Ten Days to Leave My Stepbrother (Beatrice) novel Chapter 4

**Across Quiet Meadows Rise Dreams Waiting For Their Moment**
**Chapter 4**

Once Beatrice had emerged from the shadow of her illness, the very first task that occupied her mind was to meticulously calculate the financial burden the Melton family had shouldered for her care over the years.

Seated at her desk, the soft glow of her bank card reflecting the late afternoon light, she began her daunting task. Each expense since she had first stepped into the Melton household a decade prior was laid out before her like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Tuition fees, utility bills, the myriad of living expenses—all of it added up to a staggering total of five million dollars.

Her heart sank as she considered her late father’s inheritance and the modest value of their family home, which together barely amounted to over three million dollars. Even when she factored in her hard-earned savings from the part-time jobs she had juggled over the years, she still found herself short by approximately a hundred thousand dollars.

The realization hit her like a cold wave: she would need to secure employment before her departure, a daunting task given the circumstances.

As a passionate photography student, Beatrice decided to leverage her skills. She hastily crafted a post online, announcing her availability for photography gigs, hoping to catch a break.

To her surprise, the response was overwhelming. Within a short span of time, eight clients reached out, eager to book her for everything from wedding photography to graduation portraits.

She accepted every opportunity that came her way, working tirelessly from dawn until dusk. Exhaustion often crept into her bones, making it a struggle to stand upright, yet she never uttered a word of complaint.

In a moment of reflection, she recalled her mother’s words about Derek—how he had been divorced before their paths crossed, a detail he had chosen to keep under wraps.

Their relationship, as her mother often described, was decent at best. Beatrice had never considered her mother a homewrecker; the truth was that neither she nor her mother had ever harbored any desire for the Melton family’s wealth.

As her departure loomed closer, Beatrice felt a pang of concern for Maverick. She didn’t want him to harbor resentment towards her mother, who would remain intertwined with the Melton family.

This was the driving force behind her determination to repay the money owed.

After enduring six grueling days of relentless work, Beatrice had managed to scrape together just over five thousand dollars.

Just as anxiety began to gnaw at her for the slow progress, a golden opportunity presented itself.

A client reached out, requesting her services for a birthday party, offering a fee that exceeded thirty thousand dollars.

However, this generous payment came with a catch.

The client warned her that the birthday girl was notoriously picky; only if she was completely satisfied would Beatrice receive the full payment.

Desperate to make up the shortfall quickly, Beatrice agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

On the day of the celebration, she arrived, her camera bag slung over her shoulder, only to be greeted by familiar faces that sent a jolt of unease through her.

A sharp pang of bitterness shot through her chest as she spotted Maribel, resplendent in a princess dress and tiara, with Maverick standing proudly beside her in a sleek black suit.

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