But on the day I gave birth, my mother-in-law used that agreement like ammunition. She twisted it into a battle, and I had no strength to fight back.
When I woke up after surgery, the first thing I saw was Aunt Clara's tear-streaked face. Then I heard the whispers from the hallway, the gossip from the nurses, and the other patients.
That's how I found out what had happened and how Eleanor had screamed for two hours straight outside the delivery room, her voice echoing through the halls like she was on stage.
Meanwhile, back in the recovery room, Paul just stood there silent against the wall.
No matter how many times I tried to explain, his mother wouldn't hear it. Eleanor even threatened to throw herself off the hospital building if I insisted on registering the baby under my name.
Watching my husband stand there, doing nothing, while his mother raged and threatened, I finally broke.
I gave in.
Who would've guessed Eleanor would go so far as to erase all my official records tied to our home, without even telling me, to crush my hopes completely?
When my maternity leave ended and I went back to work, I walked straight into a nightmare.