For five years after marrying into my husband's family, I worked without complaint, handed over my salary, and took care of everyone, young and old.
My mother-in-law favored her younger son and pressured me to sell my home so he could get married.
My husband watched coldly and let them bully me.
That day, they joined forces to force me to sign a deed of gift. At last, my heart turned completely cold.
This time, I refused to be weak and fought back.
I reclaimed my home, froze the assets, and filed for divorce without hesitation.
The in-laws who had once acted so superior panicked at once and begged me to forgive them through tears.
But I'm no longer the pushover they can manipulate.
For five years of marriage, I became the most obedient housekeeper in my husband's family.
I got up at six every morning to cook, took care of every chore after work, handed over most of my salary as soon as I got paid, and covered the living expenses for the whole family, young and old.
My mother-in-law favored her younger son and treated me like a free ATM. My husband was a complete mama's boy, always telling me to put up with it.
I thought that if I gave in enough, I could keep the family at peace.
They actually wanted to take my home and give it to my idle brother-in-law as a marital home.
I refused on the spot. My mother-in-law immediately threw herself on the ground, wailing and accusing me of being unfilial and hogging the family property.
The neighbors crowded the hallway, pointing and whispering. I was humiliated beyond words.
I looked at my husband, Zhang Lei, but he just kept his head down, playing on his phone. He wouldn't even say a word in my defense.
Finally, he said impatiently, “It's just a house. So what if you give it to him? We're family. Why make a fuss?”
Those words put out every last bit of affection and patience I'd held onto for five years.
It turned out that in their eyes, my efforts, my grievances, and my sincerity weren't worth a thing.
It wasn't until that day that my mother-in-law dropped all pretense.
It turned out I was nothing but a tool for them to bleed dry, an outsider they could manipulate and sacrifice whenever they pleased.
