"Look at the life we lead. My clothes, my shoes—your mother, your sisters, even your brother-in-law—they take whatever they want the moment they see it. Things I buy for you disappear within days, only to turn up at your mother's house. I told you to say something to her, to make her stop, but what did she say? She said your husband makes plenty of money, that he's successful, and we're well off. She said he can always buy you more, and that by letting your family share in the wealth, you're the hero, the savior of the family."
"And you. Your mother gives you a few pathetic compliments, and you lose all sense of reality. You just let her keep doing it. I'm telling you, Laoise, I couldn't stand that life anymore. I didn't just marry you; I married a whole nest of vampires. I'm not just supporting you; I'm supporting your entire family. I'm even supporting your brother and your brother-in-law. I've had enough."
Laoise stood there, speechless under the weight of his accusations. She reflected on his words. When her mother and sisters took things from her home, why did she only grumble a little and then let it slide instead of truly holding them accountable?
It was because those were the moments she felt most seen, most acknowledged, and most accepted.
Growing up, she had always been the child with no presence in the house. Her family preferred sons, yet the first and second births were girls. To get a son, Jessica hadn't hesitated to face government fines for exceeding the birth limit; she was determined to keep trying.
On the third try, she finally got her wish: a son. But to her surprise, minutes after the boy was delivered, the doctor pulled another baby girl from Jessica's womb.
Jessica viewed the son as a gift from heaven, but this extra daughter was nothing but an unwanted spare. Because of her, the fines were even higher.
Technically, Laoise was the youngest, but to ensure the only son was pampered by everyone, she was pushed from the "baby of the family" into the role of the third-oldest sister.
The eldest was a girl, but as the first child of the generation, she was still loved. The second daughter was fierce—she knew how to cry, scream, and make a scene. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and she fared well enough. The only son, of course, was treated like royalty. Only Laoise, no matter how well-behaved she was, received no recognition. If she tried to act out like her second sister, she only got beaten. The whole family simply looked past her.
So when her mother and sister took her things and told her she was finally bringing honor to the family, she could only complain under her breath. She couldn't bring herself to settle the score or demand her things back. It was true she lived a bit better now. It was true she could replace those things later.
And so, time after time, she complained with her words but compromised with her actions.
Laoise looked at Percy. Even after witnessing his betrayal, after seeing him and another woman standing before her in bathrobes, she couldn't find the strength to be fierce anymore.
She could only ask him with total bitterness, "But when you were pursuing me, you knew what my family was like. You said that's why you loved me more. You said you'd treat me well for the rest of your life, that you'd take care of me forever. How is it that after only six years, you can't stand it anymore? Didn't you tell me when you proposed that you would face my family with me, that we would get through everything together?"
Percy looked at her, the rims of his eyes turning red.
The conversation that began with "we need to talk" ended up going nowhere. That night, Percy slept on the sofa in the living room.
The next morning, Laoise woke up very early, but she lay still in bed. It wasn't until she heard Percy get up, wash, and head out the door for work that she finally got up. She went down to the living room to look around. There was no trace of anyone having slept on the sofa, and the house felt cold and hollow.
Their wedding photo still hung prominently on the wall. In the picture, Laoise was smiling as if her heart were full of honey. In reality, as she looked at her younger self, a sudden wave of grief crashed over her.
She looked around the house. This small home that had once felt like a warm harbor, though still elegantly decorated, now looked desolate and ruined in her eyes. It could no longer protect her from the storm.
In the bathroom, she stared at herself in the mirror. In just two days, the shock had aged her. At thirty, her eyes already held the weary look of someone who had seen too much.
Thinking of the mess her life had become, she no longer had the energy to deal with Jessica. She had to get her mother out of town so she could think clearly about what to do next with Percy.
She went to the hotel, checked out, and took her mother to the train station. All the way there, Jessica kept nagging and pressuring her, telling her to hurry up and soothe Percy so they could get the money for Fergal's house and find him a job. She insisted that only with such things could Fergal find a wife and bring pride to the Douglas family.
Laoise let her talk the whole way, rarely offering a word in response.
Once Jessica was gone, Laoise finally had the quiet space to think. Percy had been sleeping on the sofa every night lately. She hadn't figured out the next step, and it seemed Percy hadn't either. For the moment, they had fallen into a mutual, silent cold war.
Then Jessica called again, urging her to make Percy buy the house for her brother.
Laoise finally snapped. She said directly to Jessica, "Listen closely, Jessica. I don't have time to worry about your precious golden son right now. Your son-in-law is having an affair."
She expected that upon hearing this earth-shattering news, her mother would take her side. Even if she couldn't step in personally, she should at least have cursed the man for his betrayal.
Instead, Jessica said, "An affair. Well, that's great. Now you have leverage over him. Don't waste this chance. Use it to force him to buy that house for your brother."
Laoise was completely shaken. She screamed into the phone, "You only care about Fergal. Have you ever once thought about me?"