Chapter 3 daughter-in-law

Luna couldn't remember the last time she had slept more than four hours in a row. The exhaustion was a constant companion now, gnawing at the edges of her mind. She moved through the days like a ghost, drifting between the roles of wife, mother, and daughter-in-law, her true self buried under layers of duty and disillusionment. The house felt like a prison-cold, lifeless, and full of memories that had once been filled with hope.

Every corner seemed to remind her of what was lost. The living room, where Darius used to hold her close on nights when the world outside seemed too big and cruel, now stood empty. His chair sat at the far end of the room, untouched, the soft, worn fabric a silent testament to his absence. Luna could still remember how he would pull her into his arms, her head resting on his chest as they spoke about their future, about the children they would raise and the life they would build together. But all of that had vanished, eroded by time, lies, and betrayal.

She walked through the house, her footsteps heavy. She reached the children's room and stood in the doorway, watching her two little ones sleep soundly. The sight of them made her heart ache. They were so innocent, so unaware of the storm raging just outside their door. They deserved better than this-better than a mother who had become a shell of who she once was, better than a father who had betrayed them all.

As she stood there, lost in thought, a soft knock on the door broke her from her trance. She turned to find her mother-in-law, Eleanor, standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. The older woman's face was as cold as ever, her eyes sharp with judgment. She was the matriarch of this family, the woman who held the reins and expected everyone to obey her commands without question. It wasn't that Luna disliked her; it was more that Eleanor had never bothered to look at her as anything more than an extension of her son's life, something to be controlled and molded.

"Luna, we need to talk," Eleanor said, her voice clipped and authoritative.

Luna's heart sank. She had no desire to speak to Eleanor, especially not now, when everything was so raw. But she also knew there was no escape from this confrontation. Eleanor didn't give up easily, and if she wanted something, she would make sure to get it. So, Luna nodded and stepped aside, allowing her mother-in-law to enter the room.

"Sit," Eleanor instructed, motioning to the chair beside the bed.

Luna hesitated but sat anyway, crossing her legs as she tried to gather her composure. Her heart was beating too fast, her mind racing. She could feel the weight of the conversation pressing on her chest. Eleanor never came to speak unless there was something to be fixed, something to be controlled.

"I've been watching you," Eleanor began, her eyes narrowing. "And I don't like what I see."

Luna's jaw clenched. "What do you mean?"

Eleanor's gaze flicked briefly to the children, then back to Luna, as if weighing her words carefully. "You've let yourself go, Luna. You've become a shell of the woman you were when Darius married you. He's not the only one who's growing tired of this marriage. You're not the woman I raised him to marry. I don't understand what happened to you."

Luna felt a wave of anger rise in her chest. It was as though Eleanor was blaming her for everything. As if the pain of losing her identity was something she could simply shake off, as if the erosion of her marriage was her fault alone.

"I'm sorry if I don't live up to your standards," Luna said, her voice thick with frustration. "But I've had more important things to worry about than looking perfect for Darius. I have children to raise, a household to manage, and a marriage that's falling apart because of his actions, not mine."

Eleanor's lips tightened, and for a brief moment, Luna could see the flicker of something-guilt, perhaps? But it was quickly gone, replaced by the usual cold indifference. "I didn't ask for excuses. I'm telling you, if you don't pull yourself together, if you don't fix this, you'll lose him completely."

Luna stood up, shaking her head. "You don't get it. You never have. Darius doesn't care about me. Not anymore. And I can't keep pretending that he does. I've tried, but I'm tired, Eleanor. I'm tired of fighting for something that's already gone."

Eleanor rose to her feet as well, her posture stiff with indignation. "You'll regret this, Luna. You'll regret giving up on everything. If you think you can just walk away from your responsibilities, you're wrong."

Luna felt the heat of her anger rising again. "What do you want me to do, Eleanor? What do you want me to say? Do you want me to beg for Darius's attention? Do you want me to become a shadow of the woman I used to be, just so he'll notice me? Because I can't do that. I won't."

There was a long, pregnant silence between them as Eleanor stared at her, her expression unreadable. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and controlled. "You think you have the power to walk away from all of this? You don't. You're too weak, Luna. And you know it."

Luna's heart pounded in her chest. The words stung, but they were nothing compared to the betrayal she had already endured. "I'm not weak," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I've spent my entire life trying to live up to other people's expectations. But I'm done. If Darius can't see me for who I really am, then maybe I don't need him at all."

Eleanor's face tightened in anger, and for the first time in years, Luna saw something real behind her mother-in-law's cold exterior-fear. Fear that Luna was finally breaking free.

"You're making a mistake, Luna," Eleanor said, her voice low. "You won't last without him. No one will take you seriously. You'll fade away into nothing."

Luna stood tall, her resolve hardening like steel. "Maybe that's exactly what I need-to fade away and start over. I've spent too long living for other people. Now it's time for me to live for myself."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed, and Luna could see the challenge in them. "We'll see about that."

As Eleanor turned and stormed out of the room, Luna let out a long breath, her body trembling from the tension. She had no idea what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she felt a flicker of hope-hope that she could break free from this suffocating life.