Chapter 4

Six months ago, when Percy and I got engaged, his mother filmed a vlog.

Thirty seconds, and two-thirds of the shots were aimed straight at my chest and my backside.

I still remember what she called it.

【Big hips, big blessings. The Lambert family's new daughter-in-law is going to be a real winner.】

The second I came across her video, I handed my phone to Percy.

He was in the middle of a game and barely glanced at it. “My mom's just happy. What's the harm in her posting a video?”

I told him to look at where the camera was pointed.

“You're being too sensitive,” he said flatly. “My mom just started using a smartphone. She doesn't know how to shoot. It coming out like that is completely normal.”

Since I wasn't satisfied, Percy had no choice but to call his mother.

Back then, she deleted the video without a word.

She even made a point of apologizing to me.

At the time, my best friend told me she'd done it to show off and pressure me at the same time.

I brushed off everything she said.

I never imagined the same scene would play out all over again today.

“Eleanor, my mom really just wanted to let everyone know Baby Noah was born. Stop being so paranoid and suspicious.”

“This time I'll speak for my mom. As long as you apologize to her, she'll forgive you and let it go.”

I thought of all the ugly comments sitting under my mother-in-law's post.

I glared at Percy. “Percy, there's no way I'm apologizing to her. If anything, she's the one who should. I'll give her two hours. If she doesn't delete the videos from her feed and from TikTok, I will hold her responsible.”

There was a sharp “crack”, and a stinging heat spread across my left cheek.

Percy was glaring at me, shaking with rage.

“Eleanor, you're so damn unreasonable. Don't think that just because you gave birth I won't teach you a lesson.”

My mother-in-law made a show of pulling at him. “Son, whatever's wrong, it's all my fault. Don't blame her. For your happiness, I'm willing to go back home. If she really doesn't want to apologize, that's fine too.”

Looking at that face that turned my stomach.

I said furiously, “Margaret Finch, drop the act. Don't think I don't know what's going on in your head.”

“If you really knew you'd done wrong, you'd have deleted those two videos already, not stand here playing the innocent little victim.”

In an instant, she clutched her chest and fell backward.

Feebly, she said, “Son, I already apologized, and she's still cursing at me. What does she want me to do? Just because I wanted to share the good news with everyone, she wants me dead?”

Percy rubbed her back to soothe her, glaring viciously at me all the while.

“Eleanor, you're impossible. I'm telling you, if anything happens to my mom, I'll make you pay for it.”

“Son, my chest hurts. I can't stand to look at her, or she really will drive me to my grave.”

Percy helped his mother out of the room.

Before he locked the bedroom door, he didn't forget to warn me viciously.

“Eleanor, the moment you come to your senses and apologize to my mom, that's the moment I let you out.”

“You can stay in here and think about what you've done.”

With a heavy “slam”, the door locked shut.

I pressed a hand to my bleeding wound.

Then I took out my backup phone and made two calls.