“Our precious baby is turning twenty-six this year! Happy birthday, baby!”
“Miranda, Hughie and Daddy have also prepared a gift. Miranda, please open it and take a look!”
I watched Hughie approach with an exquisite gift box. When he opened it, he found a gold bracelet.
My heart began to ache.
Since marrying into this family, I had never celebrated my birthday.
And last month, on my birthday, I bought the new dress I wanted to wear to the parent-teacher meeting.
It wasn’t expensive, only 41 dollars, not even a fraction of what this bracelet cost. But when Hannibal saw me coming back with the clothing bags, he rubbed his brows and said helplessly, “Wife, the company’s performance hasn’t been good lately. Don’t waste unnecessary money like this.”
So, it wasn’t about cutting costs, but rather it was their money that I didn’t deserve to spend.
Miranda saw me standing in the living room, looking surprised and embarrassed.
“Regina is here too? Hannibal said you couldn’t come to my birthday party, so I just called a five-seater car. Why don’t you…”
Before she could finish, my son grabbed her hand, walked out and mumbled, “Don’t take her. She’s an old witch. She’s not even as pretty as your nanny, Miranda. It would be embarrassing if we took her.”
I felt nothing but pity.
The son I carried with all my heart for ten months actually called me an old witch. I said, “Hughie, who taught you to call me that? I’m your mother!”
Hannibal immediately rebuked me, “Hughie! Stop talking nonsense.”
He lowered his head and looked a little guilty as he came over to take my hand.
My fingers trembled slightly and the heart that had long since resolutely left suddenly felt a sense of relief and bitterness.
Perhaps Hannibal was willing to defend me...
But the next moment, his words chilled me to the bone.
He said, “Alright, stop it! Don’t make everyone unhappy. Hughie’s words weren’t nice, but they were true. Miranda’s birthday party is going to be full of internet celebrities and CEOs today. You’ll only embarrass us if you go like this. You can stay home and do the chores. Then reflect on your recent behavior.”
Nancy scoffed, “It’s all your fault. I told you you should marry someone as cultured and presentable as Miranda.”
Gary gave me a disdainful look, which imitated the attitude of his former boss. “You’ve really been being naughty lately. Write a 1,000-word self-reflection by hand and read it to me when you get back.”
The anger within me kept rising and flooded my limbs and my brain.
The next second, I swung the mop in my hand and smashed it against Gary’s face.
“Write my ass!”
Like a madman, I lashed out with the mop furiously at my parents-in-law.
I smashed it against Hannibal, who had hurriedly evaded Miranda by clutching her in his arms.
I smashed it against the coffee table and the TV, which I wiped countless times every day.
Until Hannibal slapped me in the face and roared, “You crazy bitch! I want to divorce you! Get out of here right now!”
At that moment, I felt a sense of relief I’d never felt before.
I dropped the mop and said calmly, “Okay.”
I looked around and saw my parents-in-law. They were hiding in a corner amidst the debris and holding a wailing Hughie, their faces wary. I smiled, took out the divorce agreement again and handed it to Hannibal.
“Sign it. Just in time, the movers I called are here.”
