That night, I sat in the shop until daybreak without receiving a single word of concern from Cindy.
She didn't saunter in until the breakfast rush was long over, and the first thing she did was chew me out.
"It's late—why haven't you opened the shop yet? What's the point of having you here to watch over the place?"
Her tone made it sound as if I owed her and that I deserved nothing better than to slave away for her.
For the past three years, she and I had been running a bakery together.
Every day, before dawn even broke, I had to start kneading dough and then make all the baked goods. All these heavy, grueling tasks had always fallen on me. Cindy only had to come in and man the cashier.
But today, all of a sudden, I just didn't want to go on like this anymore.
I blinked my dry, stinging eyes and let out a soft, bitter laugh, my gaze settling indifferently on her.
"From now on, you can do all this yourself. The bakery is in your name anyway, so it has nothing to do with me."
Cindy froze, as if she hadn't expected me to say such a thing.
Suddenly, an innocent-sounding voice came from behind her, but every word was laced with malice toward me.
"Uncle Gary, if you won't even do the baking, then why are you still clinging to Aunt Cindy? My teacher said that lazy, good-for-nothing people like you are a drain on society!"
I looked over and saw Kevin walking into the shop, holding Andy's hand on one side and Cindy's on the other.
In that moment, the three of them looked just like a family.
Andy looked at me apologetically and said cautiously, "Gary, don't be angry with Cindy. I know it's all my fault—I'm the reason you two are fighting. I'll figure out another way to get Kevin into school, and I'll transfer the deed back to you too. I won't be in your hair anymore."
Before he could finish, Cindy cut him off. "No, I won't allow it!"
She looked at Andy with all the tenderness in the world, but when her gaze turned to me, it was ice-cold and full of impatience.
"If anyone should leave, it's you, Gary. The house has nothing to do with you now, and this shop isn't in your name either. I've been more than kind enough to give you a place to stay, so don't be so ungrateful. Are you determined to destroy this family before you're satisfied?"
Those words jolted through me like an electric shock. My eyes reddened, and I said nothing more.
With a bitter smile, I tore my gaze away from Cindy. But my heart had already sunk into the pit of my stomach.
Just then, Cindy suddenly let out a dry heave.
Kevin immediately burst out laughing. "Daddy, look! The baby in Aunt Cindy's belly is acting up again. Hurry up and comfort her."
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around in disbelief, only to see Cindy's face glowing with maternal radiance, while Andy looked surprised and delighted.
In the three years we'd been married, Cindy and I had never had a child.
It wasn't that I didn't want to, but rather that Cindy took every possible precaution, going to extreme lengths with contraception and never giving me the slightest chance to get her pregnant.
It finally dawned on me now that I was simply never worthy, and the only man she would ever bear a child for was Andy.
"Who's the father of this child?" I asked through gritted teeth.
Annoyed, Cindy shoved me, sending me stumbling to the ground.
I slammed my lower back heavily against the dining table, and a wave of searing pain shot through my entire body.
She brushed past me impatiently and walked out of the bakery. Then, as if afraid I lacked the sense to read the room, she even reminded me, "This is none of your business! Know your place and take good care of Andy and Kevin."
After Cindy left, Andy put on a smug, triumphant look and started ordering me around with an arrogant, condescending air.
"Pour me a glass of water! Give me a shoulder massage!"
Seeing that I remained unmoved, he gnashed his teeth in hatred.
Suddenly, a rat scurried out, startling him. Kevin was so frightened that he fell to the ground and started wailing at the top of his lungs.
Just then, I felt a tremendous force hit me.
A sharp, crisp sound of a slap echoed throughout the bakery. My vision went black, and a deafening roar filled my ears. Then came a numbing and searing pain across my cheek.
The whole world seemed to fall silent.
I turned my head and saw Cindy, her face dark and stormy.
"I told you to take good care of Andy and Kevin. Did my words just go in one ear and out the other?"
