Yet Daniel couldn’t stand losing face. He told everyone my job didn’t earn much.
I struck the final blow.
“You can’t expect me to live worse now than when I was working, can you?”
The living room fell into dead silence.
I looked at their darkening faces and sneered inwardly.
This was only the beginning.
Their so-called good days had just started to unravel.
Daniel’s company couldn’t hold on. Profits plummeted, and the department was abuzz with layoff rumors.
His once-thick bonuses shrank into a few thin bills.
Meanwhile, I completely abandoned financial planning at home.
I had only one task—spending money.
For Ethan’s extracurricular classes, I chose the most expensive ones with foreign teachers.
At home, I replaced every appliance with the newest “smart” version, whether we needed it or not.
I said, “It’s all for this family, for Ethan. We can’t let him fall behind at the starting line. We need to keep up with the times.”
My in-laws didn’t understand, but when the neighbors praised me for being so devoted, they were overjoyed.
The bank balance dropped quickly under my efforts.
Finally, Daniel confronted me in the living room, his face dark, holding a credit card bill.
He slammed it onto the coffee table with a loud smack.
“Emily Carter, are you insane? A hundred thousand! You spent a hundred thousand in just one month!”
His chest heaved with rage as he jabbed at the details on the statement, his voice trembling.
“Imported soy sauce—three thousand a bottle? German dishcloths—five hundred each? What are you, wiping the floor with gold?”
I poured myself a glass of water leisurely, not even looking at him.
“You were the one who promised to give me and our child the best life. And your mom said the Carter family could afford to keep someone who didn’t need to work. Besides, isn’t this the same level of spending as when I was working?”
The only difference was, back then I paid the bills myself.
I lifted my head and stared at him.
“What’s wrong, Daniel? Can’t afford me anymore?”
The words pierced his fragile pride. His face flushed crimson.
“Starting next month, every major expense must go through me!” he gritted out between his teeth before slamming the door on his way out.
The next day, my mother-in-law came over, her voice syrupy sweet.
“Emily, you see how tight things are now. How about… you go back to the corporation for a while? Once Daniel recovers, you can quit again. I promise I won’t stop you then.”
I pulled my hand away, feigning surprise.
“Mom, how could I? When I resigned, my director nearly turned green with anger. If I go back now, wouldn’t it be so awkward?”
“Besides, if I start working again, who will pick up Ethan? Who will cook for the family? Weren’t those the very reasons you pushed me to resign?”
I returned her old arguments almost word for word.
Her mouth opened, but she had nothing to say. She left, sulking.
After that, the atmosphere at home grew unbearably tense.
Daniel worked overtime more and more, returning home each night with a heavy face.
My mother-in-law no longer coddled me, instead sighing in the living room every day, praising other daughters-in-law for being hardworking and supportive.
I turned a deaf ear and continued my extravagant lifestyle.
Soon, it was Ethan’s tenth birthday.
In my past life, I missed his birthday party because I worked on a project for three days straight.
