Chapter 3

How could they see it as if I'd done nothing?

I clenched my fists, suppressing the anger bubbling inside me. "It's unfair for you to say that, isn't it? If it weren't for..."

"You say I don't care about you, that I only care about work and making money? But haven't the earnings I made been invested in your company? And I call you on FaceTime regularly, so it's not like I completely neglect you, is it?"

Robert immediately scowled. "But you didn't even come home last year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, is that acceptable? Besides, my company is doing very well, it doesn't need your investment at all. You just want to use my company to make more money."

"Uncle Robert, please don't be angry," Tiffany quickly stepped forward, gently tugging Robert's arm, a submissive smile on her face. "Emily has it tough working in New York, she definitely still thinks about you both."

But Robert became even angrier after hearing that. "So what if she's a CEO? What's a woman doing working so hard? Her main task is to have a child for our Michael!"

Susan chimed in, "Emily, you're not getting any younger, you really should be thinking about having children."

I rejected it without a second thought. "I've said it before, I'm focusing on my career for the next three years. I'll consider having children after that."

"Three more years?" Robert's face turned ashen. "Can you even get pregnant in three years?"

"Why not?" I met his gaze.

"You—" Robert's chest heaved with anger. "You are truly selfish! What if, in three years, you're too old and can't have children? Will my son have to be childfree with you for the rest of his life?"

I frowned. "I'm only 30, I'm still young! How could I lose my fertility in three years?"

Robert slammed his hand on the table, laying down a harsh ultimatum. "Since you refuse to have children, then I'll have no choice but to persuade Michael to divorce you. I'll have him marry Tiffany!"

I laughed in exasperation.

"When Michael proposed to me back then, weren't you all very supportive?"

I looked at them, my voice calm.

"At that time, your company was on the verge of bankruptcy. If it weren't for my investment, how could your company be making money now?"

"Now that you have money, you want to kick me out?"

I shook my head, continuing, "No way!"

Robert's brows furrowed, and his voice immediately rose. "No matter what, if you can't have children, you're not qualified to be our daughter-in-law! Of course, you still have one option."

I asked him, "What option?"

He cleared his throat, then said, "You hand over your company in New York to my son, resign as CEO, and come back here to take care of us."

Hearing such an outrageous request, I laughed in disbelief.

"That's even more impossible!"

"So you're just going to abandon us?" Susan chimed in, her face full of disapproval.

"I didn't say I'd abandon you," I took a deep breath and offered a solution. "If you genuinely feel lonely, move to New York. That way, Michael and I can visit you often."

Robert immediately waved his hand, looking impatient. "Move to New York? We've lived here for decades, all our relatives and friends are here. Going to an unfamiliar place? We wouldn't get used to it."

Susan nodded along. "Exactly, New York is nowhere near as comfortable as living here. We're not going."

I frowned. "If you don't want to go, and I can't resign, much less abandon my company, then there's nothing I can do."

Robert opened his mouth, wanting to continue yelling, but Tiffany quickly walked over, softly interjecting, "Uncle Robert, Aunt Susan, Emily rarely comes home. It's Thanksgiving, let's not fight."

She then turned to me, her smile docile. "Emily, Uncle Robert and Aunt Susan are just getting older and want someone by their side. It's only natural, you shouldn't be angry."

Robert's expression softened slightly at her words, and his gaze towards Tiffany became instantly gentle. "Tiffany is so sensible, she understands us. Not like you, who only cares about work and money."

I couldn't be bothered to argue with them anymore. Every word felt exhausting, so I turned and walked toward my room.

The moment I pushed open the door, I froze.