Chapter 1

My father had just had surgery for a stomach bleed, and my wife told him to go easy on the drinking.

She'd barely finished speaking when he slapped her across the face.

"My business. Since when does a daughter-in-law get a say?"

"Max, you paid a sixty-six-thousand bride price to bring home this piece of work?"

"No wonder you turned out worthless next to your two brothers!"

"Look at the wives your brothers married. Prettier and smarter than yours, every one of them!"

Staring at the bright red handprint on my wife's face, I froze.

Three seconds later, my chopsticks hit the table with a crack, and I grabbed her hand.

"Fine. Since you think Sabrina and Vanessa are so wonderful, let them take care of you from now on. My wife and I are done waiting on you!"

My father shot to his feet and jabbed a finger at my face.

"No spine, plenty of mouth. Can't even be told anything now, is that it?"

Without another word, I took my wife's hand and slammed the door on the way out.

1

The day my father was discharged, the house filled up with relatives.

At the dinner table, he got in high spirits and wanted a drink again.

For the sake of his health, my wife, Julia Simmons, told him not to.

My father slammed his hand on the table, shot up, and backhanded her across the face.

"Who do you think you are? You've got the nerve to order me around now?"

In front of everyone, she pressed a hand to her cheek, tears standing in her eyes, her face full of shame.

I sat there stunned, then stood without thinking.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

Sabrina held the glass steady and poured my father his drink.

Vanessa spooned food into his bowl.

Neither one made the smallest move to stop him.

My father pointed at the two of them.

"Look at Nathan Whitney's wife and Derek's wife. Which of them acts like yours, forgetting her place?"

My wife's lips moved.

She said quietly, "The doctor said you had surgery for a stomach bleed. You can't touch alcohol."

My father's hand came up again.

I stepped in front of her at once.

His hand froze in the air, but he stabbed a vicious finger at her face.

"Don't act like you've got some authority. That doctor was just scaring people!"

"In front of all these people, a daughter-in-law lecturing her own father-in-law. If you ask me, you just don't know your place and you don't know how to behave!"

My wife lowered her head and went quiet.

I knew how much it stung her.

So I spoke, keeping my voice level.

"Your stomach-bleed surgery cost twenty-three thousand. You're just out of the hospital and you want to drink yourself right back in?"

"So it comes down to money after all!" My father let out a cold laugh. "Twenty-three thousand only looks like a lot to a broke nobody like you."

"I just got out, and Nathan brought me two bottles of top-shelf whiskey, and Derek signed me up for a seniors' tour. Neither of them opens his mouth and starts talking about money like you do!"

I looked at Nathan. He kept his head down and picked up a peanut.

I looked at Derek. He was studying the middle distance like none of this concerned him.

The twenty-three thousand in medical bills, I paid every cent of it myself.

Neither of them stood up to say one fair word for me.

I took my wife's hand.

"Fine!"

"Since Nathan and Derek care so little about money."

"Then from now on you can have them take care of you!"

The moment I finished, I turned and walked out.

Behind me, my father threw his glass down.

"You little bastard. Get married and forget what you're worth, is that it?"

"Let him go. Let him take his wife out to beg on the streets!"

"No car, no house. Let's see how far he gets!"