Chapter 6 You Choose

At that moment, it felt like the world was falling apart!

William's words cut like a knife, making Laura's face go pale, her lips losing all color. It was truly terrifying.

Her head buzzed, and it felt like her entire world was collapsing!

Could people really be this selfish, this shameless?

Olivia, who had been crying her heart out just moments ago, suddenly stopped, tears still on her face. She quietly watched the argument unfold. Even John, who was usually so strong, sat there in stunned silence, not knowing what to do.

Seeing Laura's lack of response, William grew more anxious and angry, and he began to speak without restraint.

"Laura, what the hell? Our family has taken care of you for twenty years, we paid for your education, and never asked for anything in return. Now we just need a small favor, and you just stay in silence? Such a let down Twenty years, even a dog would wag its tail at its owner."

"William! Shut up!"

Sensing the tension, Olivia interrupted him, then glanced worriedly at Laura, who looked like she might collapse at any moment. "Laura, please don't be mad. William's just scared out of his mind and talking nonsense. He didn't mean it. He's just afraid the creditors will come after us. You get that, right?"

Laura took a deep breath, pulling her drifting thoughts back, and gave Olivia a sorrowful smile.

"Ms. Smith, I'm not mad. I just want to know, do you want me to save our family? By following William's plan, and spend ten days with that creditor?”

This was truly a difficult choice.

Olivia and John were very satisfied with Laura as their daughter-in-law!

After twenty years together, they knew she was not only beautiful but also gentle, kind, and well-educated—a good girl. So they were willing to ask nothing in return, just hoping she would become their daughter-in-law.

However, now, their irresponsible son just racked up a two-million-dollar gambling debt and wanted to use Laura to pay it off!

They were unwilling to let such a good girl go.

Such a beautiful girl, should she be given away to a man they had never met?

Everyone knew that if Laura agreed to this, the Smith family would never marry her.

Who would want to marry a woman who had spent ten days with another man?

It would be as disgusting as eating a fly!

But if they wanted to protect Laura, William would die.

Without William, how could they marry Laura? Everything would be for nothing!

After much deliberation, they decided to save William first.

They could find another daughter-in-law, even if she wasn't as good as Laura.

But if William was gone, they would have nothing!

Even though they had made their choice, Olivia still felt very guilty.

She knew that what William was asking would ruin Laura's life.

So she couldn't look Laura in the eye, and her words came out hesitantly, "I, I don't want you to do that either. But Laura, William is my only son, and he just wants you to have a better life."

"I understand." Laura nodded, tears she had held back finally streaming down her face. "But you didn’t say that when you knelt before me, begging me to marry William."

"Ah, I." Olivia's face turned red, and she couldn't look at Laura. "I know, but if William is gone, we old folks can’t survive either. Laura, you'll have to take care of yourself."

Laura said nothing, just quietly looked at the family of three in front of her.

Just as William thought she wouldn't agree to pay his debt for him and was about to say something, she suddenly spoke, her voice icy cold.

"No matter what, I owe your family twenty years. If this is the way I must repay it, I have nothing more to say. William Smith, I agree to pay for your debt!"

Hearing Laura agreeing to pay his debt for him, William was amazed, couldn’t believe what he heard.

But then he realized her tone had become so cold and distant, and his face changed, his voice trembling, "Laura, why are you suddenly so distant? Why are you calling me William Smith?"

"Aren't you William Smith?" Laura sneered, her gaze icy and frightening. "We all know that if I spent ten days with your creditor, I'll never set foot in the Smith house again. Honestly, I never wanted to marry you in the first place! So let's be clear. I'll pay for your debt. But from now on, I have nothing to do with the Smith family anymore. I no longer owe you or the family anything! How about it?"

When Laura said such definitive words, John, Olivia, and William's faces showed their true colors!

Forcing an innocent girl, especially someone so close, down this path weighed heavily on their hearts. They weren't bad people, just a bit selfish.

Realizing there was no turning back, William looked at Laura with a mix of resentment and jealousy, squeezing out his words, "You think you can just cut ties with the Smith family like that? Laura, after twenty years of raising you, we get nothing in return? All our efforts for nothing?"

"What were your intentions when you took me in?" Laura sneered, her gaze suddenly sharp and cold. In that moment, she seemed like a different person, no longer the gentle, obedient girl.

"Wasn't it to find a free daughter-in-law? OK then, how aboutI won't sleep with your creditor and will marry into the Smith family instead?"

Seeing him at a loss for words, Laura sneered again, her voice filled with vengeful satisfaction.

"You're afraid of your creditor, and you're more afraid of dying, no? Then don't hesitate, just give me up! Easy! The Smith family raised me for twenty years, but now, I can earn over two millions in just ten days. William, that money is more than enough to cover my living expenses for twenty years, isn’t that right?"

"You."

Her words pierced John and Olivia like needles, filling them with shame. They wished they could disappear. This farce had clearly pushed Laura beyond her limits, and she felt dizzy, using her last bit of strength and said, "Enough! There are only two options: one, I sell myself, and cut all ties with the Smith family! Second, I stay with the Smith family, marry William, and we face everything together! You choose! William, what do you say?"

William felt like he could barely stand, but his mind was clear, so he answered through his teeth, "I, I don't want to die! Laura, you don't want to see me die, right?"

"Great!" Laura's smile was filled with despair. "The decision has been made. I’ll do as you wish! Tell me the time and place then."

"Here…. everything… all in here. He said if you agree to his terms, just follow what's written."

By now, William was too ashamed to look Laura in the eye. He shakily pulled a paper packet from his pocket and placed it in front of her.