Things should have been better than this.
With the engagement day fast approaching, I had hoped that Muk and his family would start treating me with the kindness and respect a bride-to-be deserved. But instead, their demands only grew, piling onto the weight I was already struggling to carry.
Every time I thought there was nothing left for them to take from me, they found a new way to push the limits.
First, they refused to buy my engagement dress.
*"It’s not our culture for the groom’s side to pay for the bride’s attire,"* Muk’s mother had said dismissively.
I knew that was a lie, but I didn’t have the energy to fight it. My mother, ever-supportive but clearly irritated, stepped in and bought the dress for me without complaint.
Then came the gifts.
I was expected to buy Muk
