For the next five years, George constantly berated me over the smallest issue, sometimes even hitting me.
Seeing me stand still, George’s voice shot up several octaves.
“Are you deaf or mute? I’m talking to you! Go downstairs to that bakery and buy me 2.6 lbs of sweet bean pastries, fresh from the oven. I won’t eat them cold!”
“And get the tofu custard from the alley across the street, extra cilantro and chili oil, plus two freshly fried dough sticks, and go easy on the salt. The doctor said my blood pressure is a bit high, and it’s all because you haven’t been taking proper care of me!”
He lay in bed ordering me around without even lifting an eyelid.
It felt like I wasn’t his son-in-law, but a servant at his command. Seeing George’s casual arrogance, I clenched my fists.
Before, even if I went hungry, I made sure he was fed and comfortable.
But now, knowing everything was a lie, and facing his overbearing attitude, I could no longer endure it.
“I’m not going.”
My voice was steady, but it made George freeze.
He seemed unsure he’d heard correctly, frowning as he looked up.
“What did you say? Say it again?”
I met his gaze, repeating each word clearly.
“I said I won’t buy you anything anymore, and I won’t serve you anymore.”
“And I’m divorcing Anna.”
“Divorce?” George acted like he’d heard the biggest joke of his life.
“Charles, who do you think you are? You dare mention divorce? My daughter joined a top-secret project! That’s an incredible honor, something countless people dream of!”
“And you, instead of supporting her, want a divorce? Let me tell you, absolutely not!”
He snapped, abruptly sitting up in bed.
Hearing his twisted logic, I found it both absurd and pathetic.
“Top-secret project?”
I scoffed.
“Anna didn’t join anything. She ran off with her childhood sweetheart, Michael, and now she’s heavily pregnant! Your entire family has lied to me for five years!”
George’s expression shifted instantly, his eyes flickering.
“What nonsense are you talking about! Anna isn’t that kind of person!”
“You must have heard some rumor; someone must be influencing you!”
“Whether it’s a rumor or not, you know that better than anyone.”
I didn’t bother arguing further and turned to leave.
Seeing this, George panicked, threw off the blanket, and tried to get out of bed, still shouting.
“Stop right there! Charles, you ungrateful brat! Anna married you, and this is how you treat her?”
“I’ll teach you a lesson today!”
He cursed as he grabbed the glass of water beside him, ready to throw it at me.
I stopped and turned back, giving him a cold stare.
“You’d better not.”
“You can’t afford the consequences.”
George faltered under my gaze. After a few seconds, he suddenly remembered something and quickly grabbed his phone to make a call.
“Laura! Get to the hospital right now! That bastard Charles is rebelling!”
“He says he wants a divorce from your sister and claims she lied to him. You need to come control him!”
George’s voice trembled on the phone, as though he’d been deeply wronged.
I ignored him, found a chair in the corner of the ward, and quietly waited for my sister-in-law to arrive.
About ten minutes later, the ward door burst open, and my sister-in-law, Laura Lane, rushed in.
