Chapter 2I’m Inferior to My Sister-in-Law in Every Way

Rage, pure and hot, flooded my senses.

The picnic lunch I’d been preparing since dawn was sent crashing to the ground. The tent I’d spent an hour meticulously setting up was torn down in a single, violent motion.

My rampage was brought to an abrupt halt by the stinging slap of Mark's hand across my face.

"Are you insane?! You've completely ruined a perfectly good family outing! Why did I ever marry a woman like you!"

"If you can't handle being here, then get out! Stop acting like a lunatic!"

The thread I had been hanging by finally snapped. But in its place, a strange, new feeling washed over me.

Relief. An incredible, weightless relief.

It was as if those were the words I had been longing to hear.

I looked around at them: my father-in-law, a passive observer; my mother-in-law, her face a mask of disgust; and Claire, busy comforting the two children.

I suddenly realized that in this family, I had always been the outsider.

A hollow laugh escaped my lips, but my heart felt like it was being torn apart.

"Fine. As you wish."

I stumbled as I turned to leave.

"Stop right there!"

My mother-in-law's voice cut through the air. She grabbed my arm.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"My son has supported you all these years while you haven't worked a day! And now you do nothing but cause trouble for him! Have you ever once thought about this family?"

She softened her tone, a caricature of remorse. "Is it because I didn't help you unpack? It's my fault. I apologize. Here, let this old woman help you with your things."

"From now on, I'll take care of everything, alright?"

Claire came over, her voice dripping with faux sympathy. "Mark is just angry. He didn't mean it. Don't take it to heart."

"He already explained about the necklace. He said it was an accident."

"You're a family. You should talk things through."

"Go on, go say something nice to Mark. Ask him to forgive you."

They were all trying to placate me.

But I was the one who was bleeding.

"That won't be necessary."

"I can walk back by myself. That should make you all much happier."