My face darkened. How could he say such things? I couldn't really force Sophia to leave, but how could he shamelessly expect his mother to stay with his ex-wife? Did he have no decency?
Perhaps my glaring expression was too obvious, as he quickly explained, "Uh, Sophia and Tessa just had a huge fight, which disturbed Tessa's fetus. Now, Sophia's at the hospital, and there's no one at my place who can look after her. I need her to stay here for just two more days. Once I'm sorted, I'll take Mom with me."
My face clouded further, and I refused instantly, "That's not appropriate. With Sophia staying here, what will people think? How will my parents see this?"
Tobias understood his request was unreasonable. He opened his mouth to say never mind, but at that moment, Sophia emerged from the room.
“No way, I’m not leaving.”
She strode out quickly, eyes sharp, glaring at Tobias like she wanted to kill him.
“Fiona, you can't make me leave. His new wife is evil! If I go back, they'll bully me to death. She claims her stomach hurts, but she’s just using the pregnancy as an excuse to torment me.”
Sophia’s outburst left me stunned. When I was pregnant, she treated me so well, almost like I could do no wrong. Clearly, she genuinely disliked her new daughter-in-law.
I sighed and looked at her resignedly, “Fine, you can stay.”
I hadn’t told my parents about my divorce yet, but they somehow found out. That evening when I came home from work, I saw Sophia chatting with them in the living room.
Or rather, Sophia was trying to keep the conversation lively while my parents, with somber expressions, sat like they were owed something.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” I asked as I hung my coat in the closet by the door.
“You got divorced and didn’t tell us!” my mother, Grace, snapped. Her piercing voice was something I never could get used to. Grace was always like this—if something didn’t go her way, she wouldn’t let it go.
“I didn’t want to worry you. I planned to tell you later.”
“Later? You’ve been divorced for a month! And you never mentioned it to me or your father!”
“And why is Sophia still living here if you’re divorced? What's going on with you?”
Grace stood up, pointing her finger so close to my face it was almost touching my eye.
“Mom! I’m an adult. I can handle my own issues!”
My tone hardened. This was how it always was. Anytime I was upset, the first thing she would do was question what I had done wrong, instead of whether something was wrong.
Any normal person wouldn’t just get divorced on a whim. From the moment I walked in, she hadn't asked if I was okay, just hurled demands and accusations. That’s why I didn’t want to tell her.
“If you could handle things, you wouldn't be divorced! I warned you about Tobias being careless when you got married, but you didn’t listen. And now look at what’s happened! You’ve made a mess of things!”
Grace criticized my life from her pedestal as if she knew what was best. We were married. Did she expect me to monitor him like a prisoner, never leaving his side?
“Yes, you were right. I should’ve listened to you, stayed single forever since I can’t make any relationship work. I’m just a failure!” My voice rose.
At that moment, my father slammed the table, his voice gruff, “Watch how you speak to your mother!”
For a moment, I felt a deep sadness. I wasn’t this sad during the divorce or when Tobias’s mistress came to me, heavily pregnant. But now, facing my parents’ accusations left my heart feeling stabbed.
Who doesn't want to have a good life? Tobias’s affections strayed and I felt like I couldn’t control him. Should I have held a knife to his throat and another to mine, threatening him to stay faithful?
I was tired—overworked at the office, dealing with difficult superiors, training new interns, and escaping harassment from my ex’s mistress.
Coming home, I didn’t even get a moment to drink hot water before the chastisement started. What else could I do?
I crouched on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, my body shaking. No one seemed to understand my pain.
Grace was about to say something when Sophia stepped in, blocking her path.
“This is all Tobias’s fault. He had someone on the side. Blame me for raising him poorly. It’s my fault for not teaching him right.”
I lifted my tear-stained face to see Sophia bowing, apologizing to my mother. In turn, Grace maintained her haughty posture. A wave of frustration washed over me.
Grace always acted superior in front of Sophia, never considering how difficult it was for me as the daughter-in-law.