Chapter 2

With that thought, something cold and hard flickered in my eyes.

My sister saw I hadn't rushed to comfort her, hadn't made a move yet. She snuck a glance at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

After all, ever since we were kids, if our opinions clashed, I was always the one to grovel and placate her, agreeing to every single unreasonable demand she made.

Right now, she probably just figured I hadn't heard her clearly. So she slowly, deliberately, raised her voice and repeated herself.

"Sis, don't tell me you're still hung up on those old-fashioned, outdated ideas. The one who isn't loved is the third party. The one who should step aside is you!"

"You're not good enough for my Derek!"

Honestly? I really wanted to crack open her little head and see what kind of mush was inside.

I lunged, grabbed a fistful of my sister's sleek black hair, and yanked for dear life. No matter who tried to pull me off, no one could drag me away from her.

My sister probably never expected me to snap like that. She hadn't made any defensive move, and I caught her completely off guard. She could do nothing but lie there and take it as I poured out every ounce of misery from these past weeks.

I straightened up, tears welling in my eyes, and screamed at her. "Since we were kids, you tell me—what have I ever done to you? The best food was yours first. The best toys were yours first."

"Do you know how terrified I was when I got that call from your school at three-thirty in the morning, telling me you were pregnant?"

"I took the earliest flight overnight to pick you up. I didn't dare close my eyes once. I was so afraid you'd get upset. I climbed six flights of stairs—multiple times—to process your leave of absence paperwork."

"I was scared of tiring you out. While you were on bed rest at my place, I wouldn't let you lift a finger. All you had to do was lie in bed all day, clothes handed to you, food brought to your mouth, just enjoying everything I did for you."

"I dare say I've done more for you than your own parents! How dare you do this to me!"

Only then did a flicker of panic cross my sister's delicate face. She realized I was dead serious. She cursed at the crowd standing around watching the show, shouting at them.

"What are you all gawking at? Drag this crazy woman off me! What are you standing there for? She's insane!"

Everyone told me it wasn't worth it, but no one dared get close, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

It wasn't until a familiar figure pushed into my line of sight that I slowly loosened my grip, giving my sister a chance to scramble free.

I smoothed down my wild, crazy hair, trying to hold onto a sliver of dignity. I forced a stiff smile. "Mom, you came? I…"

But before I could finish, my mother-in-law's palm connected squarely with my face. The force was so hard, I staggered just trying to stay upright.

I clutched my swollen cheek and stared in disbelief at my sister, who had ducked behind my mother-in-law for protection.

My voice trembled uncontrollably. "Mom, you knew all along too?"

My mother-in-law's face bloomed with joy. She tenderly brushed the sweat-damp hair from my sister's forehead and asked her, soft and gentle, if I had frightened her.

Then she cleared her throat, planted her hands on her hips, and looked down her nose at me. "If you can't keep your man, that's your own incompetence. He just made a mistake every man makes. If you won't give him a child, plenty of women are lining up to do it for him."

"You and Derek have been married three years. If you can't produce, you have no one to blame but yourself."

"Let me tell you, a hen that doesn't lay eggs can't hog my Derek's nest!"

"This is outrageous. Have you ever seen a woman as cold-hearted as you? You just can't stand to see our family thrive. You're probably hoping our line ends with Derek, aren't you!"

My mother-in-law didn't bother hiding her disgust for me. Her face, twisted with rage, the loose flesh bunching up. Not a single bit of spittle was wasted; it all sprayed onto my face. But I didn't have the energy to wipe it off.

I'd been married to Derek for three years, and my mother-in-law had been making my life hell for three years. I always knew she looked down on me from the very beginning. No degree. No looks. Not just my mother-in-law, but everyone around me said I married way above my station.

So in that house, I walked on eggshells, terrified a single wrong move would offend her.

But even with all that, not producing a child in three years of marriage became the biggest thorn in her side. She picked fights every few days.

But no matter what grievances I suffered in that family, I swallowed them all in silence. I was terrified of putting my husband in a tough spot between me and his mother.

But now, I didn't even know what I'd been doing all this for anymore.

I must have looked utterly pathetic, because even then, I was still trembling, scared stiff by my mother-in-law's casual, dismissive words.