Afterward, Claire turned to Charlie and said, “Husband, it’s time for you to pack your things!”

Charlie nodded and replied, “Alright, I’ll get started right away.”

Claire then pulled out her cell phone and addressed Elaine, saying, “I’m going to call Dad and let him know I’m moving out today. From now on, I will no longer live with either of you. No matter what mistakes you make in the future, I won’t blame or scold you again!”

Elaine immediately felt a wave of panic.

In this life, Claire was her sole hope.

Without Claire, depending on Jacob would mean she’d never have the chance to turn her life around.

Claire appeared resolute this time. If she actually called Jacob, there would be no turning back.

Desperate, Elaine rushed over and clung to Claire’s legs, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, “Claire, please don’t leave me! Don’t abandon your mom. I know I’ve made mistakes. I realize I’ve been petty and materialistic! I promise to change in the future. Please give me a chance to make things right!”

Claire looked at her mother with an unreadable expression and said, “Mom, if you truly understand your mistakes, then you should apologize to Charlie for everything you’ve said. You should also thank him for saving our lives today!”

Elaine instinctively responded, “Why should I thank that loser? Isn’t it his duty to save us?”

Claire’s anger flared, and she stomped her foot, exclaiming, “You still call him a loser?”

Quickly, Elaine corrected herself, “You’re right, I was wrong. He isn’t a loser. I’ll apologize to him right now!”

With that, Elaine stood up and walked to Claire and Charlie’s bedroom. She hesitated before finally saying, “Charlie, I’m sorry for how I spoke to you earlier. Please don’t hold it against me.”

After a brief pause, she added, “And thank you for saving us today.”

Despite her words, Charlie was still irked by Elaine. His annoyance stemmed not just from her attitude but from the fact that her greed and shamelessness had nearly endangered Claire.

To Charlie, Claire’s safety was all that mattered; he wouldn’t shed a tear if Elaine vanished from the earth. However, if Claire were harmed due to Elaine’s actions, he wouldn’t forgive her, no matter how many times she suffered.

The events of the day were both frightening and frustrating for him. Thankfully, Claire was unharmed, yet Charlie knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to reprimand his mother-in-law in front of Claire.

If only Elaine could show some remorse and develop a conscience after today’s ordeal, that would be a positive change.

As Charlie contemplated this, he made a silent vow to give Elaine one last chance. If she caused trouble again, he would ensure she faced severe consequences that would leave her wheelchair-bound for life.

If she could still misbehave while in a wheelchair, he would take further action to ensure she would never recover!