The Nine-Year-Old Terror: How a Scratched Car Exposed a Toxic Family Chapter 1

My nephew, Leo, used a nail to draw on a car, and the owner demanded compensation.

My mom said, "He's just a kid! What does he know? Why did she park there anyway? She deserved it!"

When I tried to tell them they needed to discipline him seriously, they kicked me out of the house.

On New Year's Day, my nephew flipped over a boiling hot pot, and his actions finally led to a horrific tragedy.

* * *

I had just finished up at work and was planning to go see a movie.

My mom called me.

"Chloe! You're friends with that lawyer guy, right? Hurry up and bring him to the parking lot at our apartment complex! I need to sue someone!"

I could feel a vein throbbing in my forehead.

"What happened?"

It was chaotic on my mom's end of the line, like she was in the middle of a screaming match.

"Leo scratched a car, and this woman has the nerve to demand a thousand dollars from us! It's just a tiny scratch, how could it cost a thousand dollars? This is extortion!"

I rushed home as fast as I could.

A crowd had gathered in the parking lot. My mom was standing right in the center, hands on her hips, occupying the most prominent spot. Beside her stood my nine-year-old nephew, Leo, looking completely unbothered and sporting a cheeky grin.

When Leo saw me, he rolled his eyes.

I took a deep breath and swallowed my annoyance.

I pulled out my phone and asked the car owner for her payment app handle. "Miss, I'm so sorry. My nephew misbehaved, and I apologize for wasting your time. It was a thousand dollars, right? I'll transfer it to you now..."

The car owner was a young woman in her twenties, and she had already been reduced to tears by my mother's screaming.

Seeing a reasonable person finally arrive, she hurriedly pulled up her QR code.

"I'm really not trying to extort you. The scratch might be small, but it goes right across two different panels. I asked the auto body shop, and to blend the paint properly, it really will cost over a thousand dollars."

I nodded and typed $1,500 into the payment screen.

"The extra money is for your trouble and lost time."

Just as I was about to enter my PIN, my mom lunged forward and grabbed my hand. Her grip was like an iron vise, clamping down so hard I couldn't move.

"You stupid girl, do you have too much money burning a hole in your pocket?!"

She then turned to threaten the young woman again. "If you want money, we don't have any! Go ahead and sue us! But let me tell you something right now—this old lady lives in this complex. If a little girl like you wants to start trouble, I have all the time in the world to make your life a living hell!"

The young woman clearly backed down.

She was afraid that getting involved with someone like my mom would bring her endless, inescapable trouble.

Her eyes darted around nervously, clearly wanting to just drop the issue and leave.

I forcefully yanked my hand free from my mom's grip and quickly typed in my PIN.

Ding—

The transfer went through.

The young woman looked incredibly relieved, gave me a quick, grateful smile, hopped into her car, and sped off.

Smack.

A heavy slap landed on the back of my hand.

"Do you have too much money to burn?! I never see you being this generous at home! You ungrateful brat!"

During our struggle just now, she had scratched the back of my hand. Now, with the added slap, my entire hand was swollen and throbbing.

"Mom! Leo scratched someone's car. It's only right that we pay for the damages. Can we please just be reasonable for once?"

I was exhausted.

The onlookers in the crowd also started chiming in.

"Mrs. Miller, your daughter is right. When a kid makes a mistake, you have to apologize and pay for it. That's just how it works."

My mom snapped back sharply.

"He's just a kid! What does he know? Who told her to park her car there? She deserved to get it scratched!"

People started voicing their disagreement.

"You can't say that. The woman parked her car perfectly within the lines of the parking space. How is that parking illegally? Even if she was parked illegally, you call the towing company or the police. You don't go and vandalize the car! What kind of behavior is that?"

...

My mom was clearly in the wrong, and she couldn't out-argue a whole crowd of people. Her face turned pale with anger.

She shot me a vicious glare.

"I'll deal with you when we get home!"

With that, she turned and stormed off.

Leo stuck his tongue out at me and made a face, then hopped and skipped after my mom as if nothing had happened.

Seeing me walking in the direction of our apartment, Leo spread his arms and blocked my path.

"My house is that way. You're not allowed to go any further!"

I couldn't be bothered to argue with him, so I changed direction and kept walking.

Seeing this, he stomped his foot down hard on my white sneakers.

"I said you can't go! I told you to listen to me! I'll stomp on you!"

My brand-new shoes instantly had ugly, dirty footprints all over them.

"Leo! Do you want a spanking?!"

I was furious. I grabbed him by the collar. "Apologize to me, and then wipe my shoes clean!"

Leo scratched my hand viciously. I gasped in pain and let go of his collar.

"Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah..."

He made another ugly face at me.

He didn't show an ounce of remorse.

My mom pulled Leo into her arms and praised him, "Kids are smart when they're playful!"

My temples throbbed.

"Mom, get it straight. What is being playful, and what is being malicious?!"