Chapter 5 When I got home , the living room was packed with relatives . They'd already set up a funeral altar . Mom's black and white portrait sat in the center , surrounded by white mourning banners hanging from the walls . ] Funeral home staff were waiting outside , smoking cigarettes . ] My heart plummeted as I charged into the house like a woman possessed . ] Seeing me return , Uncle Marcus immediately grabbed me and forced me to kneel in front of the altar . ] ] He slapped me hard across the face , his eyes red as he yelled : " So you finally decided to show up , you heartless brat . Your mom was calling for you when she died . " ] " You … didn't even call her once in two years. " ] Before he could finish , he broke down sobbing . Several aunts took turns trying to comfort him , but ended up crying themselves . [ ] I knelt before the altar , desperately kowtowing to Mom Amid all the wailing , a snide voice drifted from the couch . ] " Oh look , she took all the family money and went off living it up somewhere . " ] " They say you raise kids to take care of you when you're old , but turns out she raised an ungrateful little snake . " That nasty voice - I'd never forget it as long as I lived . [ ] ur just Years ago , when Mom took me to Dad's hometown for Christmas , I'd gotten scalded for an entire hour leg at dinner . Mom had flipped the table and brought me straight home . We never went back to Dad's hometown after that . ] ] Never saw that old witch I was supposed to call " Grandma " again either Now , with Mom's suspicious death , she was back to stir up trouble . The second she finished talking , Aunt Cheryl lunged at her , yanking her hair and slapping her face . [ ] " You old hag , my sister died because of your harassment , and you still have the nerve to show up here ? " ] " She bought her own life insurance , and you people still want the payout ? Have some shamer " ] ] Grandma dodged while screaming back at Aunt Cheryl . ] ] for taking a chicken fe insurance money ? That's all my son's money . " ] ] " What life " She got sick and died on her own - all remaining assets go to my son . None of your damn business . " Aunt Cheryl was a fighter . Grandma couldn't keep up , and her mouth was already swelling from the hits Uncle and aunts from Dad's side rushed over to break it up unfairly , while my other aunts jumped into the fray . The funeral parlor turned into complete chaos . ] ] I just knelt in front of Mom's altar , crying until my heart felt like it would tear apart . The crying , cursing , and chaos quickly drew the neighbors ' attention . ] More people meant even more chaos . Looking around the messy funeral parlor , I finally spotted Dad by the master bedroom door . Mom was already dressed in her burial clothes , lying on the bed in the master bedroom . ] -Dad's face showed no trace of grief - he was bent over comforting a crying little boy beside him . ] The boy looked about four or five years old and resembled Dad quite a bit . ] Behind him stood a woman dressed very elegantly , impatiently lecturing Dad . ] " Isn't the house supposed to be yours ? Didn't your wife transfer it to you before she died ? " ] " Derek , Bobby's starting elementary school soon . Are you going to handle this or not ? "] ] Seeing this mother and son , I finally understood what everyone in the living room had been fighting about . Dad's mistress had given him a son , and he'd been racking his brains to funnel our family's money to them . All that money he'd supposedly sent back to his hometown was just shuffling funds around - it all went to this mother and son . Now that Mom was gone , they were making their move on the house . Dad whispered reassurances to the woman : " I just can't find the deed yet . Once I do , we'll get it transferred over . " ]] " She's dead , so the house should rightfully pass to me . " " Don't worry , Bobby's schooling won't be delayed . " [ ] Uncle Marcus noticed the situation and flew into a rage , rushing over to kick Dad : " The house was my sister's premarital property - it can only go to Delia . " If you dare give it to this homewrecker , I'll hang myself right here . " [ ] Dad stopped pretending then , shielding his mistress and illegitimate son behind him , sneering : " I'm the heir to her estate . That house is mine , and I can give it to whoever I want . " [