‘What a generous gesture,’ I thought ruefully.

I glanced down at the figure and counted a five followed by a long string of zeros.

A trashy novel plot cliché plays out in my own life—“Princess Bribed by Witchy Mother.” But no, this was worse. Because it wasn’t the male lead's mother paying me off. What was this supposed to be?

Absurd, basically. "That number is very large," I said.

Definitely set on sweeping me aside for her precious daughter.

Mrs. ...