I was discharged a week later. During that time, Patrick hadn’t called me even once.
I had finally seen how cold and heartless he could be. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel too upset—perhaps because I knew our divorce was imminent.
With no expectations, there was no room for heartbreak.
When I returned home, I discovered I couldn’t get in.
I immediately guessed they had changed the door code. This family truly had no boundaries.
I called a locksmith to open the door, only to find the house completely transformed. All of my belongings were gone—even the tiny photo of my daughter.
At that moment, I hated Patrick and his family to the core.
But I quickly calmed down. Their extreme actions might actually serve as solid evidence for the divorce I so desperately needed.
I considered changing the locks but hesitated.
I wondered—if they didn’t know I was back, would they let their guard down and do something revealing?
So, I installed surveillance cameras around the house and then hid in the bedroom.
It wasn’t long before my in-laws returned.
My mother-in-law, as usual, spoke loudly the moment she entered.
"In a few days, Patrick will bring Kevin back, and our family will finally be reunited."
My father-in-law’s voice followed, hesitant and cautious. "But I feel like Patrick isn’t entirely willing to divorce Andrea. Do you think he still has feelings for her?"
I couldn’t help but laugh silently at his naivety.
"Feelings? What feelings?" Eliza scoffed. "Patrick’s heart has always been with Ria. Why else would he have rushed to her side the moment she got into trouble? Let me tell you, Ria and Patrick are the perfect match. Their bond since childhood is unmatched."
Her words hit like a dagger. Ria—Patrick’s childhood sweetheart. Back then, part of his tuition fees had even been paid by Ria. His entire family owed her gratitude.
I clenched my fists tightly.
"Then why doesn’t Patrick just divorce Andrea? Why all this hesitation?" My father-in-law, honest as he was, seemed genuinely confused—at least compared to my mother-in-law.
"You’re so naïve," she said, her tone laced with disdain. "Patrick has been living in her house all these years. And even though those savings were under his name, it takes time to transfer them around. Isn’t that obvious?"
Finally, the truth spilled out. This was their real motive.
"If Andrea comes back and finds us still here, with the password changed, she won’t let it go," my father-in-law said, a trace of concern was evident in his tone.
"Let her try," my mother-in-law sneered. "What can she possibly do? She put on a brave front that day, but you two were terrified. It’s been days, and there’s been no sign of her. See? Nothing to worry about."
Watching her smug face on the surveillance feed, I was overwhelmed with the urge to burst out and slap her.
"After all these years, she’s always obeyed me. I know her too well. If she can tolerate staying married, it’s better that way. Sure, Patrick and Ria have feelings for each other, but Ria’s circumstances can't compare to Andrea’s. Other than giving us a grandson, Ria doesn’t have much to offer. If Andrea can turn a blind eye and just keep living like this, it wouldn’t be so bad."
Her calculations were meticulous, her plans for her son’s future perfectly laid out.
"To be fair, Andrea isn’t bad," my mother-in-law continued. "Her only mistake was insisting on having just one child. If she’d had a boy, fine—but she had to have a girl. And when she finally got pregnant again, her body failed her, and she lost it..."
Hearing them mention my daughter, Amy, filled me with regret and anguish.
I wanted to storm out and confront them, to demand answers. But my rationality won out over my impulses.
