Part 3The Ghost Husband Returns

Seeing Harvey lose, Lola clutched her belly and screamed.

"Ouch... my stomach... it hurts..."

"He pushed me! He wants to kill our son!"

"She's pregnant! Don't let anything happen!"

I took out my phone.

"Stomach ache? Let's call an ambulance."

"Pierce knows the director of the City Hospital. Let's do a full checkup."

"And while we're at it, an amniocentesis. Let's see if it's Harvey's seed. I'll pay."

Hearing "amniocentesis," Lola stopped screaming.

"No... it's fine. I just need to rest."

"Harvey, let's go. The energy here is bad."

Harvey got up, glaring at me and Pierce.

"Nicole! Wait and see! This isn't over!"

He helped his cursing mother and guilty mistress away. They scurried off like rats.

Pierce turned around, his cold aura vanishing.

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his eyes gentle.

"You okay? Next time, let me handle the trash."

I shook the megaphone.

"No need for your 'Ultimate Move' on these low-level mobs."

Pierce held my hand. Warm and dry.

"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, they can't do anything."

But I underestimated their shamelessness.

Two days later, I came home to find my lock glued shut.

Harvey's mom was wearing my pajamas, eating a green onion in the hallway.

"Oh, you're back? Buy some ribs. I want soup tonight."

Inside, I almost had a stroke.

Living room trashed.

Cigarette burns on my leather sofa. Harvey smoking with his feet on the table.

Lola at my vanity, smearing my $500 face cream on her belly.

My dog locked on the balcony under the sun, panting.

Harvey blew a smoke ring.

"Nicole, don't bother. I changed the lock. If you don't give the money, we live here."

"Half this house is mine anyway. If we can't live well, no one lives."

"Oh, the dog was too loud. If you don't pay tomorrow, I'll stew it for Lola."

I looked at my Golden Retriever on the balcony. Pierce gave him to me. He was my son.

"Fine. Stay if you want."

I put down my bag and went to the kitchen.

"Want rib soup? I'll make it."

The three of them exchanged victorious glances.

"Should have done this sooner," the old lady grumbled.

I opened the cabinet and took out a packet of strong laxatives I bought for the neighbor.

I dumped the whole packet into the soup. Added lots of pepper to mask the taste.

"Dinner!"

I served the soup, giving Lola a huge bowl.

They were starving. They gulped it down.

"Your cooking got worse. Too bitter," the old lady complained.

Lola was happy. "Sister, I'm the mistress of this house now. You sleep in the maid's room."

"Sure. If you can sleep tonight."

Thirty minutes later.

First the old lady. Face green. A thunderous fart. She rushed to the bathroom.

Then Harvey. Pale faced. Dancing at the bathroom door.

"Mom! Hurry up! I'm gonna explode!"

Finally Lola. Rolling on the floor in pain.