I took out my phone and found a photo that was sent to me through the Airdrop.

It was a wedding photo; Bernard and Hanley’s wedding photo.

There was also a wedding invitation attached and the invitees included my son, daughter-in-law and my father.

I was not included and indeed I should not be included.

The wedding date was next Wednesday.

It was the day of the business trip that Bernard and I mentioned and it was also... the anniversary of the death of my and Bernard’s eldest daughter.

Bernard was actually going to marry Hanley on this day?

Looking at this photo that was sent to the wrong person, my hands were shaking badly.

At this moment, the door was pushed open and my son walked in with a swagger and patted my shoulder.

“Mom, my wife’s friend is getting married next Wednesday and we are invited to attend the wedding. Go pick out some dresses these two days. Oh, by the way, Grandpa is going too. The one getting married is a very important friend of ours, so you should pay more attention to it.”

After my son gave me instructions, he went out, leaving me and Bernard to face each other in silence. I hesitated for a moment, raised my head and looked into Bernard’s eyes.

“Next Wednesday, are you going on a business trip?”

Bernard was dazed for a moment and nodded. My heart completely cooled down and the last bit of fantasy was shattered. Sure enough, I shouldn’t have asked.

I tossed and turned all night with something hidden in my heart and I couldn’t fall asleep. Bernard couldn’t bear it anymore, pushed me fiercely in the middle of the night and got up to sleep on his side.

I fell asleep at dawn and at 4:30 in the morning, my biological clock woke me up again. I loved to sleep in before I got married. In the years after marriage, in order to serve my family, no matter what time I went to bed, no matter how sad I felt, I would wake up at 4:30.

Except for my father who went out to exercise, everyone else in the family was still asleep and I walked very lightly.

I went out like a zombie, carrying a basket of vegetables.

When I passed the park, I met my father, who was talking with two old men.

My father pointed to the photo of the dress on his mobile phone with a proud look on his face.

“My goddaughter is getting married next Wednesday and I will wear this. Isn’t it stylish enough? I didn’t sleep all night last night and picked it all night!”

“Oh, this dress is not cheap. Mr. Maldonado, you really spent a lot of money this time. Why haven’t I heard that Mr. Maldonado has a goddaughter? Don’t you have Hadley as your daughter? Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Hadley for a long time.”

My father waved his hand in disdain, spitting.

“Don’t mention her, don’t mention her. Let me show you my goddaughter, a very pretty girl and she’s also the secretary of the president of Nova Group! She’s very capable, filial, sensible and sweet-mouthed. In the future, I’ll rely on my goddaughter to support me in my old age!”

Amid the compliments of a group of old men, my father became more and more proud.

I lowered my head and wanted to leave quickly.

“Hey, Mr. Maldonado, is that your Hadley?”

My father looked over.

The moment I met his eyes, I felt a little embarrassed.

My father didn’t care whether I heard what he just said and he hooked his finger at me like he was calling a dog.

“I have a wedding to attend next Wednesday. I’m going to wear this dress. 11,000 dollars, you transfer it to me.”

“Whose wedding? Are you all going, but I’m not going?” I asked softly, but my father lost his patience.

“Why are you talking so much? The wedding is held in a five-star hotel. Have you ever been to such a place? You will behave like a country bumpkin who has never seen the world. You will only embarrass our family. Just prepare the money for the gift. I will bring it to you. Don’t go. Just show your intention. You are as fat as a pig. To be honest, I don’t even want to admit that you are my biological daughter.”

I was stunned.

My father snatched my phone and used the Bernard secondary card I bound to swipe 11,000 dollars and drove me away impatiently.

“Why don’t you go buy vegetables quickly? Is breakfast ready? I will go home and eat it later! You are so slow. Are you going to starve your dad to death? You are so unfilial!”

I mechanically moved my steps and walked toward the vegetable market.

The morning sun outlined the outline of my shadow.

I staggered, fat and bloated.

My eyes began to ache again.

After numbly preparing a large table of breakfast, my son and daughter-in-law came downstairs after a long time. They took a bite and threw away their chopsticks fiercely.

I was shocked.

“No more!”

The buns dipped in porridge were thrown on the table, soupy and messy.

“Is this for people? It’s so cold, even dogs won’t eat it!”

I rubbed my fingers helplessly on my apron. I heard footsteps on the stairs and looked back.

Bernard didn’t even raise his head, concentrating on swiping his phone.

When he came to me, he threw his phone on the dining table.

“You didn’t listen to what I said last night at all and you spent another 11,000 dollars? You only know how to eat, drink and have fun every day. Hadley, you don’t feel bad for spending money that’s not yours, right!”

I opened my mouth and wanted to explain.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m going to work.”

Bernard gritted his teeth and nodded at me, grabbed his coat and slammed the door and left.

I stood there for a long time, then staggered upstairs.

In the next few days, I kept the house in good order and worked very hard.

Bernard was a little surprised, but he didn’t mention it. He just enjoyed it with a clear conscience. When he encountered something unpleasant at work, he got angry with me less.

The night before Bernard and Hanley’s wedding, perhaps out of guilt, Bernard treated me much better.

“You will be alone at home tomorrow. If you are bored, go out shopping. I will reimburse all the expenses.”

The tone of alms was a favor and a reward, like coaxing a pet dog.

“Go to bed first, get up early tomorrow.”

I lay flat on my back, staring at the ceiling in a trance. My waist ached badly, but my heart was as calm as a pool of stagnant water.

I didn’t want to live this kind of life anymore. In the rest of my life, I wanted to change everything.

