Chapter 1Christmas Eve. I spent all day cooking a whole feast. About to sit down when my mother-in-law grabbed my arm.
"Rory, honey. House rule—women don't sit at the table on Christmas. You eat in the kitchen. I'll keep you company."
I almost laughed.
"You wanna eat in the kitchen? Go ahead. I'M sitting at the table."
My father-in-law's face went red.
"Is this how your parents raised you? NO CLASS."
Class?
I walked over. Flipped the whole table.
Hands on my hips.
"My dad told me—someone gets in your face? DON'T HOLD BACK. FIGHT BACK!"
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The food crashed everywhere. Soup went all over my father-in-law Frank.
My husband's sisters screamed and backed up.
My husband Asher looked pissed.
"Rory, what the hell? It's Christmas. What's your problem?"
My mother-in-law Diane jumped right in. "See what I mean? I ask her to eat in the kitchen and she loses it."
His older sister Mallory smirked. "She acted all sweet before the wedding. Guess we know better now."
His little sister Brynn jumped in. "Great. Now what are we supposed to eat?"
They all stared at me.
I actually laughed.
"I cooked all morning. And I can't even sit down?"
I looked at Diane. "There's ten chairs. You couldn't squeeze in one more?"
Then I looked at Asher. "Before you married me, did your mom eat in the kitchen too?"
Silence.
Asher looked like shit. "We're family. Mom thought you'd be more comfortable in there."
Diane nodded fast. "Right! And we left you food. Why are you acting like this?"
I walked into the kitchen. Brought out the food she "left" for me.
One plate. Just cabbage. And half a fish tail.
"You left me food? Cool. You eat it."
Asher's face went white.
Mallory flipped out. "Seriously? Mom and Dad busted their asses buying you two a house. And you're gonna complain?"
I looked at her. Didn't say anything.
Walked into the bedroom. Grabbed my jewelry. My skincare stuff. Threw it all in a bag.
Then came back out. Looked right at her.
"Yeah. Your brother had to pay for a wedding no matter who he married."
"Unlike you—got knocked up, went crawling to your in-laws, and they still treat you like shit."
"RORY!" Asher yelled.
I grabbed my bag. "Have fun eating. I'm going somewhere they actually let me sit down."
Walked out. Slammed the door.
Behind me, Frank was yelling. "Let her go! Where's she gonna go anyway?"
Hilarious.
I married far from home. Doesn't mean I'm on Mars.
I've got money. I can get home.
Planes, trains, buses, whatever.
Checked the train app. Sold out.
Fine. I'll take the bus.
Bought a ticket. Got on. Texted my mom I was coming home.
She called right away.
"Rory? You're coming home? Now? Where's Asher? Are you two together?"
"Just me."
Her voice went up. "You two fought? What happened? Did he hurt you?"
"Mom..."
I couldn't say it.
At Asher's, I was tough. Didn't break.
But hearing my mom's voice?
I lost it.
"I'll tell you when I get there."
Hung up. Started crying.
Three years married to Asher.
First year? Diane said I was the new daughter-in-law. Made me help her cook.
When the food was ready, she told me to stay in the kitchen.
"The men drink. We women stay here and eat the leftovers."
I let it go.
Second year? Diane said her back hurt. Made me cook everything myself.
Asher came in to help peel garlic. She dragged him out.
"Men don't belong in the kitchen."
I finished cooking. They nitpicked every dish. Still no seat for me.
This year? Third year. I cooked everything. They didn't even let me eat the food.
Kept pushing. I wasn't gonna take it anymore.
Ten hours later, I showed up at my parents' door.
My mom pulled me inside.
"Made you a grilled cheese. And tomato soup."
"Eat first. Get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow."
I sat down. Dove into the food.
Tasted like home.
Warm. Finally.
Chapter 2
That night I crashed. Put my phone on silent. Didn't hear Asher calling.
Woke up around noon. Stretched. Grabbed my phone.
Tons of texts. Like fifteen missed calls.
Diane. Asher. His sisters. The family group chat was going nuts.
"Rory where the hell are you? Everyone's waiting. We're going to Grandma's grave. You need to be here. Get back NOW."
"Rory I'm done with this. Quit being dramatic. Get home. It's ONE meal. Once a year. Come back!"
"Fine. You can have the WHOLE TABLE. There. Happy? Stop acting like a brat."
"Where ARE you? Pick up your phone. It's Christmas. This is ridiculous."
Asher's messages went from bossy to desperate to pissed.
"You know what? Fine. Stay gone. Don't bother coming back."
Then he sent a video. Changing the locks on the front door.
I actually laughed.
Cool. Change the locks. You gonna change the deed too?
Moron.
I didn't text back. Didn't feel like it.
But I wasn't gonna let it slide.
Pulled up the utility apps.
Turned off the heat. Then the water. Then the power.
You screw me? I screw you back.
It's Christmas. No heat, no water, no power?
