Chapter 3

Gavin sighed heavily, feeling caught in a dilemma.

"Her health isn't great. She gave birth to me and raised me, which wasn't easy. Plus, my sister-in-law is pregnant too, and Lucy needs to cook for her."

"When I was pregnant, Lucy didn't cook a single meal for me," I retorted.

"Why argue about that? You never liked her cooking anyway."

Gavin stopped arguing with me and went out to take a phone call.

Honestly, I never really liked Lucy's cooking, but I just wanted to make my point.

When I was generous, you nitpicked.

When I nitpicked, you talked about being generous.

Humph, it was so unfair.

In the end, it was Lisa who compromised. She felt sorry for me and her grandson, so she moved in to take care of us.

Gavin was quite content and moved into the study, living as if he hadn't become a father.

When I called him to change diapers, he frowned and said he didn't know how.

Lisa quickly stepped in and said, "I'll do it, I'll do it!"

When I asked him to prepare meals for my postpartum recovery, he again made excuses, claiming he didn't know how.

Lisa went online to find recipes. "I'll do it, I'll do it!" She insisted.

"Lisa, we agreed to share responsibilities equally. You're helping me, not him. He should be doing this!" I protested.

Lisa gave me a look filled with meaning. "Family should stick together."

Gavin found an excuse to leave and quickly went out to buy groceries.

"Lisa, if you keep spoiling him like this, once you're gone, I'll be left to handle everything."

Lisa sighed, then said, "You should have thought carefully before getting married. After that, once you are married, you have to learn to compromise. And if you do it backward, that's your fault."

Her words left me speechless, a lump forming in my throat.

"I really feel like getting a divorce!"

"Don't think like that. You're still recovering, and your hormones are all over the place, making you prone to depression. Once you're back on your feet and feeling better, you'll be able to handle things. Josh deserves to have both parents around."

I glanced at my sleeping baby, so adorable.

I couldn't bear the thought of him having an incomplete family.

Time dragged on. Finally, Josh turned three and started kindergarten.

I felt a bit more relaxed, bought a new car, and everything seemed to be back on track.

But then Anthony caught a serious illness.

It was hard to see people's true colors when life was smooth, but when storms hit, the ugliness of human nature revealed itself.

I never expected Gavin to be of no help at all.

"Lisa and I don't have time to take Josh to kindergarten. We need to go to the hospital. You take him."

"It's not my turn this month. You handle it yourselves. Next month is my turn."

I was absolutely livid. Even my colleagues were willing to switch shifts to help, but he didn't care at all.

Any relative or friend would offer some help, whether financially or emotionally. But he stayed completely uninvolved, as if Anthony were a stranger.

This time, I saw things clearly.

If you were heartless, I could be too.

What went around came around. You should pray that it didn't happen to you.

I had never thought I would see the tables turn so fast.

Three months after Anthony was discharged, Lucy had a fall.

Gavin called me in a panic. "Cindy, Lucy is in the hospital. You need to go to the hospital quickly."

"Why should I go to the hospital? I'm at work."

"I don't have time. I'm about to catch a train. You go pay the hospital fees. Lucy fell."

"We agreed to share responsibilities equally. You handle it yourself."

I hung up the phone, and even though Gavin kept calling, I didn't answer.

He sent me a voice message on WhatsApp.

"Cindy, that's my mom. You can't do this. You're her daughter-in-law. Can't you take care of her?"

"Three months ago, how did you treat Anthony? That's how I'll treat Lucy."

I replied quickly and then put my phone on silent.

A while later, my father-in-law, Jack Russell, called.

"Cindy, Lucy is in the hospital. You need to pay the fees."

"Call your son. Why are you calling me?"

"He's on a business trip."

"I'm busy too. We agreed to share responsibilities equally. We agreed I wouldn't handle your affairs, and he wouldn't handle my parents'."

"What nonsense about sharing responsibilities equally? I don't understand that. Hurry up and pay the fees, or if something happens to Lucy, it'll be your fault."

I hung up the phone.

I had taken a leave of absence, thinking if I stayed at the office, they might come to confront me.

Sure enough, after work, my colleague called me.