After all, I wasn’t one to meddle in other people’s affairs, especially when I was this tired. I leaned back, signaling the driver to keep going.
My boyfriend had been away on a business trip I assigned to him, so no one was home to cook.
After a relaxing bath, I settled into the couch, ready to order takeout.
Suddenly, I heard loud banging on the door.
Puzzled, I stood up and opened the door, only to be knocked over as a group of people stormed in.
To my shock, at the forefront was my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Beatrice.
“You filthy tramp! Harper’s been away for only a few days, and you’re already sleeping with another man!” she yelled, kicking me as I struggled to stand.
One of the men shoved a phone in my face, filming everything.
“Look at this whore, everyone! She might look decent, but she’s as wild as they come!”
Enraged, I smacked the phone out of his hand, my hands shaking with anger.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? This is illegal – you can’t just barge in here!”
Beatrice just scoffed, kicking me again.
“Illegal? This is my son’s house! I don’t need your permission to come here. And don’t think you can get away with this – someone’s got to deal with you since my son’s not here!
“You think you can cheat on my son after I spent so much money to bring you into this family? I’ll beat you to death for this!”
I was stunned, about to ask if she had the wrong person, when she grabbed my collar and slapped me twice across the face, hard enough to make my ears ring.
I was dizzy and disoriented from the blows, sitting on the floor for a long time before I could even process what was happening.
The onlookers’ faces were filled with disgust, and their comments were even nastier.
“Well, well, it’s you! Always dressing so fancy, but who knew you were so disgusting in private?”
“Your husband’s only been gone a few days, and you’re already in a hurry to cheat? Back in the day, you’d be drowned for this!”
One of the sleazier male neighbors even leered at me, suggesting I look him up when I couldn’t get satisfaction elsewhere.
I clenched my teeth so hard I nearly shattered them. Never in my life had I been insulted like this.
But for the sake of my boyfriend, I held back my anger and tried to speak as calmly as I could.