cared p>
He and Ava shared a smug little smirk. A chorus of voices rose in agreement. “That’s right,” someone added. “I spent thirty grand just having the walls repainted p>
“Yeah, well, I dropped ten thousand on rewiring my whole house,” another said.
Yelena lifted a brow. Clearly, everyone here sided with Leo and Ava.
“But let’s talk about the real issue,” Yelena said, arms crossing. “You’ve been living rent-free in the house for years, and you still have the audacity to put on airs p>
A startled relative mumbled, “Wait—no rent? That doesn’t sound right p>
Sensing danger, Leo and Ava shot each other a worried look. They couldn’t let Yelena swing people to her side.
“Even if we never paid rent, that place was practically falling apart. We’ve pumped so much into repairs that it more than covers any rent,” Leo said hastily.
Ava nodded, eyes flashing. “Right. We’ve poured so much into upkeep, it easily outweighs whatever rent you’d charge p>
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Yelena gave a slow, exaggerated nod. “Ohhh,” she said, like she’d finally cracked some secret code. “So you’re saying that I actually owe you money p>
Ava’s face lit up instantly. She thought Yelena had just made the dumbest move by blurting out that question.
She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped short when she saw Jack fixing her with a penetrating stare—like he might swallow her whole the next second. Despite his years, the old man’s gaze was still razor-sharp.
“Anyone looking to pocket Yelena’s money will have to go through me first,” Jack barked.
He paused just long enough to let his words sink in, then continued, “I’m the one who called Yelena back today. Yes, it’s my birthday, but I also want it known that she’s taking back her house—along with the demolition compensation p>
“What p>
“Grandpa p>
“Are you crazy p>
Surprised, Yelena turned to Jack, a swirl of emotions in her eyes. She’d wondered who had sent that message, and now she knew.
Jack raised his hand to silence Leo and Ava. “Archie was kind enough to let us stay in that house. You all know exactly how carelessly you’ve treated it over the years. Every time you damaged it, you shrugged and said, ‘It’s not ours anyway p>
He paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone in the room. “Didn’t that bother your conscience p>
He gave Leo and Ava a hard look. “Starting today, Leo—you return the house to Yelena p>
In truth, they had long moved out and were renting the place to other tenants. Jack had instructed them to pass that rent along to Yelena, but neither Leo nor his mother had paid him any heed.