Chapter 3

Emma was about to explode, but I ignored her.

"Regardless of what happens, neither my salary nor my wedding gift has anything to do with the Bailey family. It's all mine, and if you're jealous, go earn your own!"

Before they could interrupt, I turned back to Kayden and said, each word cutting through the air.

"Think carefully about what happened today. I'm giving you time and an opportunity. Figure out how we'll live from now on. If you can't figure it out, we'll head straight to the courthouse and file for divorce!"

Seeing that I wasn't joking, Kayden panicked. He grabbed my hand and apologized desperately.

"Jasmine, I'm sorry. I didn't handle things well at home. Give me some time, and I'll talk to my parents."

Emma saw that Kayden's attitude was shifting and immediately stormed over in anger.

"Why are you wasting your time talking to her? We don't keep freeloaders in this house. If she doesn't pay up, she can leave!"

"Mom, please, just stop talking!" Kayden pleaded.

Kayden's demeanor was tense as he tried to hold me back with one hand while using the other to restrain Emma from continuing her tirade.

But the more he tried to pacify her, the more Emma resisted, her voice rising like a storm.

"She's five months pregnant! I don't believe she'll leave you!

"Don't let her fool you. If she dares to divorce, with a second marriage and carrying a child from our family, no one else will want her, she'll be stuck with this used label forever!"

I should've been angry, but instead, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

Back when Kayden and I were dating in college, he had confided in me about his family situation. His mother, Emma, was also his father's second wife. She had concealed her past marriage when she married Henry.

At first, Henry had no idea. However, since Emma was still somewhat attractive, the two quickly became involved.

When Henry found out that Emma had a son from her previous marriage, it was already too late. Emma was pregnant with Kayden by then.

She came with her family to confront Henry, who was furious. At first, he refused to marry her, but, as a teacher, he was afraid it would ruin his reputation. Eventually, they married, albeit with lingering resentment. This conflict had never truly been resolved between Henry and Emma.

I smirked as I recalled those.

"Used goods? You're calling me that, but let's be honest, Emma, you're the used goods here, no doubt about it.

"Right, Henry? You're a proud teacher, but you ended up marrying someone like her. I feel sorry for you."

I deliberately glanced at Henry, my words sharp.

The room's atmosphere shifted immediately. Henry's face turned from red to black, then to a deep shade of blue.

Emma, on the other hand, went berserk, lunging at me and grabbing my hair.

Fortunately, Kayden was quick to intervene. Otherwise, I might not have been able to defend myself.

In the end, Henry showed signs of losing composure, and, wanting to avoid further embarrassment, he stormed out after yelling a few harsh words.

Emma collapsed onto the floor, sobbing in Kayden's arms. She lamented how hard she had worked raising him, how difficult it had been, only to have her son's wife insult her now.

She wept and even made exaggerated gestures to bang her head against the wall, playing the victim. Kayden, with pity in his eyes, grabbed her and tried to calm her down.

As for me, the entire situation felt suffocating. The atmosphere in this house was toxic, and I couldn't stand to be there for another second. I quickly packed a few clothes and left for my parent's house.

Before I left, I caught Kayden's gaze. His eyes held a mixture of disappointment and confusion. He didn't try to stop me from leaving, but I could see he was frustrated.

I couldn't believe it.

He was upset with me!

It was a weekend, and my parents were both at home. They were surprised to see me walking through the door alone in the middle of the afternoon.

"Have you eaten? What happened?"

My mother, knowing me well, immediately recognized something was off.

I had never faced any real hardship in my life, and as soon as I saw my parents, I couldn't hold back the tears. They fell uncontrollably as I recounted everything that had happened.

"Such a shameless family!"

My dad, sitting on the couch, quietly smoked his cigarette. My mom, shaking with anger, slapped the table and scolded me, "Jasmine Arnold, you're our only daughter! We told you from the start not to get involved with Kayden, but you wouldn't listen! You even got pregnant before marriage. You nearly drove your father and me insane. Now you see the consequences, don't you?"

My parents had strongly opposed me dating Kayden. I had been too blinded by love to listen to their warnings.

All I knew was that Kayden was reliable and kind-hearted. He always took my feelings into consideration. He was the kind of person who, even if he had only 10 dollars left in his pocket, would spend nine of it on me.

I was convinced that no one else would love me as much as he did.

In the end, my persistence wore my parents down, and they reluctantly accepted him.

Looking back, I wished I could slap myself for not listening to their advice.

Why didn't I pay attention to their warnings back then?

"Well, what's the use in talking about it now?"

My dad pressed out his cigarette, his voice low and serious as he said, "Jasmine, the Baileys, your husband's parents, are traditional and care deeply about their reputation, and they are unpredictable and calculating. You're no match for them.

"Then there's Kayden. He's a good person, but being honest doesn't mean he can't do bad things.

"You should see by now that, in Kayden's heart, you'll never be more important than his parents. This is just the beginning. Anytime family issues come up, he'll always choose them over you. Your relationship doesn't stand a chance when compared to family ties. How long do you think you can hold on?"

After I heard my dad's words, my emotions slowly settled.