Chapter 3

3

The moment I heard my mother's voice, I finally let myself black out.

I couldn't believe the man I had married was this spineless. His whole family was a pack of lunatics.

When I woke up, my mom was sitting by my bed, looking worried sick. Martha and Landon were in the hospital room too, looking sullen and annoyed.

Once my mom was sure I was stable, she let Landon have it. She didn't want to attack Martha directly since they were the same generation, but she didn't hold back on him.

"Landon, I entrusted my daughter to you! Is this how you take care of her? If she had arrived ten minutes later, she would have been dead!"

"And what is wrong with you people? Shoving dirt into her mouth? Do you have any basic medical knowledge at all?"

My family was significantly wealthier than Landon's. My mom hadn't wanted me to marry him because he had nothing to his name.

But Landon had been so charming back then. He treated my parents like royalty every holiday, acting more like a son to them than a son-in-law. Eventually, they gave us their blessing.

Landon always felt inferior around my parents, especially since he was an executive at my father's company. He stood there like a scolded puppy, not saying a word.

Martha looked defensive but forced a pathetic, tearful expression.

"It's all my fault. Please don't be angry. I won't do it again. I was only trying to help, I didn't know it would turn out like this."

Seeing their seemingly apologetic attitude, my mom's anger softened slightly. I was already married, so there wasn't much she could do besides demand a promise that it would never happen again.

As soon as my mom left, Landon's humble act vanished. He slumped into a chair and started playing games on his phone.

He didn't mention the fact that his mother almost killed me. He didn't even offer a word of comfort.

A chill ran down my spine. For the first time, I realized I had made a massive mistake in marrying him.

Martha, meanwhile, was acting busy, fluttering around my bed and apologizing incessantly.

"It's all my fault, Willa. You should have been clearer about how bad the allergy was. Now I feel like a criminal."

I stared at her. I had intended to forgive her, but her words were a slap in the face. She wasn't apologizing; she was blaming me for not warning her enough.

I had told her from day one that I couldn't even be near the smell of seafood. She hadn't forgotten. She had ignored it.

I didn't give her a single smile until I was discharged.

I thought that after this near-death experience, Martha would at least stop making such dangerous mistakes.

I was wrong. When I walked through the door after work, the table was once again covered in shrimp. This time, there wasn't even a bowl of cabbage for me.

The blood rushed to my head. I felt like I was going to explode.

"Are you guys seriously not going to let me eat dinner?" I demanded.

Martha looked up, faking a look of pure shock.

"Oh! I thought you'd eat at the office. I didn't think about you. But it's fine, dear, have a little bit. People say if you eat more of what you're allergic to, you'll build up an immunity."

I was speechless.

If eating allergens built immunity, then why did people die from them? Was she actually insane?

I slammed the bedroom door shut, but I could still hear Sienna's voice from the dining room.

"She thinks just because her family has money, she's some kind of queen. If she doesn't want to eat, she can starve!"

Then came Martha's heavy sigh.

"I've become a stranger in my own son's house. I was just trying to help. Hospital stays are so expensive, and my son works so hard for his money. Why is Willa so inconsiderate?"

Landon didn't say a single word to defend me.

I hadn't eaten all day, but I was so angry I felt full.

That night, I locked Landon out of the bedroom. He pounded on the door, clutching his pillow.

"It's not my fault my mom cooked shrimp! If you want something else, go make it yourself. Stop being so difficult when people are doing things for you!"

He slammed his own door so hard the walls shook. I sat on the bed, tears of frustration stinging my eyes.

I would have made my own food, but when I checked the fridge, it was packed with nothing but shrimp. The kitchen was a disaster zone. Martha had used every single pot and pan in the house, almost as if she were intentionally making it impossible for me to cook.

I called my mom to vent, but she just sighed.

"In-law relationships are always hard, Willa. You can't just get a divorce over some shrimp. Here, I'll Venmo you some money. Just eat out before you go home."

My mom was old-fashioned. She believed that once a woman was married, she had to stick it out. I reminded myself of how good Landon used to be and decided to hold on until my year-end bonus came through. Then, I'd buy a new place and move out.