Ethan suddenly barged in, pointing at me accusingly. “Claire, with that attitude, do you really think I’m going to take care of you when you’re old? If you’re too stingy to drop sixty grand, you’re just setting yourself up for a lonely death. Let’s see who’s going to be there for you!”
“Who said I’m counting on you to look after me?” I replied, my voice icy. “Just because I don’t plan on getting married doesn’t mean I don’t want kids. I’d rather spend my money raising my own children than waste it on you.”
My mom was taken aback. “Who are you going to have kids with?”
“Adoption. I don’t need to give birth myself,” I said. “There are plenty of kids in the system who need a home. I’ll have plenty of choices.”
“That’s ridiculous!” My mom snapped, getting worked up. “Those kids aren’t even related to you!”
“If I raise them, they’re mine,” I said, locking eyes with Ethan. “Better than relying on an ungrateful brat like him.”
“They’re not your blood! What kind of nonsense is this?” My mom fumed. “We should spend our money on family, not waste it on strangers! You’ve got plenty of cash, why throw it away on other people’s kids?”
“If you don’t like it, I’ll move out.”