Chapter 2

At sunrise, I zipped up my suitcase and headed for the front door.

Just as I reached it, the master bedroom door swung open. Lucas stepped out, shirtless. When he saw my suitcase, he froze, his expression quickly twisting into irritation.

"I thought you were above playing these cheap hard-to-get games."

"Fine, my bad. Can you just unpack and get back inside?"

He mumbled the half-hearted apology and reached out to grab my bag.

I stepped aside, dodging his hand. My voice was eerily calm. "Lucas, I want a divorce."

"Are you insane?! We literally just had our wedding! Getting a divorce right now will make a laughingstock out of my entire family!"

He reached out again, taking my hand and giving it that familiar, pleading shake.

We had been together for four years. Every time he crossed a line, he would pull this exact move.

And every single time, I had forgiven him.

Just then, Chloe stepped out of the bedroom. Lucas instantly dropped my hand like it was on fire.

Chloe looped her arm intimately through his. "What are you doing, Elena? I already forgave you for last night."

"Mom and Dad are coming over this morning. You better hurry up and make breakfast."

Ignoring her bossy tone, I reached for the doorknob.

The moment the door opened, Lucas’s parents were already standing on the welcome mat.

They blinked at the sight of my suitcase. Then, Martha grabbed my arm and dragged me back inside.

"Where do you think you’re going with that luggage, young lady?"

Her voice dripped with fake concern.

I had gotten along with them reasonably well before the wedding, but blood is thicker than water. Between her biological son, her precious adopted daughter, and an outsider wife, I had no illusions about whose side she’d take.

Feigning hurt, I briefly recounted what happened the night before, without bringing up the divorce just yet.

Martha rolled her eyes impatiently. "You’re overthinking everything! Family being close is a blessing!"

"Chloe and Lucas grew up under the same roof for over twenty years. They’re soulmates of family. You’ve only been around for a few years—how could you ever compare to that kind of bond?"

Just as I expected. I kept my head down, playing submissive.

Martha turned to Lucas, her face hardening. "A woman only learns her place through a beating. Now that she's married to you, she belongs to our family. How you discipline her is entirely up to you!"

A chill ran down my spine.

Lucas chuckled in agreement, while Chloe snuggled into Martha’s arms, throwing me a gloating smirk.

"See, Elena? You should actually be thanking me. If I hadn’t held Lucas back last night, he would’ve kicked your door down."

I glanced at Lucas, only to see him looking at Chloe with nothing but tender affection.

Leo waddled out of his room. Hearing his grandmother’s words, he rushed straight at me, punching my legs with all his might while chanting, "Hit the woman! Hit her!"

The whole family burst out laughing. Martha even cheered the boy on, telling him to hit harder.

I saw that the front door was deadbolted. Fighting back physically right now would only lead to a beatdown. I gritted my teeth and endured it in silence.

Secretly, however, my fingers tapped my phone screen, hitting record.

Lucas acted like none of this was happening. He walked into the bathroom and came out holding a damp pink bundle.

It was Chloe’s underwear.

After hanging it out on the drying rack with his own hands, he finally turned to his mother. "Alright, Mom. Put her to work. Tell her to cook."

Martha rattled off their dietary restrictions. I walked into the kitchen, my hands trembling uncontrollably.

This wasn’t a marriage. It was a psychological prison. I had to get out.