Chapter 4

Crash! The porcelain bowl shattered on the floor.

I looked at the mess and shouted sternly.

"You spoiled brat! Do you have any manners?!"

Toby was startled by my voice, then immediately burst into loud tears.

"Bad lady yelled at me! Bad lady!"

Rose immediately hugged her son protectively and yelled at me.

"Summer, what are you doing? You're an adult picking on a child?"

"It's just a broken bowl! Toby's a boy---him breaking your bowl brings you good fortune!"

Edna also charged forward, pointing at my nose.

"That's right! Our Toby is the only boy in our family. He's precious!"

"You only gave birth to a useless daughter. What right do you have to yell at my grandson?"

Not only did Ethan not stop them, he stepped forward.

"Summer, apologize to Toby right now. You scared him. If he has nightmares tonight, I won't let this go!"

This was the simple, honest family I once believed in.

"Apologize?"

"Dream on."

Ethan's patience seemed completely exhausted as he rushed over and ripped off my blanket.

"Fine, you won't apologize?"

"I think you've gotten too comfortable in this VIP room and forgotten who you are!"

He turned to Rose and Edna.

"Rose, Edna, you sleep in this bed tonight."

"This mattress is imported, really soft. Perfect for Toby."

Rose's eyes lit up as she immediately carried Toby over.

"Oh my, how could I?"

Despite her words, she'd already plopped down on the edge of the bed.

I was horrified, clutching the sheets desperately.

"Are you insane? This is my hospital bed!"

Ethan grabbed my neck and started dragging me off the bed.

"Your hospital bed?"

"You're a useless woman who gave birth to a girl. What business do you have in a VIP room? Go sleep on the benches in the hallway!"

I'd just had a C-section five days ago. The wound wasn't fully healed yet.

Being dragged so roughly, a tearing pain shot through my abdomen.

I broke out in a cold sweat, my hands desperately clawing at his.

"Ethan, this is attempted murder!"

Ethan winced but instead of letting go, he pressed me harder to the floor.

"Murder? I'm disciplining my disobedient wife!"

"If you don't give up that bed today and pump that milk, I'll beat you to death!"

Rose fanned the flames gleefully from the side.

"Ethan, you have to be harsh with women like this."

"If you don't beat them, they won't behave. Once you beat them into submission, they'll know how to serve people."

Edna chimed in.

"Exactly! In our village, what woman doesn't get back to work right after giving birth?"

"She's the only one who's so delicate, staying in some VIP postpartum suite. Bah!"

I hit the cold floor hard.

My wound split open. Blood stained my hospital gown.

I stared at Ethan with eyes full of hatred.

"Ethan, you're going to regret this."

Ethan looked down at me from above, his eyes full of contempt.

"Regret? The biggest regret of my life was marrying you!"

"You think you're something special?"

"I'll tell you the truth---I've been sick of your high-and-mighty act for a long time!"

"Once you finish postpartum recovery, get the hell out of my house. You leave with nothing!"

As he spoke, he raised his foot, about to kick my stomach.

Rose shouted excitedly from the side.

"Kick her! Teach her a lesson!"

Just as Ethan's foot was about to land in that critical moment---

BANG!

The heavy solid wood door was kicked off its hinges.

The door slammed into the wall with a deafening crash.

"Who are you telling to leave with nothing?"

Ethan shuddered, his foot frozen in midair.

Everyone in the room turned around in terror.