Chapter 3
PART 3:
At first, Teresa behaved.
She brought soup.
Folded tiny baby clothes.
Told Ethan she wanted to “help Emily rest.”
But the moment Ethan left for work, the mask slipped.
Teresa criticized the nursery.
The crib was too modern.
The blankets were too cheap.
The baby clothes were too plain.
When Emily cooked, Teresa said the food was bland.
When Emily rested, Teresa said pregnancy had made her lazy.
When Emily cleaned, Teresa said she was finally doing “the bare minimum.”
Ethan noticed Emily looked tired, but she always gave him the same answer.
“I’m fine.”
She said it because she was tired of being the problem.
Tired of sounding sensitive.
Tired of wondering if people would think pregnancy had made her emotional.
Then Ethan got sent out of state for a five-day project.
He did not want to go.
Emily told him to.
“We need the money,” she said, rubbing her belly. “And I have your mom here, remember?”
Ethan kissed her forehead.
“Call me if anything feels wrong.”
Emily promised.
She meant it.
But Teresa made sure every wrong thing looked too small to report.
At breakfast, Teresa left dishes and told Emily, “You’re home all day anyway.”
At lunch, the sisters ordered food and left wrappers everywhere.
At night, they invited friends over without asking.
They laughed loudly while Emily tried to sleep.
They used the guest bathroom, the laundry room, the kitchen, the living room, and somehow every clean towel in the house.
When Emily asked them to clean up after themselves, one sister rolled her eyes.
“You’re the one who doesn’t work.”
Emily stared at her.
“I’m on maternity leave.”
“Exactly,” the sister said. “Leave from what? Sitting around?”
Teresa heard it and did not correct her.
May you like
She smiled.
👉 But by the third day, Emily’s body was already warning her that something was wrong…
