With this feeling of guilt, I woke up early to make breakfast for Alex.
But unexpectedly, there was already visitor at home.
Noisy crackling sounds came from the kitchen, making me uneasy.
Sure enough, Alex's mother, Sarah, emerged with a bowl of steaming soup, smiling. "Ariana, you're awake! Come have some soup. I made it just for you!"
But I sensed something was off.
Sarah had always thought I wasn't good enough for her son and had often belittled me.
Why was she so attentive this time?
There must be a catch.
Sarah continued, "This secret recipe I found with great effort. Drink it. It will help you give birth to a son."
So that was it. Sarah wanted me to give birth to a son.
The bowl of soup was handed to me. It was black and gave off a terrible stench.
I tried to politely decline, but her expression soured immediately.
"You foolish girl, if you don't drink this, what if you have a daughter like you? No, you must drink this soup today!"
She reached out to force it into my mouth.
I struggled, and in the process, the boiling soup spilled on me, and the bowl shattered on the floor.
Just then, the door opened.
Alex's voice called, "Mom, Ariana, I'm back."
Sarah reacted sharply, collapsing to the ground and crying out, "I came here to care for your wife, but I'm treated like a bumpkin. She didn't even taste the soup I made and even splashed it on the floor. My life is so miserable."
Alex's face changed immediately.
Before I could explain, he slammed his briefcase to the ground and shouted, "Ariana, what's the meaning of this? Our quarrel is between us. Why take it out on my mom? You know she raised me alone with great effort, yet you still disrespect her. I regret marrying someone as evil as you!"
But when he turned to his mother, his tone softened. "Mom, Ariana is not sensible. So please don't hold it against her. Come, let me take you to your room to rest and calm down."
Sarah followed him out, still sobbing, leaving me alone in the living room.
A sharp pain shot through my arm, and I noticed my skin was red and blistered.
But Alex didn't see it.
He was so fixated on his mother that he failed to grasp the situation, blaming me entirely.
I wanted to call an ambulance, but my phone was in the bedroom. I picked up Alex's briefcase that he had thrown down, trying to use his phone.