The Cost of a Complete Family Chapter 2

Silent Treatment, is Julian's best weapon.

Next day, when I woke up, he had already made breakfast.

On dining table placed golden oily fried dough sticks, sizzling fried eggs, and a bowl of beef noodles floating thick red oil.

All food I loved before pregnancy, now smell make me sick.

That heavy greasy smell, like an invisible hand, choked my throat.

I covered mouth, face green, rushed into bathroom again.

Behind, came his slow chewing sound, and his complete ignore to me.

Whole day, I almost lived on warm water.

He turned a blind eye.

Off work home, he no longer hugged me asking baby good today not like before, but first time picked up phone, video call with Lila.

"Did Lila eat obediently today?"

"Miss Dad not? Dad bought you new Lego."

"Listen to Mom's words, Dad will go see you soon."

His voice gentle enough to drip water, doting between brows and eyes, was what I never seen.

As if other end of video, was his real family, real wife and daughter.

And I, just a parasitic under this roof, eyesore tenant.

Night, after another burst of severe vomiting, I whole body exhausted, lips cracked.

I leaned on sofa, voice weak said to him: "Julian, help me pour cup warm water."

He was holding phone, screen was Lila giggling sound.

He didn't even lift head, eyes dead glued on screen, tone full of impatience.

"Didn't see I busy? Lila refuses eat today again, I have to coax her."

I looked at that careful pleasing on his face, heart inch by inch cold down.

I no longer begged him.

I supported wall, slowly walked to kitchen myself.

Maybe dehydrated too long, my eyes went black, foot slipped, whole person uncontrollably fell forward.

"Bang" a sound, my arm heavily hit on wall corner, pain made me gasp.

He finally heard movement, but just swept me a glance from phone screen, full of impatience.

"So big person, walk can't even walk steady."

That tone, as if I was such an unsensible trouble.

My heart, at that moment, thoroughly cool through.

Last bit expectation, also crushed by his sentence.

I didn't cry, didn't make noise, just silently walked to water dispenser, poured water for myself, then returned to room, closed door.

I took out phone, sent a message to my best friend Fiona, also a very excellent lawyer.

"Fiona, help me check, during marriage one party continuous funding ex, in divorce property division, count as property transfer not?"

Fiona's call immediately came, voice full of shock and worry: "Serena, what happened? Julian he..."

"Nothing," I interrupted her, voice calm scary, "I just, want for myself and child, prepare a bit in advance."

Julian seeing silent treatment ineffective to me, then started his second step chess —— family affection offensive.

Next afternoon, I received mother-in-law's call.

Phone connected, before I open mouth greet, mother-in-law that sharp mean voice just split head cover face smashed over.

"Serena! I really didn't expect you so unsensible! How can you be so vicious!"

"Lila is Julian's own flesh and blood, is Vance family blood! She sick, miss dad, come home stay few days what wrong?"

"You a stepmother, we not ask you treat her as biological pain, but you can't be so intolerant of her right!"

"You doing this, is poking Julian's heart nest ah!"

Her every sentence, like a knife, sentence sentence stab my heart.

My hands and feet cold, even child in belly, seemed felt this coldness, gently moved a bit.

I steadied mind, used all strength let my voice keep steady.

"Mom, do you know I pregnant?"

Voice on other end choked a bit, obviously, Julian simply didn't tell her.

But just one second pause after, she exploded more righteous anger.

"Pregnant amazing? Which woman hasn't been pregnant? I see you just too delicate!"

"You now precious, even a child can't tolerate, later how be mom? Julian married you back is let you be virtuous wife good mother, not let you be ancestor offered!"

"I tell you Serena, Lila must take back! If you dare make noise again, don't blame me not recognize you this daughter-in-law!"

I didn't speak again.

I just silently, pressed call recording save button.

Then, I calmly hung up phone, and pulled her into block list.

Immediately, I flipped out Julian these days all call records, and his chat records with Giselle, one by one screenshot, backed up to cloud.

Done all this, I looked at gray sky outside window, heart a piece dead silence.

Julian, mother-in-law, Giselle...

They are one family.

And I, from beginning to end, am just an outsider.

A provider of uterus and free residence, tool person.

Since so, then don't blame me, not talk feelings.