Bernard rarely got up early. At three o’clock in the morning, he pushed me awake and asked me to help him dress.

I took off his ironed suit and put it on for him carefully.

When I walked out of the room, my son and daughter-in-law, who liked to sleep until noon, not only got up early, but also changed into dresses. My daughter-in-law was putting on exquisite makeup.

My son asked me to pack bags for him and his wife.

I was busy making breakfast and had to do chores for them in my spare time.

The hot breakfast was on the table and the family was noisy and ready to go out.

“No time to eat, I still have to be a bridesmaid.”

I looked at my son.

“I won’t eat either. I’ll go directly with my wife.”

My father agreed.

Bernard patted my shoulder.

“Eat it yourself.”

I glanced at the breakfast for four people on the table and said nothing.

The doorbell rang.

I walked over to open the door. Hanley, wearing a bright red cheongsam, stood at the door with bright makeup.

My daughter-in-law came up to her excitedly.

“You are so beautiful today, Sister Hanley!”

I sneered. Hanley and I were the same age, but my daughter-in-law kept calling her Sister Hanley.

Hanley gently hugged her daughter-in-law.

“Jasmine is also very beautiful today. It’s almost time, you should leave first, don’t delay. I’m here to pick up Mr. Chavez for a business trip.”

Everything was ready and the family took their own things and prepared to leave.

My daughter-in-law rushed to get her bag, but it was at this moment that something went wrong.

She bent down, accompanied by a sharp tearing sound.

A big hole was torn on the back of the dress.

Everyone ignored me all morning, but now they all focused their attention on my face.

“Mom, didn’t you personally choose Jasmine’s dress and keep it in your care? How could this happen!”

My heart skipped a beat when my son asked me this.

This dress did go through all the processes by me, but after my daughter-in-law tried it on, I just put it away and never touched it again. I didn’t know why this happened.

My mind was spinning rapidly, thinking about the possibility and solution of the change.

Bernard pushed my shoulder hard.

“What did you do to Jasmine’s dress! Even if you are dissatisfied with the family members attending the wedding without you, there is no need to use such a despicable method!”

I was thinking about something and I was pushed and fell on my back. The back of my head hit the ground and I grimaced in pain.

I stared blankly at the furious Bernard.

The door of the house was open and the residents upstairs and downstairs listened to the quarrel inside and curiously looked in.

When I realized what Bernard said, my tears flowed uncontrollably and I yelled in anger, “It’s not me, I didn’t do it!”

Bernard sneered, “If you dare to do it, you must admit it! Even if you didn’t do it, you didn’t keep it properly. You can’t escape the blame for this matter!”

Hanley came over and comforted Bernard. “Don’t be angry, Mr. Chavez. Hadley is clumsy and it’s terrible that she failed at the critical moment, but it’s normal.”

Bernard’s anger hadn’t subsided yet and someone knocked on the wide-open door again. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. We got the wrong dress that this lady ordered and accidentally gave her the defective one. I hope our mistake didn’t delay your time.”

The staff held the dress, looking apologetic. I slumped on the ground and looked up at Bernard, but he looked at me mockingly and sneered. “Didn’t you study design in college? You also designed dresses when you started working. Now you can’t even see the problem with the dress. I don’t know if it’s intentional or your skills are too low. I feel sorry for your former clients!”

I was so angry that I was shaking and my eyes went dark again and again.

My daughter-in-law hurriedly changed into a new dress and Hanley walked out holding Bernard’s arm.

The door was closed heavily, isolating me from the outside world.

My coccyx was in pain again and again and I couldn’t stand up.

The noise was all silent and I could hear my heartbeat and the movement of my hand in the silence.

In the dead silence,the sound of my mobile phone vibrating was particularly clear.

The message from my daughter-in-law popped up.

[I’m sorry,Mom.The store sent me a text message about the dress.I was so excited this morning that I didn’t check my phone.I apologize to you on behalf of Dad.He was a bit harsh this time.You haven’t worked for so many years.How can you remember the knowledge you learned before?You don’t have to buy food tonight.We’ll pack some food for you after dinner.What about the food in a five-star hotel?You’ve been saving for half your life.You probably haven’t eaten it.Consider it as an apology from your daughter-in-law.]

It wasn’t bright yet,it was gray.

There was only a bright light from the phone screen in the house,which stung my eyes and made me cry uncontrollably.

I swallowed all the pain and suffering of twenty years by myself.Everyone took my efforts for granted and everyone despised me for enjoying myself at home.

I wanted to end it all.

At five in the morning,I got up despite the pain and fell asleep on the bed.

I woke up naturally at eleven o’clock.I packed up everyone’s things except me in the house,put them in a suitcase and threw them downstairs.

I changed the password of the password lock at home,printed out the divorce agreement I had prepared a few days ago,signed it and sent it to Bernard’s company.

This house was left to me by my mother who died young and it was my pre-marital property.

Now that I was divorced from Bernard,I naturally wanted to take it back.

After doing all this,I made an appointment with a well-known photographer to take wedding photos for myself.

Wedding dresses were every woman’s dream,but getting married was not.

I would compensate myself little by little for the twenty years I was owed.

Looking at the empty house,I breathed a sigh of relief.

I always felt that the house was full,but in fact,there were very few things that belonged to me.

I prayed for my eldest daughter as I did in previous years.

After so many years,it seemed that I was the only one who remembered her.

Then I handed their luggage to the doorman,packed my luggage and embarked on my dream-chasing journey.

From now on,my life belonged only to me.