Slapping the Face of My Husband and the Evil Mother-in-law

After Margaret and Lorenzo started treating me like a freeloader, I decided I wasn't going to let them walk all over me anymore. It was time to prove myself.

After all, I had graduated from a top university, so I was confident I could land a job.

At my last job, a manager named Julia really valued me. She'd often say my talent was underused.

Even after I got laid off for being pregnant, Julia and I kept in touch.

A few months later, when Julia heard I was job hunting, her eyes lit up. "Hey, weren't you a journalism major? Ever thought about being a reporter?"

In college, I was a reporter for the campus newspaper, and I wrote a lot of the stories.

I took her offer.

That evening, when Lorenzo heard I'd found a new job, his face fell. It was not the reaction I'd hoped for.

He scowled and asked, "Who's going to take care of your son if you're working?"

His question annoyed me. "Isn't Alex your son too?

Why is it fine for you to work but I'm just supposed to stay home with the kid?"

Margaret was right there, playing with Alex. I shot her a meaningful look. "Without my own income, I don't have a voice in this family.

I wasn't born to serve others."

Margaret stopped, her hand frozen with a toy in it.

She grabbed Alex's hand and slapped it against her own palm, acting as if he was hitting her. "Mommy's bad. Hit mommy. Your mommy doesn't want you anymore."

I frowned and glanced at Lorenzo for support. Unexpectedly, he looked away, acting as if he'd heard nothing.

I walked over with a stern face, determined not to engage with Margaret. I bent down to pick up Alex and head back to our room.

Unexpectedly, Margaret grabbed Alex's hand, and slapped my face with it.

She smirked triumphantly, "Alex is just playing with you."

It wasn't a hard slap, but the insult was clear.

Furious, I turned to Lorenzo, who seemed to find the whole situation amusing.

I scoffed at both of them, then swung my hand hard at Lorenzo.

He was caught off guard and staggered back, his glasses flying off and shattering on the floor.

"Lillian!" he yelled, boiling with anger.

Margaret, overly protective as always, shrieked and lunged at me, trying to pull my hair.

"How dare you hurt my son! I'll kill you!" she screamed.

Margaret had always lived a life of comfort. She was frail and no match for me.

I easily dodged her, and she stumbled, nearly falling.

Cradling Alex, I chuckled. "Margaret, can't you take a joke? Lorenzo and I were just playing around. Isn't slapping fun?"

Margaret was livid, picking up on my sarcasm.

"I never knew what a wicked woman you were when you begged to marry into our family!" she hissed.

She snorted with contempt. "If it weren't because you didn't ask a dowry, practically throwing yourself at my son, I would never have accepted you.

Shame on you, bitch."

My hand still tingled from slapping Lorenzo, so I rubbed it. And now I felt oddly calm inside.

Overwhelmed by our fight, Lorenzo shouted, "We're getting a divorce!"

Margaret's face went pale.