Chapter 20: No Way Out
Daphne Anne looked at the mess in the house and felt an instant headache. She hurriedly stopped the two children, saying, “Stop jumping. Both of you! If you keep bouncing on the bed, what if you fall later?”
Her voice carried urgency as she tried to calm them down.
Before she could finish speaking, her husband’s sister burst in like a whirlwind. Without a word, she raised her hand and delivered a slap across Daphne Anne’s face. It was quick and vicious—a crisp “smack” echoed through the room.
“You just can’t stand that I have two sons. How can you be so malicious, always cursing my children?”
Her eyes were wide, and she glared at Daphne Anne with a fierce look that seemed to suggest she wanted to tear her apart.
Daphne Anne clutched her burning cheek in shock, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.
“Big Sis! I didn’t mean it that way! I just saw the kids jumping around on the bed, and it’s unsafe. If they fall, you’ll blame me again!”
Her voice trembled, filled with grievance and helplessness.
“Of course, I’ll blame you! If something happens in your house, who else should I blame?”
Her sister-in-law pointed a finger at her nose and continued aggressively, “As an adult, you’re supposed to watch over them and protect them so they won’t fall. Why do you have to speak so viciously? Always talking like you’re cursing my sons! Is that how an aunt is supposed to behave?”
Her voice was sharp and piercing, buzzing as she continued relentlessly ranting.
“But Big Sis, if I watch over the children, then who will cook?”
Daphne Anne explained helplessly, her voice growing weaker. She knew reasoning with her sister-in-law was futile, but she had to try.
Before she could say more, her mother-in-law strolled into the room, a slow and deliberate pace, with a mocking smile on her face.
“If you don’t want to cook, just say so. This is the first time I’ve visited my daughter-in-law’s house and didn’t even get a proper dinner.”
She scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“I can see you weren’t sincerely planning on hosting us. Just look at what you bought—what kind of food is this? You know we love meat, but you went and bought an entire basket of vegetables!”
She pointed at the basket on the floor, her face filled with disdain.
“Did Parson not give you enough money? As far as I know, he gives you $1,500 every month. What can’t you afford? Even $100 is enough to buy four pounds of shrimp!”
Her tone was blameful, as if everything was Daphne Anne’s fault.
Hearing her mother-in-law’s sneering voice, Daphne Anne immediately realized she must have rummaged through her shopping bags in the kitchen earlier. Rage surged within her, but she was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t even speak. It felt like a massive stone was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She could only stand there helplessly, tears flowing uncontrollably.
Just then, her husband, Parson, walked in. His mother and sister rushed over to him, seizing the opportunity to accuse Daphne Anne first, pouring out exaggerated complaints about her so-called “crimes.”
Seeing Parson heading toward the bedroom, Daphne Anne opened her mouth to explain. But before she could utter a single word, he raised his hand—
Smack! Smack!
Two harsh slaps landed on her face, making her see stars. Her ears rang from the impact.
His voice was filled with fury:
“How could you be so cruel? When I first met you, you weren’t like this! Even your figure has changed, and so has your attitude, hasn’t it? I see it now—you don’t want this family to be happy. You won’t stop until you make everyone miserable, is that it?”
His accusations stabbed her like knives. Daphne Anne felt overwhelmed with grief as tears drowned her vision.
Parson lashed out at her without understanding the situation, his emotions raging, even resorting to violence.
The warmth and affection in his eyes from before were long gone. Now, his gaze held only disgust, as if she were the person he despised most in the world.
Daphne Anne instinctively took a step back, her body hitting the wall.
Her legs trembled. If not for the wall supporting her, she would have collapsed onto the floor.
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
They say domestic violence happens only once—the first time, and then countless times after.
She looked at Parson as if he were a stranger, staring at him with cold, hollow eyes.
The two children stood nearby, their tiny bodies trembling.
The eldest, Bao, tightly held Erbao’s hand. Fear and confusion filled their young eyes.
Hearing their soft voices, Daphne Anne clenched her fists tightly.
Her knuckles turned white from the force, veins popping on her hands.
She desperately wanted to scream, “Get out of my house!”
She even had the impulse to rush to the kitchen, grab a knife, and end it all with these leeches living off her.
But the words never left her lips.
Her gaze swept across the room and landed on the two innocent children. Her heart softened.
She couldn’t go to prison.
This family would be destroyed entirely if she acted on her anger.
She couldn’t even shout for her husband’s family to leave—because this house wasn’t hers.
She was merely a “tenant.”
That’s right. The property deed only had Parsons’ name on it.
When planning their wedding, Parson secretly made the down payment on a house and then proposed to her with the property deed in hand.
He claimed it was to give her a stable home, but he didn’t want her name on the deed.
Daphne Anne’s sister, Anne Finney, had argued with her over this.
Anne believed Daphne was being far too naive. How could someone as intelligent as Daphne—an Ivy League graduate—fail to see through Parson’s calculation?
To Anne, love was terrific, but financial security and legal rights were just as important in marriage.
But at that time, Daphne had been blinded by love. She saw only Parson’s tenderness and promises, dismissing Anne’s warnings as excessive caution. The sisters had fought bitterly over it.
Now, as she recalled Anne’s repeated, well-intentioned advice, regret burned deep inside Daphne.
After they married, Parson claimed he had no money left for renovations. So, Daphne—eager for a warm home—emptied her savings to renovate the new house.
And just like that, she gave up everything for him.
Once again, Anne tried to talk sense into her, and they fought.
Anne had been heartbroken. She couldn’t understand why her sister would willingly cut off all her escape routes for a man.
Now, standing in this suffocating room, Daphne finally understood.
She had fallen into a trap of her own making.