Chapter 3

"I gave it to your sister-in-law."

I was nearly out of my mind with rage. "Anthony, have you lost it?!"

I forced myself to calm down, then turned on the recorder.

"I'll ask you one more time. Where did our $20,000 in wedding cash gifts go?"

"Didn't I already tell you? I transferred it to your sister-in-law, and Mom and Dad transferred their savings over too. We're going to make a killing with them, so don't you get jealous!"

"You're sure all $20,000 went into Shirley Swanson's account?"

"I'm sure. Shirley and I went to the bank to do it right after dinner today!"

I was so angry I couldn't speak.

"I can leave your salary alone, but half of that $20,000 in wedding cash is mine. What gives you the right to transfer all of it to Shirley Swanson without my consent?!"

"Oh, listen to you, so stingy. We're all family. Shirley's just helping us manage our money. She's not going to keep it from us, is she?"

I quietly saved the evidence.

"She'd better give it back."

I didn't sleep a wink all night, and the next morning I got up and packed up all the milk, ham, and toast in the fridge.

Anthony got up and saw it, rubbing his eyes as he asked me, "Why are you hauling all that stuff off?"

"I bought all of this. I'm taking it to work to eat."

"Mildred, is all this really necessary over a little food?!"

"It is!"

"From now on, I'll eat lunch at the company cafeteria and dinner out. You take care of your own three meals a day."

We used to eat a little toast, ham, and fried eggs for breakfast, and I'd make and pack Anthony's lunch the day before.

After work in the evening, I'd stop by the market to buy groceries, then go home and cook, so Anthony could have a hot meal the moment he walked in the door.

I used to be a good wife.

Now all I wanted was to be a passable roommate.

"I've only got two hundred left in my pocket. That's not nearly enough for three meals a day eating out."

"If it's not enough, figure it out yourself."

"Lend me five hundred first."

"No."

I picked up my things and left without glancing at Anthony even once.

Just before quitting time that evening, Anthony messaged me.

"On your way back, buy a durian at the supermarket by our place. It's on sale today."

I replied, "You can't buy it yourself?"

"You know I'm broke."

"No money, no durian."

After work, I first grabbed a bowl of beef pho downstairs from the office, with a small side dish and five lamb skewers.

It came to thirty total, cheaper than buying groceries.

And eating something already made, without putting up with the smoke and heat of the kitchen, felt incredibly nice.

On my way home after eating, I passed the supermarket by our building and bought a big premium Musang King durian.

It only cost five hundred. Really was cheap.

When I carried the durian home, Anthony was slurping up instant ramen.

His eyes lit up when he saw the durian in my hand, and he immediately put down his ramen and came over to take it.

"I knew you talked tough but were soft inside. Best wife ever."

I pulled the durian away.

"This is for me to eat."

"Can you finish a durian that big all by yourself?"

"I can!"

I cracked the durian open right in front of him, and the aroma instantly filled the whole room.

I saw Anthony swallow hard.

I picked up the biggest piece of durian flesh and took a big bite.

"So sweet."

Anthony broke. "Mildred Lyons, you really won't give me even one bite?"

"Not one!"

"Fine, eat it all! Stuff yourself to death!"

Anthony stormed into the bedroom in a huff, then came back out not two minutes later.

"Tomorrow's Saturday. A few of my buddies are coming over. Cook a few dishes tonight—we'll eat at home."

"How many meat, how many vegetable?"

Anthony thought about it. "Let's do six meat and four vegetable, plus a soup. Four people are coming tomorrow."

He muttered to himself, "Ten dishes and a soup should be enough for six people."

"You want seafood too?"

"Then throw in some river crab, and make some shrimp."

I opened the calculator on my phone and added it all up. When I finished, I looked up and asked him.

"That's eight hundred total. How are you going to pay for it?"