I sat on the couch in a daze until 7:30 pm when the door lock turned. Eli's mother, Amy Reeves, was back after a night of playing poker.

As soon as she stepped in, she raised her voice in anger. "What's wrong with my son sleeping with another woman? In fact, it's my money that he's spending! If you've got the guts, yell at me instead. What's the point of blaming Eli?"

She grabbed my hair harshly, adding, "You can't even satisfy your husband. What kind of woman are you?"

I no longer felt pain. I had done nothing wrong, yet I didn't dare fight back. It had been three years since I got pregnant. With no job or income of my own, I was completely stripped of the right to speak.

Six months after giving birth to our daughter, Hazel Daugherty, Eli wanted to sleep with me. The pain of childbirth was still fresh in my mind, so I refused. Despite this, he pestered me relentlessly, and eventually, I gave in.

Halfway through, he secretly removed the contraceptive for his own pleasure. When I found out, I lashed out at him. He instantly lost interest and never brought it up again.

A week later, his friend came to persuade me. He told me, "You need to satisfy his needs."

"How could you be so cruel? Are you trying to suffocate my son to death?" Amy shouted.

A video I had seen before on bigamy suddenly surfaced in my mind.

After a moment's daze, I smiled. "Amy, tell Eli to bring her over. Haven't you always wanted a grandson?"

I moved Hazel's and my belongings to the secondary bedroom and even laid out bright red sheets for them. Less than two hours later, Eli returned with his mistress.

She looked very young, no more than 20 years old, yet there was a hint of charm in her gestures. Her chest was full, making her waist seem even slimmer. Her red manicure made her hands look paler.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Eli was only 22 years old himself. They were indeed quite a match.

Amy held the woman's hand with motherly affection while Eli gazed at her with the same tenderness he once had for me.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror by the entrance.

I noticed my old, worn-out clothes and dry, lifeless hair. I looked just like a housemaid. My battered appearance almost made me forget that I was only 24 years old, in my prime.

Indeed, it would be nauseating to look at me. A saying went: as long as one endured, life's hardships would never end.

With a self-mocking smile, I said, "You're back, honey."

The woman rose triumphantly and extended her hand to me. "Hello, I'm Eli's girlfriend. My name is Beatrix Green."

I held her hand and replied, "Hello, Bix. You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

Her hand was indeed smooth and soft

She sneered, pulled her hand back, and wiped it on her skirt as if she had touched something dirty. "Sure, why not?"

I awkwardly withdrew my hand and said, "I'll go cook dinner. Honey, take Bixie to the bedroom and see if she likes the sheets."

An hour later, the table was filled with delicious dishes.

Hazel played with her dolls on the couch while Amy watched TV.

Without even glancing at me, Amy ordered, "Keri, go call Eli downstairs for dinner."

As I approached the master bedroom, sounds reached me, making me blush and my ears burn. While I raised my hand to knock, Beatrix's joyful yet painful moans suddenly intensified.

Eli's breathless voice followed. "Bixie, you're so…"

Was this meant to provoke me?

As I lifted my hand again to knock, the door opened. Beatrix stood there in a camisole. Her face was flushed, with noticeable red marks on her neck.

"Keri, did you come to tell us that dinner is ready? Eli didn't want to let me go until just now. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Beatrix tried to pull this little trick on me. The harder she tried, the more I applauded her efforts.

I raised my voice and said, "Bix, it looks like you have a very flexible waist, but you should learn some restraint."

Not getting the reaction she wanted from me, Beatrix's expression instantly darkened. With a cold snort, she went to eat, and Eli followed right behind her.

The dining table was lively. The three of them ate the meal I had cooked, and Eli kept praising how delicious it was. Even Beatrix reluctantly acknowledged that it wasn't too bad.

I sat at one side to feed Hazel. Only after they finished did I sit down at the table to eat. I had always been the last to eat anyway.

After tidying up the table, their conversation gave me an idea. I was good at cooking. So, why shouldn't I record tutorials and upload them online? Social media was booming in those days. Who knew what might happen?

I knew that I had a tough battle up ahead, and I was determined to win custody of Hazel. I needed the money to support us. So, I put my plan into immediate action.

