"You should reflect on this!" he said to me.
"Come on, Mom, let's go out for a walk."
He grabbed his coat, grabbed my mother-in-law, and slammed the door. They were out.
Half an hour later, the AA system suddenly reminded me.
[Household expenses: 500 dollars.]
I looked at the details. Jackie had actually taken my mother-in-law to a hotel for dinner. They ordered a table full of ridiculously expensive dishes and even opened a bottle of vodka. He was deliberately teasing me.
I sneered. I went to pick up my daughter from kindergarten and started cooking for her. But while we were eating, my phone suddenly started ringing like crazy.
My best friend who lives in the same neighborhood as me sent me a bunch of screenshots.
"Lilian, has your mother-in-law gone crazy?"
I took a closer look and saw that she had posted a long advertisement in the neighborhood group chat.
[Seeking a second-married wife for my son. His current wife is lazy and greedy, and is about to be divorced. My son's requirements are as follows: attractive appearance, able-bodied, no bad habits, kind-hearted, and stable income. I'm looking for a single woman under 25 with a monthly income of 2000+ dollars, who must be able to cook and clean the house, can bear a son, and take the initiative to cover the household expenses each month. Thanks in advance!]
Meanwhile, a gossipy neighbor asked, "What's wrong with your daughter-in-law?"
She actually started badmouthing me in the group chat.
"My daughter-in-law isn't honest. My son caught her taking advantage of me today. Maybe she's having an affair..."
My mom was also in the neighborhood group chat, so she naturally saw it.
A few minutes later, someone called.
"Lilian, what's wrong with your mother-in-law? Why is she suddenly slandering you in the neighborhood group chat?" My mom and dad have always loved me, but seeing these things made them even angrier than me.
After I told her the reason, my mom slammed the table in anger, "Divorce! Your dad and I strongly support your divorce!"
My income was already higher than Jackie's, and after all these years of being married to him, not only had my quality of life not improved, but my expenses had actually increased. I had thought our family wouldn't care, but I didn't expect my mother-in-law to slander me so much over a piece of meat. With my mother's support, I became even more certain of my decision to divorce.
Looking at the room full of health supplements, I sneered as I accompanied my daughter. Since she's so concerned that I ate an extra piece of her son's meat, we'll have to settle the bill later to see who spent whose money.
After comforting my mom, I looked at the AA system before me, which kept coming up. I woke up.
[Joint account debit: 1,200 dollars]
It turned out Jackie had taken my mother-in-law to the mall and bought a bunch of clothes.
[Joint account debit: 800 dollars]
Jackie had bought game cards on his own.
[Joint account debit: 400 dollars]
The mortgage was supposed to be paid this month and he was spending so recklessly.
My face darkened as I clicked on the details. I almost fainted. This money was from Jackie, who met his first love at the supermarket, and paid for her son's milk formula.
When I saw this expense, my blood boiled. I asked the system immediately, "System, check for similar expenses!"
I checked carefully. I had no idea that Jackie had paid for his first love—hundreds of them, big and small—this year!
Suppressing my anger, I asked the system, "Will these funds be divided up during the divorce settlement?"
[Of course, expenses not considered marital will be separately allocated and compensated to the other party.]
Thanks, the government!
