Chapter 10 The Pressure from My Mother–in–Law
The photos looked warm and harmonious, but to me, they were a humiliation.
48 Pearis
The actions of this stay–at–home mom were frustrating. Just because I declined her event, she posted these pictures on her Instagram? She exposed the cracks in my family and turned me into a joke for everyone to
Human nature can truly be dark.
I couldn’t let her get away with it. The moment I saw the photos, I immediately called her.
“Mrs. Hartwell…” she answered the phone with a smile in her voice.
“Delete the photos on your Instagram,” I demanded coldly,
Her smile faded, and she responded with an innocent tone, “What’s the problem? It’s just a few pictures of the kids making cake, a beautiful moment to share.”
“It may seem like a beautiful moment to you, but that beautiful moment‘ shouldn’t come at the cost of interfering with someone else’s marriage. I know your husband works with the Hartwells. Shawn has a good temper, but if he finds out you’ve posted his photo online …”
I’ll delete them right away,” she quickly agreed. But before hanging up, she deliberately added, “I overheard Mr. Hartwell and the others talking earlier. They mentioned that Mr. Hartwell wants a son. Also, his assistant seems to get along really well with your little girl. Now that we’re on the topic, are you starting to feel a bit of pressure?”
I sneered. “If you think your family is so happy, try checking your husband’s phone. You might find some interesting surprises.”
The woman quickly hung up with a snap.
From what I knew, any successful man was rarely content at home. All of the rich wives were in the same situation, fully aware of the reality. But no one could laugh about it.
I no longer loved Shawn. His actions no longer had the power to hurt me.
After a shower and completing my skincare routine, I spent some time working on my body shape before heading to bed.
Once again, Shawn didn’t bring Yuna home that night.
The next morning, as I was having breakfast, my mother–in–law arrived.
Her name was Susanna Lawrence. In her fifties, she had a round, graceful figure, radiating an air of wealth and sophistication. Her hair was styled in a deep burgundy, even more fashionable than mine.
“Susanna.” I stood up and called out to her.
My mother–in–law glared at me angrily. “What’s going on with you? Yuna told me you hit her a couple of days ago and that you don’t pick her up or drop her off for school, neglecting her completely. What kind of
mother treats her child like that?”
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Chapter 10 The Pressure from My Mother–in–Law
I had no reply to my mother–in–law’s reprimand because it was true.
+8 Pearls
“Susanna, Yuna’s already six, and I just want to help her become more independent. It’s not as serious as you’re making it out to be. How could I not love her?” I explained with a smile.
“At that age, how can she be independent? What she really needs now is a mother’s love. And remember, girls care about their appearance. You can’t keep hitting her. What if you hurt her? She’s my only granddaughter.” Susanna adored the child. Even though Yuna wasn’t a boy, she resembled Shawn so much- her looks, her expressions- that Susanna spoiled her even more because of it.
“Yes, I understand,” I said, not wanting to argue. I wasn’t going to make things too difficult with anyone until I got my share of the divorce settlement.
Susanna sat down on the sofa, and I made her a cup of tea. Since she was here, I thought it was the perfect moment to bring something up.
“I want to go back to work,” I said honestly.
Susanna, about to take a sip of tea, looked up at me. “You’ve been a stay–at–home mom for six years. What kind of work can you do now?”
Her words hit me like a sharp sting. Thankfully, it was only rs–if it had been 60, my whole life would
have been ruined.
“I don’t want to fall out of touch with society. Things are changing so fast these days, and women can make their mark in their careers too. I don’t want to be a parasite in the Hartwells,” I said firmly, meeting her gaze with a pleading expression.
Susanna seemed surprised, staring at me for a long time before speaking. “So, you’re not planning to give the Hartwells an heir?”
I knew it whenever a mother–in–law and daughter–in–law talk, the topic of having a son always comes up.
“I can work and still have a baby. I haven’t gotten pregnant in these six years, maybe because I’ve been stuck at home, feeling stressed. If I go back to work and my mood improves, who knows, I might get pregnant sooner,” I said, tying together the idea of work and having a baby, since she brought it up.
Susanna frowned. “I told you to stay home and enjoy being a rich wife, and yet you’ve gotten sick from it. Looks like you don’t have the fortune for a life of luxury after all.”
“I’m not pregnant anyway, so why not let me go out and work for a while, just to try it?” I quickly stepped forward and began massaging her shoulders as I spoke.
I knew Susanna was easy to please–as long as you showed her respect, she wouldn’t be too strict.
Susanna, hoping I would quickly give the Hartwells a son, naturally went along with my plan. She took a sip of her tea and nodded. “Alright, but you need to talk to Shawn about it. If he agrees, then it’s settled. But you really need to hurry. Shawn will be 30 next year.”
“Of course,” I said, agreeing on the surface, but inside, I was unaffected.
Having a son was out of the question. The next step for me could only be divorce.
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Chapter 10 The Pressure from My Mother–in-Law
48 Pearls
Not long after she left, I received a call from Melanie, who told me that a few of our college classmates were organizing a reunion that night and asked if I was going this year.
A college reunion sounds like it could be a bit awkward, but in reality, it could be even more dramatic–it’s the kind of event that could break up more than one couple.
Back in school, no one really paid attention to each other’s status or background. But once we entered the workforce, we all ended up in different roles, with new jobs and identities, and the differences between us became more apparent.
It wasn’t just about having fun anymore–it became about purposeful comparison, networking, and building connections.
“Well, I’m bored, so I’ll go check it out,” I said. In the past few years, I had always turned down the invitation, but this year, I felt like going to check it out.
“Alright, I’ll contact you later,” Melanie said. Her job was pretty busy, and during our call, I could hear a woman crying and men arguing in the background.
As usual, I went to study today, and around noon, Yuna called me.
“Mommy, where are you? Can you come pick me up for lunch? I don’t want to stay at Daddy’s company, it’s so boring,” Yuna pouted.
It hit me then–it was Saturday, and Yuna had been taken to Shawn’s office.
“I have a lunch meeting with my teacher. I don’t have time,” I coldly refused.
“I want to have lunch with you too, Mommy. Can you come pick me up, please?” Yuna, just like always, tried to charm me by acting cute and whining.
Just then, Shawn answered the phone.
“I’m going to Sylvania this afternoon for a business trip. Can you come pick up Yuna?” Shawn said.
I had no choice but to drive over to his company to pick up Yuna. When I arrived, Shawn was standing with Yuna in the lobby downstairs.
He was wearing a black suit, his youthful and tall figure quite charming.
Yuna, in a princess dress and carrying her cute little backpack, ran around him. They seemed to have a great father–daughter bond.
As I got out of the Mercedes, my outfit made Shawn’s gaze darken.
