Chapter 2

The dinner ended with the house left in complete disarray.

Linda took her cheque and hummed as she returned to the housekeeper’s room to rest.

My mother-in-law and Sarah sat on the sofa, watching television while ordering me to clean up the mess.

“Put that plate down carefully! It cost a few hundred dollars!”

“Mop the floor properly. How am I supposed to practice yoga tomorrow if there are grease stains?”

Sean had drunk too much and was snoring loudly on the bed in the master bedroom.

I worked until two in the morning before returning to the bedroom with an aching back and sore waist.

I looked at the sleeping man on the bed and suddenly found him completely unfamiliar.

Where had the Sean who used to worry about my hands getting hurt from washing dishes gone? He had even sworn to buy me a dishwasher.

I went to the bathroom to wash up, only to discover that all my skincare products were gone.

In their place was an unopened set of men’s toiletries.

I shook Sean awake. “Where are my things?”

Sean opened his eyes groggily and turned over impatiently.

“Oh, Mom said Sarah’s skin has been dry lately, so she took your SK-II essence and the rest of your products for her.

“You’re at home doing chores every day anyway. Using such expensive skincare would only be a waste.”

My whole body trembled. “Those are my things! How could you take them without asking me?”

Sean abruptly sat up, his brows tightly furrowed.

“Suzanne, can you stop being so petty?

“Sarah is my own sister. What’s wrong with her using some of your things?

“Besides, I’m the one paying for everything you eat, wear, and use, aren’t I?

“Without me, you’d still be a low-level clerk at that lousy company!”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You’re the one paying? Sean, have you forgotten who sold her wedding jewelry to help you…”

“That’s enough!”

He cut me off harshly, his eyes filled with disgust.

“Are you going to bring up something that happened years ago for the rest of your life?

“I could earn that little bit of money back in minutes now! I gave you the status of Mrs. Lowe and let you live in a villa. That’s the greatest repayment you could ask for!

“Stop being ungrateful!”

He pulled the blanket over his head and refused to speak to me again.

I stood beside the bed as tears finally spilled from my eyes.

In his eyes, all my sacrifices were nothing more than “something that happened years ago.”

The woman who shared cheap meals and a cramped basement apartment with him was now nothing but an ‘ungrateful’ wife in his eyes.

The next morning, my mother-in-law’s screams jolted me awake.

“Suzanne! You damned woman! Are you trying to starve me to death?”

I shot awake and glanced at the time. It was only six-thirty in the morning.

Linda used to prepare breakfast at seven.

I threw on some clothes and rushed downstairs.

My mother-in-law stood at the foot of the stairs, holding the “Perfect Wife and Mother” apron. She flung it straight into my face.

“What time is it, and you still haven’t made breakfast? Did you think you earned last night’s reward for nothing?

“Since you accepted the award, you should act like you deserve it!

“Starting today, breakfast for the entire family must be on the table by six-thirty, and you must prepare it yourself!”

Sarah came out of her room with a yawn and leaned against the doorframe to watch the commotion.

“Exactly, Suzanne. Linda is getting old, so you can take care of the menial chores from now on. After all, what other value do you have in this family besides doing the house chores?”

I removed the apron from my face and stared at the four glaring words printed across it.

The last trace of hope in my heart finally went out.

“Fine.”

I answered calmly and picked up the apron before tying it around myself.

“I’ll go make breakfast now.”

My mother-in-law and Sarah exchanged a triumphant glance.

They thought I accepted my fate.

In truth, I was only waiting for an opportunity.