Chapter 2
By the time Emily changed and came out, Margaret had already left. The breakfast table looked as if it had been hit by a bomb.
Emily repeatedly consoled herself that they would be moving out in just a month. After cleaning up the table, she went to tidy up David’s clothes.
The weather had turned cold recently. David had only taken seasonal clothes when he left last time. Emily was worried he might catch a cold.
After a busy morning, Emily had just made lunch when Margaret called.
“Have you made lunch? Hurry up and bring the food to the mahjong parlor.”
Before Emily could say anything, Margaret had already hung up. For years, Margaret had treated Emily like the family’s maid.
But for David’s sake, Emily still packed up food for Margaret. She had barely eaten two bites herself before rushing off to the mahjong parlor.
“I told you to bring some food and you’re so slow! What else can you do right?” Margaret snapped as she took the lunchbox from Emily, giving her a dirty look.
Mrs. Johnson sitting next to her couldn’t bear to watch and spoke up for Emily. “Margaret, your daughter-in-law is already very good. She even brings you food every day. My daughter-in-law is lucky if I see her once a year on holidays.”
Margaret wolfed down her food while glaring sideways at Emily with a cold smile. “She’s just some country girl from the sticks. She’s living off my son’s money. Bringing me food is the least she can do to show some filial piety!”
By this point, Emily was no longer listening to what Margaret was saying about her. Because she had spotted a familiar pair of muddy old men’s leather shoes.
The shoes that had appeared in her home’s entryway last night were now on the feet of Mr. Johnson, who was playing mahjong with Margaret!
The person in Margaret’s bedroom last night wasn’t George at all, but Mr. Johnson who always played mahjong with Margaret!
Margaret was brazenly having an affair at home!
“What are you staring at? Didn’t you hear what I said?” Margaret slammed down her lunchbox. Her tone was fierce, but her eyes didn’t dare meet Emily’s.
Margaret shoved the lunchbox at Emily. “Forget it! I’m sick of looking at your face! Hurry up and get out of here!”
Emily took the lunchbox and stumbled home in a daze.
She never imagined that Margaret, who was so traditional and conservative, would actually have an affair!
This was David’s mother after all. It wasn’t Emily’s place to deal with this. But David’s greatest wish was for family harmony. If she really told him about this, who knows what kind of storm it would stir up in the family.
Lost in thought, the sky had already darkened outside. Suddenly her phone rang - it was a video call from David.
Emily answered the call and saw David’s handsome but clearly exhausted face on the screen. In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.
“Honey, I got the clothes you sent me this morning. I hadn’t even noticed the weather changing. You’re always so thoughtful.”
Emily forced a smile, but David sensed something was off.
“Honey, did something happen at home? Or did Mom say something to you again? You look so troubled.”
As soon as David said this, Emily felt even more guilty. But she still gritted her teeth and denied it: “No, everything’s fine. Just focus on your work.”
Before Emily could figure out how to broach the subject, she heard the sound of the front door - Margaret was back.
Afraid Margaret would say something unpleasant as soon as she came in and distract David, Emily quickly hung up the call.
Margaret seemed to be in a good mood, humming a tune as she came in. Emily thought it over and decided to speak up with a warning.
“Mother, Father will be retiring and coming home in a few months. David will be transferring back then too. Our family should live peacefully together.”
Emily had meant to remind Margaret not to mess around with Mr. Johnson anymore. But upon hearing this, Margaret glared at Emily with her hands on her hips and started cursing.
“Live peacefully? You dare talk to me about living peacefully? Our family took in a hen that can’t even lay eggs like you. How could we possibly live peacefully?”
“I just saw you acting all sneaky. Don’t tell me you can’t stand the loneliness and you’re flirting with some man online?”
Margaret herself was impure, yet she had the nerve to sling mud at Emily?
“David has been living at work for years. If I really got pregnant now, it would most likely be from fooling around with another man!”
When Margaret heard the words “fooling around,” her expression changed. She glared fiercely at Emily before turning and storming back to her own room, slamming the door shut.