Starting with lunch the next day, I began filming cooking videos and teaching myself how to edit them.

For the first two days, the response was lukewarm. I added explanations to my videos, and by the third night, my account went viral. It became popular.

Eli and Beatrix indulged in their nightly escapades while I remained quiet and composed. Beatrix eventually gave up after not being able to provoke me anyhow.

My followers kept growing. Then, sponsors started reaching out. That month, I earned more money than I had ever dared to imagine.

One morning, Eli's father, Andrew Daugherty, finally returned home after being out messing around for over a month. A foul stench filled the entire living room when he took off his shoes.

Beatrix had just woken up from a nap. Walking into the living room, she exaggeratedly covered her nose and sneered. "What the hell is that smell? Keri, did you fall into a cesspit?"

I chuckled and looked at Andrew. He was never one for cleanliness, and his shoes hadn't been washed in over a year.

Once, when we left our front door open, even the old lady sweeping the hallway would yell about the stench.

Andrew frowned, but Beatrix kept on mocking me.

"Say something, Keri." Then, she gasped, folded her arms, and laughed. "I get it now. You pooped in your pants, didn't you?"

"Enough! It's my feet that smell, okay?" shouted Andrew. Fuming, he slammed the door and left.

Beatrix shot a look of disgust toward the entrance. Even by dinnertime, Andrew didn't come back after that episode.

As always, I was the one left to tidy up the table after dinner. I hadn't even finished washing the dishes when I heard Hazel crying.

I dropped everything and rushed to the living room, only to find her sitting in a puddle of water with her clothes and pants soaked, crying for her father.

Beatrix sat cross-legged on the couch, nestled in Eli's arm. She was flirting with him.

Rage surged through me. I ran over, scooped Hazel into my arms, and roared, "Who did this?"

Eli lazily pinched Beatrix's waist and looked at me with irritation. "Hazel is so clumsy. She couldn't even hold a cup of water properly for Bixie. It's just a little fall. Kids don't even feel pain. Just go change her clothes. Why are you yelling?"

"You two will pay for this!"

Leaving those words behind, I carried Hazel to the bedroom to change.

She didn't understand that she had been carrying hot water. Her whole hand was bright red from the burn. From the moment I picked her up until now, she hadn't made a sound of pain.

Tears spilled from my eyes. She reached out and wiped my face, saying, "Mommy, don't cry."

I forced out a smile and said, "I'm not crying. Come. Let's change your clothes."

She nodded and obediently let me dress her. Once she got changed, I rushed her to the hospital. Fortunately, the burn wasn't too serious.

By the time we got home, Eli and Beatrix were already fast asleep.

"Eli, you once knelt before me, swearing you'd be a good father," I cursed in my heart.

After tucking Hazel into bed and watching her sleep, I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. When I reached the master bedroom door, I could again hear the disgusting sounds from inside. My hands trembled as I gripped the knife.

"You were heartless, so don't blame me for being ruthless," I mumbled under my breath.

With a loud bang, I kicked the door open. Beatrix was sitting completely undressed on top of Eli. When she saw the knife, she gasped in feigned shock.

"Keri, what's wrong?" Her face was full of panic, yet she didn't stop moving beneath her.

I gave a cold, hollow smile and said, "Eli, Hazel's your biological daughter."

I stepped closed, the knife still in my hand. Panic flashed across his face. He yanked the blanket over himself and shouted, "Keri Bass, are you crazy?"

I swung the knife and embedded it deep into the bedside table.

Realizing that I wasn't bluffing, Beatrix shrieked for help and scrambled to cover herself. I stood over the two of them and looked at their terrified faces with bloodshot eyes.

"Yes, I am crazy! You treated me like a maid, and I endured it. For years, I didn't complain once. But Hazel is your own flesh and blood! Do you even have a heart? She was so obedient. She didn't even cry out in pain. How could you be so cruel?"

I yanked the knife out and pressed the tip against Eli's chest. His skin was already bruised from earlier. His eyes widened in sheer terror.

"Today, I'm going to cut your heart out just to see what color it really is."

"Mommy…"