Good luck.
They thought they could push me around? Make me bow down?
Yeah, no. Not happening.
But I still felt like shit about Asher.
We met in college. Same club. Young, shared interests. Hit it off fast.
After graduation, we both stayed in the city. He was local. I wasn't. He took care of me.
When we got engaged, my mom worried.
I was marrying far from home. What if they treated me like crap?
Asher held my hand. Promised he'd never let anyone hurt me.
Three years.
He forgot everything.
I was pissed.
Soon enough, Asher panicked. Called me again.
I waited a few seconds. Picked up.
"Rory, what's going on? The heat's off. Water too. And the power—everything's dead!"
His voice was tight.
"So pay the bills."
"We went to Grandma's grave. You weren't there. Everyone kept asking. Get in the group chat and say something!"
"Just tell me where you are. I'll come get you."
That almost got me.
"I'm at my parents'."
"You're WHAT?!"
His voice went up. "You went home? Without telling me? Who said you could leave?"
I almost laughed.
"Who said I could leave? Asher, I married you. Didn't get sold to your family. I go where I want."
Maybe I sounded harsh. His tone changed.
"I'm just worried about you."
"You just took off. How do I explain that to my parents?"
"And look—Mom didn't mean it like that. But you keep running home to your parents. That's not what married women do."
I made a noise. "I pay my own bills. I'm not living off you."
Hung up. Blocked him.
Then opened the camera app. Checked the house feed.
Frank was sitting there. Face red.
"Who does she think she is? Acting like some princess. Getting worse and worse. Running home to Mommy on Christmas!"
Chapter 3
Diane rolled her eyes.
"Let her go. What's her mom gonna do? Drive all the way here and yell at us?"
"She married out of state. She'll be back in a few days."
Asher sighed. Didn't say anything.
And me?
Felt like shit.
I gave up everything to marry him. And when I'm hurting, I can't even call my mom?
They were ganging up on me.
I thought—maybe if Asher backed me up, said something—I'd get over it.
Now?
Screw it.
I got up. Got dressed. Spent the day with my parents. Went around visiting family.
Also canceled the joint accounts. Took my card off the mortgage auto-pay.
Three days later, Asher called.
"Rory, the account's empty. The mortgage is due!"
"Okay."
"What do you mean 'okay'? I need twenty grand. Now!"
While I was gone, nobody cooked. Diane dragged everyone to some restaurant.
Now they couldn't cover the bill. So he called me.
I laughed. "And that's my problem how?"
"The house is yours. You bought it before we got married. You want me paying the mortgage. And now your family's restaurant bills too?"
"Asher—did I marry into your family? Or did you marry into mine?"
I heard Diane and his sisters losing it in the background.
"You're out of your mind! Rory, you married into this family. You're a Brennan now. Why are you hiding out at your parents'? What is wrong with you?"
"And I heard what you've been saying—that your mother-in-law's some hick from the country. That sitting at the same table as her makes you sick!"
"You—"
I hung up. Blocked that number too.
No clue how Asher paid that bill.
He made $8,000 a month. Gave Diane $4,000 every month—"living expenses."
Meanwhile I ate vegetables and tofu. Wanted meat? I bought it myself.
The rest of his money? "Emergencies." Or "work dinners."
He never gave me a dime.
The mortgage was $4,500 a month. I paid it.
Water, gas, electric—I paid all of it. Like $8,000 a month total.
So yeah.
I was supporting them.
And they wouldn't even let me sit down?
I looked at my parents in the kitchen. Making food for me.
Dad's back looked crooked. Mom's hair was going white.
But my room? Same as always. Clean. Waiting for me.
I was still their baby.
Why was I putting up with the Brennans' crap?
Mom walked out with ribs. Saw my face.
She came right over. "What'd they say? I'm going over there. Someone messes with you, I'll kill them."
"Mom, no. I got this."
She pulled me in. "Baby. Whatever you do, we're with you."
Dad came over. "She's right. You never get married again? Fine. We'll take care of you."
Hearing that?
I felt safe.
December 27th. I went back to the Brennans.
Walked in. Place was a mess. Dishes everywhere. Floor felt sticky.
I took a breath. Went to the bedroom. Grabbed the property deed.
About to leave.
The door opened.
Asher came in. Saw me. Looked surprised. Then mad.
"So you came back."
His voice was cold. "You didn't know the code. How'd you get in?"
"Watched the camera. Saw you type it."
He made a face. Let out a breath.
"Whatever. You're here. Clean this up. Then go to my mom's."
"My uncle's coming for dinner. You cook better than anyone. Go help."
I smiled. "No."
"Rory, come on. You've been gone for days. Over what? Not sitting at the table? You threw a fit on Christmas. Mom's been a wreck."
"Just go over there. Say you're sorry."
He grabbed my arm. Tried pulling me toward the door.
I pulled back. Threw papers in his face.
"Asher. We're getting divorced."
