Chapter 2

Early the next morning, my mother-in-law, Anne Miller, summoned me back to the Miller family's old estate.

The moment I stepped through the door, I saw a crowd of aunts and cousins gathered around Melody in the memorial hall. I stopped short. They must have already heard about the divorce.

When I married Melody, Anne had told me that once I married into the Millers, I belonged to them, and I had to follow the family rules. Any time I did something wrong, I would be summoned to the memorial hall at the old estate to repent.

Anne sat in a high-backed armchair off to one side, watching me coldly. "Kneel."

I pressed my lips together and knelt on the cushion. In front of me stood the memorial photos of the Miller ancestors.

"You're just a man who married into this house, who's never done a thing for this family, and now you want a divorce?" Anne jabbed a finger in my face and tore into me.

"Have you thought about what a divorce would do to Mel's reputation? Your whole family are leeches. You've lived off the Millers' generosity without an ounce of gratitude."

Anne clutched her chest while Greg kept trying to calm her down. "Jason probably just wasn't thinking straight. Give him one more chance."

Melody, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Apologize to Mom, and I'll pretend you never brought up a divorce."

My knees throbbed from kneeling, but I kept my back straight. "I've made up my mind. Melody and I are getting divorced."

Melody's face darkened at once.

Anne scoffed. "Fine. You've got some backbone, I see. Then we'll just have to remind you of your place here."

She grabbed the wooden ruler from the table and brought it down hard across my back.

In the years since I married Melody, I had endured this family discipline more than once. Her relatives would take turns with the ruler, striking me one blow at a time.

The last turn went to Greg. He took the ruler with a look of regret, but his blow came down hard and fast, right in the middle of my back.

The force knocked me to the floor, and I nearly lost my breath. My back was on fire. Blood soaked through my shirt, and the pain left me shaking all over.

A flicker of reluctance crossed Melody's eyes, but she still turned her head away.

"Let's see what your parents think when they hear you're planning to divorce." Anne's voice rose as she took out her phone to call my parents.

My parents were farmers who lived deep in the mountains, and neither of them was in good health. Getting here from their home meant traveling dozens of miles along mountain roads.

"Don't tell them..." I grabbed the leg of Anne's pants, but she yanked it free in disgust.

She ignored my pleading. The call had already gone through.

The moment my parents heard I wanted a divorce, their first instinct was to apologize.

They endured insult after insult from Melody's family and kept apologizing. "We're coming right now, Anne. No matter what, we are family. Please don't be too upset..."

Even after the call ended, the scornful remarks kept coming. "What right do those country hicks have to call themselves my family?"

Anne pulled Melody closer. "I told you from the start. A man like this marrying into our family is an embarrassment."

Then she turned on me. "You'll stay right here on your knees until you admit you were wrong!"

Soon only Melody and I were left in the memorial hall.

The pain in my back kept me from straightening up. Blood glued my shirt to my skin, and all I could do was hold on and keep breathing.

Melody crouched in front of me. "Jason, is it really so hard to give in? Why do you keep comparing yourself to Greg? After my sister died, at least he had a son to raise.

"You've put up with it all these years. Why can't you put up with it a little longer?"

I had heard those words countless times. But I didn't want to put up with it anymore.

When I said nothing, Melody ran out of patience. "Let's see just how stubborn you really are!"

The door slammed shut.

I was locked in the memorial hall for a full day and night. With no food, no water, and all the blood I had lost, everything went black, and I passed out.

When I opened my eyes again, another night had passed. I staggered to my feet. As soon as I reached the door, I heard my mother pleading.

"Anne, Jason's father was in a car accident on the way here. We left in such a hurry. Could you lend us some money for his surgery?"