Chapter 1I was at dinner when my husband slammed his fork down. "Why'd you put vinegar in everything? You know nobody here likes it. Why do you keep doing this?"
I stopped mid-scoop. Looked at the table.
Eight dishes. ONE had vinegar in it.
"'Cause I like it."
He stared at me. Then that look came back—like I was something he stepped in.
"You? You're MY WIFE. You're here to make ME happy. Not yourself."
Five years.
He didn't like vinegar, so I gave it up. Five whole years I ate food that tasted like cardboard.
Couldn't take it anymore.
I slammed the bowl down hard.
"I LOVE vinegar! I can't eat without it! We've been married FIVE YEARS and you didn't even know that?"
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My mother-in-law Diane slammed her bowl down and acted all pissed.
"Oh my god, enough! Can we please just eat? You're seriously gonna sit here and pout over one dish?"
Before I could say anything, she reached over and grabbed my bowl of vinegar slaw.
"This stuff? It stinks. Like, nobody wants this. It's making everything else taste weird."
Didn't ask me. Didn't wait.
Just walked straight into the kitchen and dumped it.
I just sat there. Hands on the table. Couldn't move.
Sloane—Garrett's sister—was picking at her fish. Rolled her eyes.
"Keira. Look. I'm not trying to start shit, but... you married us. You eat how we eat now. That's just how it works."
"We don't do all these crazy strong flavors, and you keep putting stuff like this out. It's... honestly? It's kinda rude."
She smiled. Super fake. Super sweet.
"Plus Garrett works all day. The least you could do is make dinner easy for him. But instead you're sitting here making everyone uncomfortable over some coleslaw. Come on."
I didn't say anything to her. Just looked at Garrett.
Waited for him to say something. Anything.
Tell his mom that was messed up. Tell Sloane to back off.
But he just loosened his tie. Wouldn't even look at me.
Picked his fork back up like nothing happened.
"Mom threw it out. So what? You gonna stare at the trash? Want me to fish it out?"
He sighed loud. "Keira. God. You've been impossible lately. Families work together. You really gonna ruin dinner over vinegar?"
Together?
Five years I've done everything they want.
Sloane hates onions? I pick them all out.
Diane's blood pressure? I use no salt.
Garrett's stomach? I make him plain oatmeal every morning at six.
Everything.
And one bowl with vinegar is too much?
"What, got nothing to say?"
Garrett tapped his fork. "Sit. Eat. Clean up after. Sloane's boyfriend's coming tomorrow. Go get crab in the morning. Good crab."
He said it like it was nothing.
Like I'd just had some stupid little tantrum and now they were doing me a favor by letting it go.
I looked at the three of them. Laughing. Eating. Like nothing even happened.
And stood up.
"I'm not eating."
Garrett's hand stopped. His face went dark.
"Keira. Who do you think you're talking to?"
Diane laughed. "Let her go sulk. She's way too comfortable here. This is our house. Our food. And she acts like she runs the place."
I untied my apron. Dropped it on the chair. Walked to the bedroom.
Soon as I closed the door, I heard Garrett slam his fork down.
I grabbed my phone.
His last text was still there:
[Pay the mortgage this month. Sloane's car insurance is due too. Cover it. I'll pay you back with my next check.]
I stared at it.
Then called a realtor.
Chapter 2
Next day, I didn't make breakfast. Didn't stop for groceries after work either.
When I got home, the place was trashed.
Takeout containers all over the coffee table. Diane on the couch eating chips, crumbs everywhere.
Garrett got back around seven.
Walked in, kicked a bag aside, and just exploded.
"Keira! What's your problem?"
He threw his briefcase on the shoe rack and waved at the mess. "I say something to you once and now you're gonna act like this? Seriously?"
I leaned against the doorframe. Didn't say anything.
This condo? My parents drained their savings for the down payment.
The mortgage? Comes straight out of my account every month.
Garrett's paycheck? He calls it "our savings," but most of it goes to Diane and Sloane.
I'm not a partner to them. I'm a wallet. And a maid they don't have to pay.
One day I don't do everything and they lose it?
Diane saw Garrett getting worked up and jumped right in.
She stood up, brushed chip crumbs off her lap, cleared her throat.
"Okay, okay. Let's not fight. Keira, you're home. We need to talk about something."
She looked at me like she was doing me some big favor.
"Sloane's boyfriend's coming tomorrow. They're gonna talk wedding stuff. His family has money, so we can't look cheap. We gotta show we have class too."
