Kelly laughed hysterically from the couch, like my pain was entertainment.
Olivia didn’t even look surprised.
Instead, she looked irritated—at me.
“If a husband goes looking elsewhere,” she said sharply, “it’s because the wife isn’t devoted enough.”
My mouth fell open.
“A wife should forgive,” Olivia continued, as if she were quoting scripture. “A man’s appetites are normal.”
I felt my whole body shake.
That wasn’t “old-fashioned.”
That wasn’t “strict.”
That was sickness.
And I realized something terrifying:
They didn’t see me as a human being.
They saw me as a resource.
A cook. A cleaner. A paycheck.
A shield that kept Larry comfortable while he lived however he wanted.
And that was when my plan began.
Not revenge.
Not drama.
Escape.
But it wasn’t easy.
Because Olivia was smart.
She knew I cared about reputation. She knew my boss, Richard, valued “stability.” She knew I didn’t want anything that looked like chaos.
So she weaponized it.
“If you embarrass this family,” she would hiss, “I’ll tell your boss what kind of woman you are.”
Extortion wrapped in a motherly smile.
For a while, all I could do was endure.
Until Larry’s affair became undeniable.
My friend sent me proof.