Chapter 44: Chpater 44: Idea

Chapter 44: Chpater 44: Idea Her lower back ached, and her swollen feet throbbed, but the sight of George lounging on the couch, engrossed in his video game, made her frustration burn hotter than any physical discomfort. She turned to him, her voice laced with exasperation. "George, can you at least help me clean up? I’ve been at this all day. The dishes I left for you in the sink are still there. You said you’d wash them." George barely spared her a glance, his fingers furiously pressing the controller buttons. "Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it later." Emily gritted her teeth. "You always say that, but you never do. You haven’t lifted a finger to help since—since forever! I’m exhausted, George. This isn’t fair." He let out a dramatic sigh and finally looked at her, rolling his eyes. "If it bothers you so much, why don’t you just do it yourself?" Emily felt something in her snap. Anger surged through her veins, so intense it blurred the edges of her vision. Her hands trembled as she clenched them into fists at her sides. "Are you serious? I am carrying your child, George! And you can’t even be bothered to do the bare minimum? If you were going to treat me like this, why did you even get me pregnant in the first place?" George didn’t respond. He merely shifted in his seat, eyes glued to the screen as if she were nothing more than background noise. His silence was a slap in the face, a cruel dismissal of everything she was going through. Emily’s chest tightened, and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. Before she could say another word, the bedroom door creaked open, and Margaret, George’s mother, emerged. She was a tall, imposing woman with a sharp gaze that could slice through steel. She surveyed the room with a look of disdain before her eyes landed on Emily, who stood there shaking with fury and despair. "What is all this shouting about?" Margaret demanded, her voice dripping with irritation. Emily turned to her, struggling to contain her emotions. "Your son refuses to help around the house. I asked him to wash the dishes, and he completely ignored me. I can’t do everything alone." Margaret scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, for heaven’s sake, Emily. Are you really making such a fuss over something so trivial?" Emily’s jaw dropped. "Trivial? Margaret, I am pregnant. I am exhausted, and your son acts like a guest in his own home while I slave away." Margaret’s lips curled into a patronizing smile as she stepped closer. "Oh, poor you. Acting like you’re the first woman in history to carry a child. You should be grateful, Emily. Do you know how many women struggle to conceive? You should be thanking my son for blessing you with his child." Emily’s breath caught in her throat. "Are you seriously implying that I should be grateful for being treated like a maid? For being ignored by my own husband?" Margaret clicked her tongue in disappointment. "You young girls these days have no sense of duty. Back in my day, women didn’t whine about doing housework. We did our jobs without complaints. George is the man of the house. He works hard. The least you can do is ensure he comes home to a clean space and a peaceful environment." Margaret’s eyes turned cold. "You really have no respect, do you? Always running your mouth, making my son out to be some villain. Have you ever considered that maybe you’re the problem, Emily? Maybe if you weren’t so difficult, George would want to help. But no, you have to nag and complain, making everything about you." Emily’s hands trembled. "That’s not true! I just want some support! I didn’t sign up to be treated like a servant!" Margaret let out a sharp breath as if exhausted by Emily’s defiance. "Listen to me, young lady. If you want to stay married to my son, you will learn to be more obedient. You will stop this ridiculous complaining. And you will do what is expected of a wife and mother. Do I make myself clear?" Emily opened her mouth, but no words came out. The lump in her throat was too big. Her fingers curled around the fabric of her dress, her nails digging into her palms to keep from screaming. George, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, let out a sigh and finally spoke. "She’s right, you know. You’re overreacting. You need to chill. Maybe you should control your mood swings." "What mood swings? They are just lies made up by young woman nowadays to justify their overreaction. In our times, we never had mood swings. We used to do all the house chores, take care of our husband, and raise the son properly while pregnant. Pregnancy is no big deal." Emily turned to look at George, expecting him to say something. George remained silent. His silence was his answer. Emily’s breath hitched. A single tear slipped down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. She had hoped—prayed—that George would say something, anything, to defend her. But he didn’t. He never would. Margaret placed a hand on George’s shoulder, giving him a satisfied nod. "Good boy. Now, Emily, stop with the theatrics and get back to work." Emily felt something inside her break. She looked between George and Margaret, two people who were supposed to be her family but felt more like enemies. She had never felt so alone. As she turned away, she made a silent vow to herself: She would leave this piece of trash. ..... The next day. Adam took Aurora to do some tests and then left her under Olivia’s care. Aurora asked Olivia to take her to some shopping mall, as it would be a long time before she could see the shopping mall again. Olivia agreed, her heart was aching. She couldn’t understand why her little sister had to suffer so much. Aurora strolled through the shopping mall with Olivia, her expression light and relaxed, as if she were merely enjoying a day out.