I stared at her. "And?"
"That car you got when you got married. The thirty-thousand-dollar one. You barely drive it. Just work and errands. Total waste."
She said it like it was nothing. "Go to the DMV tomorrow morning. Put it in Sloane's name. The two of them can drive it, look good together. It'll make her feel confident. We'll say it's a gift from us."
I actually laughed.
They wanted MY car. To make themselves look good.
Are they serious right now?
"No."
Sloane threw her phone down. Started whining immediately.
"Garrett! See? I ask to borrow a car and she acts like I'm robbing her! She doesn't even think I'm family!"
Garrett's face went red. He came at me.
"Keira. You're still mad about last night, right?"
He said every word slow. "You're seriously gonna hold onto that? My sister's getting married and you won't even let her use a car? How petty are you?"
Petty?
I looked at him. This guy staring at me like I'm the problem.
Six years ago, same guy. Sitting with me at some tiny place near campus. Sweating from the spice. Pouring vinegar into his bowl like crazy.
He smiled at me. Said, "Keira, you love this stuff? I'll eat it with you forever."
I still remembered that.
"I said no."
Then turned back toward the room.
"Keira. You walk through that door, we're done. You hear me? DONE!"
I didn't stop. Closed the door.
Could still hear Diane through the wall. Cursing at me. Sloane crying about how terrible I am.
I pulled the blanket over my head.
Didn't even cry. Just tired.
This marriage? Yeah. It was over.
Chapter 3
This weekend was Diane's sixtieth birthday.
Garrett wanted to look good in front of everyone, so he booked the biggest private room at The Lighthouse Grill. Nicest place in town.
The bill? Twelve thousand dollars.
Sent it straight to ME.
I looked at that number forever. Then paid it.
Didn't want everything blowing up in front of the whole family. Just this once, I'd keep my mouth shut.
At the restaurant, I'm running around like I work there. Making sure cousins have drinks. Napkins. Whatever.
Garrett and Diane sat at the head table. Just taking in all the compliments.
Time to sit. I headed for the seat next to Garrett.
Sloane grabbed the chair by the door. Right where the servers come through.
"Keira. Sit here. You can grab refills and stuff."
Big smile. Looked so pleased with herself.
I looked at Garrett.
Didn't even glance up. Just kept clinking glasses with some uncle.
I breathed in. Sat down.
Okay. Fine. Just a petty little thing.
Then a server came out with a plate.
Vinegar slaw.
Diane stood up. All smiles. Brought it over to me herself.
"Keira, sweetie. I had them make this just for you."
Her voice got loud. Real loud. "You love vinegar, right? But nobody else can stand it. So take this and go sit over there."
She pointed to the tiny side table in the corner. Where they keep the extra plates.
Whole room went silent.
Everyone turned to me. Whispers everywhere.
"Why's she eating separate?"
"I heard she's difficult. Makes them all walk on eggshells..."
I went numb.
Looked at Garrett.
He set his glass down. Didn't say anything. Didn't look at me.
Just frowned. "Mom made that for you. Stop making a scene. Just go sit. You're ruining this."
I looked at that pathetic little bowl of slaw. Then at everything else on the table. Lobster. Abalone. Sea cucumber.
Five years. Five years I bent over backward for them.
Done.
I walked past half the table. Pulled out the chair next to Garrett and sat down.
"Mom."
I looked right at her. "This meal? Twelve thousand dollars. I paid for it. So why would I go sit in the corner?"
Room exploded. People gasped. Whispers got loud.
Diane's face went red. She pointed at me, hand shaking.
"How dare you! This is my birthday! You don't talk to me like that!"
Sloane jumped in. "Keira, oh my god, that's so tacky! It's Garrett's money too! Why are you even saying this?"
Garrett's face went red. Everyone staring at him now.
Slammed his hand down. Glasses rattled.
"Keira! Enough!"
Pointed to the corner. "Get over there. Now. Don't make me get up."
I smiled.
Picked up the bowl—vinegar slaw and all—and flipped it.
Splat.
Right on top of the big three-tier birthday cake.
"AHHHHH!" Diane screamed like someone stabbed her.
Everyone gasped.
I pulled out my phone. Called the front desk. Put it on speaker.
"Hi. Yeah. Private room V888. I need you to refund the twelve thousand I just paid. Charge it to Garrett. He booked it."
