Chapter 8: The Argument
However, as his pockets grew deeper, Parson’s vanity and arrogance quietly took root, and his disdain for Daphne’s sister increased daily.
Anne Finney was also an Ivy League graduate at the time. When she first joined Milan Securities, she was even Parsons’ superior.
But later, she fell in love with Parson and lost herself.
For the sake of family, she resolutely gave up her career and became a full-time housewife.
At first, when she was pregnant, Parson’s parents swore they would help take care of the child, promising the young couple a worry-free life.
But what happened? Anne’s firstborn was a daughter, and their expressions immediately changed. Their earlier promises evaporated, and they kept making excuses, postponing their help indefinitely.
Later, when their second child was born, they found another excuse—that Parson’s sister had just given birth to twins and needed more attention.
The key issue was that Parson agreed with them. He outright rejected his parents’ insincere gestures and self-righteously told Anne, “Wouldn’t it be better if we took care of our children? That way, we’ll be closer to them.”
And just like that, Anne was utterly trapped in the role of a full-time housewife. From dawn until midnight, she was like a spinning top that never stopped.
Before five in the morning, she had to prepare breakfast for the whole family. After breakfast, endless housework awaited her—Parson’s suits and shirts had to be ironed by hand, and he insisted that the robot vacuum didn’t clean the floors well enough, demanding Anne scrub them on her knees.
Moreover, Parson grew tired of eating frozen food and required Anne to buy the freshest vegetables and fruits from the market daily.
After school, Anne had to help the children with their craft projects and baking assignments.
Yet Parson wouldn’t even play baseball with the kids. When asked, he always said he was too tired and didn’t want to move.
On the surface, Anne seemed to live a well-off life, but in reality, she was nothing more than a high-class, unpaid maid. Her life was consumed by household chores and childcare, leaving no room for the brilliance and freedom she once had.
Daphne saw it all and felt her heart ache.
After graduating from university, she didn’t take the usual route of working at a company because leaving home meant she couldn’t help her sister. Instead, she pursued her passion for sculpture and opened a small studio.
Her studio, located in a quiet alley near Central Avenue in the western part of the city, had walls adorned with her works.
Daphne’s business was doing well, going from being unknown to gradually building a customer base. She earned at least thirty to forty thousand a month. Half of her earnings went into a fund under Anne’s name, which neither her brother-in-law nor Anne knew about.
This was Daphne’s way of giving her sister a safety net.
On the other hand, Anne is worried about her younger sister’s living alone. They had been inseparable since childhood, and she never moved out even after getting married.
At first, Parson didn’t object and was relatively friendly toward Daphne. Every time they met, he would greet her with a smile, ask about her work, and even offer occasional advice, making Daphne feel that he was a decent brother-in-law.
However, as the two children grew older and Parson’s career became more stable, his attitude toward his sister-in-law sharply turned. He became distant, even annoyed.
One day, Daphne had just picked up the kids and was about to knock on the door when she heard a heated argument inside.
“I just find it inconvenient. What’s wrong with that?”
Parson’s impatient voice echoed like a brewing storm. “You can lounge around in loose pajamas or even a towel at home. Can I do that? She’s your sister, but to me, she’s a stranger. I can’t just walk around in my underwear, can I?”
“Parson, don’t you think that’s absurd?”
Anne’s voice carried grievance and anger, like a wounded fawn crying out. “Now that you have a daughter of your own, wouldn’t you consider how she’d feel if you walked around naked at home?”
Her eyes turned red, tears welling up. “I was just making a point. How can you be so unreasonable? I want you to understand that having an outsider in our home makes me uncomfortable. And she’s a woman! Do you expect me to act like some pervert in front of your sister?”
Parson’s voice grew louder, his emotions spiraling out of control like a runaway train.
“But she’s my sister!”
Anne choked up, her throat tightening as if something was stuck inside.
“She’s unmarried, she has no partner. If she doesn’t live here, where can she go?”
Her hands trembled slightly.
“Doesn’t she have a job? Doesn’t she earn money? Even if she can’t buy a house, she can at least rent one, right? Our neighborhood isn’t that expensive; she can afford it.” Parson’s voice was laced with sarcasm.
Anne took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
“You’re just making excuses because you don’t want her here.”
“You’re breaking our promise.”
Anne wiped her tears away.
When she married Parson, she made it clear that Daphne had to live with them—it was a condition of their marriage. Parson agreed without hesitation.
Anne was willing to give up her job and become a full-time housewife.
But now, Parson twisted the story, claiming that he had agreed only because Daphne had just started university and needed a place to stay. Now that she was an adult, why was she still freeloading?
“Hah! She wants to take advantage of us, living here rent-free. Do you know how much this house cost me? Three hundred grand! Do you think making money is easy? Why should she stay for free? She can pay half the mortgage if she wants to live here!”
Parson’s voice dripped with resentment and calculation, like a miser guarding his fortune.
Hearing her husband’s cruel and heartless words, Anne shook her head in disbelief, disappointment filling her eyes. “She’s my sister, Parson. How can you say something so ruthless?”
Parson closed his eyes in frustration, his chest rising and falling rapidly, like an enraged bull. He roared, “Then tell me this—why do you complain when my sister visits for a few days, but your sister gets to live here for years? Is it fair for me to work my ass off, earning money to feed you all like a beast of burden?”