After Dale, my mother–in–law also chimed in, “She’s right. Once a woman has a baby, she should just settle down and stop thinking about nonsense.”
I grabbed my phone and purse and headed for the door. Colin was standing there, as if he wanted to say something.”
So I paused, waiting.
After a moment, he opened his mouth. But in the end, he said nothing.”
What a shame. Even when given one last chance, he still couldn’t take it.”
Just as I was about to walk out, Colin suddenly grabbed my arm, putting on a fake look of concern. “Roxanne, why don’t you just go back with Mom for now? Let me talk to Dale, maybe I can talk some sense into her–“>
Before I could shake him off, Dale stormed over, snatched my purse from my hands, and yanked open the zipper. She then dumped everything onto the floor in one rough motion.
She picked up my bank card and glared at me. “I heard people throw farewell parties when they quit. What a waste of money! Every cent you have belongs to our family. If my brother doesn’t say yes, you’re not spending a dime!“}
Then she stomped on my phone with all her weight.
As a result, the screen shattered.
wwwww
“You’re not working anymore, so what do you need a phone for? From now on, Mom will give you fifteen dollars a month, cash. That’s all you get,” Dale added.
I turned to look at Colin.
But he just looked away, silent, eyes downcast, like he couldn’t even bear to face me.
And in that moment, whatever feeling I had left for him vanished completely.§
The three of them shoved me out the door and slammed it shut behind me.
I stood there in the hallway, still catching my breath, and heard laughter echoing from inside.
“Finally, some peace and quiet!” Dale cackled.
“See, Colin?” my mother–in–law said. “This is what happens when you spoil your wife too much. When she comes back home with me, I’ll teach her how to behave like a proper daughter–in–law.”
Colin’s voice came next, hesitant and low. “Don’t you think this is a little too much…?”
“Too much?” Dale snapped. “She got what she deserved!”
I leaned against the wall, my stomach aching in waves.
Baby, I’m so sorry. Your mom couldn’t even protect you before you were born.
Right then, the elevator finally arrived. I stepped in slowly, one hand gripping my side as the pain throbbed.
When I reached the ground floor, a sharp gust of cold wind hit me. I wrapped my arms around myself for warmth.§
With no phone and money, and being eight months pregnant, there was no way I could walk to the company like this.
And even if I got Dale fired, it wouldn’t be enough to erase the pain they’d caused me.
Suddenly, I remembered my brother had mentioned he’d be in town for a business trip this week.
I hurried toward the convenience store near the gate of our apartment complex.
The shop owner, a woman in her fifties, had seen the drama at our place yesterday and looked at me with genuine sympathy, sighing, “Girl, you’ve really had it rough. Hope you don’t mind me saying it, but that family of yours? They’re total lunatics. You’re gonna have a hard life if you stay with them.”
“When a woman gets pregnant, that’s when a man’s true colors show. Shame your belly’s already so big. If it weren’t, I’d tell you to get rid of it and file for divorce,” she said, shaking her head in pity.
I was stunned. For someone her age, she was seeing things far clearer than I had.
I nodded slowly and rasped, “Could I… use your phone to make a call?“N
She nodded and quickly pushed the phone toward me.
My hands shook as I dialed the number I knew better than my own name.§
The second the line connected, I burst into tears. “Bro, they’re treating me like trash.”
My brother’s voice came through immediately, full of panic. “Roxanne, don’t cry! Tell me who did this to you. Send me the address. I’m coming right now!”
Thirty minutes later, five black Rolls–Royces pulled up in a perfect line outside the gates of my neighborhood, Roxanne’s POV
Leading the fleet was a sleek black Rolls–Royce bearing the plate “1.”
My brother, Silvester Harris, stepped out of the first car, flanked by two bodyguards in sharp black suits and a man carrying a briefcase.§
He walked straight toward me and draped his cashmere coat over my shoulders without saying a word. When he saw my swollen, red eyes, his warm expression immediately turned ice–cold.
“Who did this to you?”
D
6:44 AM
J
“Who did this to you?“}
I pointed upstairs, choking back my voice. “They’re up there.”
Silvester turned to the man with the briefcase and instructed, “Attorney, you know what to do. I want them, and all their things, gone from my sight in five minutes.“}
