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Chapter 3 The Blizzard is Coming

"The wine is a reward for the bravest who persist until the end!" That blonde lady spoke with her enchanting voice.

Bob was completely mesmerized.

After each loss, a glass of Romanée-Conti would find its way into his belly.

After downing fifteen glasses, he was escorted out of the casino by the security.

Now, standing in front of Mary, Bob was penniless. He didn't even know how to explain to her what had happened this afternoon. After much hesitation, he finally spilled everything.

What ensued was a confrontation between Mary and Bob, a husband and wife.

Mary exhausted all means on Bob, like scratching, clawing, biting, and pulling. Despite harboring unprecedented resentment and anger deep inside, Bob knew he was in the wrong! He had lost the family's monthly living expenses, so he had no face to show.

‘Without money, nothing can be accomplished! I have to find a solution!’ Bob thought.

Bob suggested, "How about selling my pair of leather shoes?"

The leather shoes, crafted from double-layered calfskin, were far from inexpensive! If sold, with frugality, they could support the family's basic expenses for half a month. Mary hesitated, knowing that the shoes might be the only valuable item in the household. Given the current circumstances, she had no choice but to allow Bob to sell the shoes to make ends meet.

Bob took out the cherished leather shoes, gently dusted off the dirt, and carefully wiped them clean. The leather surface of the shoes was excellent, even in the dim room, it could reflect the light from the TV.

Meanwhile, Lillian had prepared pancakes, using peanut butter instead of honey. In order to let Bob enjoy better-textured pancakes, she even heated the peanut butter, causing it to drip on the pancakes.

Lillian joyfully carried the pancakes to the living room.

Tragically, the wide and round porcelain plate, as a container for food, was just too terrible. Lillian, an eight-year-old girl, didn't have the strength to balance the large plate.

A drop of peanut butter fell on Bob's beloved soon-to-be pawned leather shoes, glaringly obvious. Bob, who was already irritable after being scolded by Mary, finally found an outlet to vent his anger.

"Dad! Please have some pancakes..."

Before Lillian could finish her sentence, Bob, seething with anger, slapped Lillian across her delicate cheek with his heavy and calloused hand, leaving a deep red palm print.

"You useless child! It's all because you come into our house, our days are getting harder and harder. You are a jinx!" Bob pointed at the frail Lillian and unleashed a torrent of abuse, blaming her for the disastrous state of their lives caused by his own incompetence.

Lillian knelt on the ground, her face full of fear, her body trembling with spasms from pain and fear.

Outside, in the desolate winter day, the first snowflake began to slowly descend upon the world.

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