THE VENGEFUL EX-WIFE

chapter 2

The morning light, pale and reluctant, crept through the lace curtains, illuminating the dust molecules dancing in the air. Jenny stirred, the weight of her dreams adhering to her like a damp distance. It was another day, another dawn in the house that felt more like a battleground than a home.

Jenny had married Michael, a man who promised her the world. He'd swept her off her feet in a whirlwind of charm and pledges, his world shimmering with the appeal of wealth and success. He had painted a picture of a life filled with joy, laughing, and participating in dreams. still, reality had a way of shattering visions, and Jenny was beginning to see cracks in Michael's story.

The luxurious life he'd promised was a mirage. Their house, though big, was old and creaking. Michael's business enterprise which he described as booming, seemed to be sluggishly losing.

But indeed as the fiscal realities started to sink by, Jenny refused to let her love for Michael falter. He was still the man who had captured her heart, the man she believed in, anyhow of the size of his bank account. She cleaved to the hope that their love could ride any storm.

"Jenny, darling." Michael would say, his voice pigmented with a hint of frustration. "You know we need to be careful with money right now. My business is going through a rough patch."

“Don’t worry, Michael.” Jenny would reply, forcing a smile that she knew didn’t relatively reach her eyes. “We’ll manage.” She had a job, a decent one, and she'd work harder, longer hours if it meant easing the pressure on him. But that was before she met Rebecca and Lisa.

Rebecca was a woman of impeccable scorn and impeccable judgment, which she used to great effect in downgrading every aspect of Jenny’s life. Every meal was 'indigestible.' every outfit was “flirty,” and every word she spoke was downgraded for its lack of intelligence.

Lisa, Michael's sister was divorced, her marriage a spectacular failure and a fact she used to fuel her enmity towards Jenny. The enmity stemmed from a deep-seated instability. She constantly compared herself to Jenny, a comparison that constantly left her feeling angry and resentful.

"Why don't you try harder, Jenny?" Lisa would say, her voice trickling with resentment . “I mean, you're still young. You could go back to school and learn something truly useful. You could be a doctor, an accountant, or an astronaut. You could be something that works.”

“Lisa.” Michael would say, trying to smooth over the pressure. “Jenny has a job. She helps support us.” Lisa would simply roll her eyes.

Despite the grim treatment from Rebecca and Lisa, Jenny held onto her job. It was her escape, her sense of relief, and a splinter of independence in a world where she was constantly being judged and belittled.

It was a Wednesday, the sky a sullen argentine mirroring the mood of the house. Jenny had just finished moping the kitchen, the endless cycle of chores feeling like a burden around her neck.

“Jenny!” Rebecca called from the living room, her voice sharp. “Can you please explain to me why the house is still a mess?” Rebecca walked into the kitchen, her eyes surveying the place like a predator searching for prey. “Look at this,” she said, pointing to a speck of dust on the counter. "Why can't you ever get anything right?" She asked.

“I just cleaned it, Rebecca.” Jenny said, her voice strained. “perhaps some dirt has just settled there.”

Rebecca was unmoved. “It’s obvious that you aren’t putting in any effort,” she said, her eyes criminating.

“It’s a lot of work, Rebecca,” Jenny replied. “It’s not like this is the only thing I have to do. I still have my job there to tend to.”

"Job indeed." Rebecca scoffed. "That's a pretext, isn't it? Be useful if you must stay in my house you w***e!" With that, she left Jenny alone with her thoughts.

****

The coming morning, Jenny walked into the living room with a smile straining at her lips and the weight of her decision pressing on her shoulders.

“Rebecca, I've something to tell you,” she said, her voice shaking. “I’ve decided to resign from my job. I’m going to be a full-time housewife. I’m going to concentrate on making this house a home.” She announced.

Rebecca’s face contorted into a look of disbelief. Lisa, who had been quietly observing from the couch burst into a harsh laugh.

“You resigned? That's so stupid, Jenny.” Rebecca said, her voice trickling with distaste. “You're giving up your job? What will you do all day? Sit around and watch TV?” She asked.

“I’ll be taking care of the house, and taking care of Michael,” Jenny said, her voice gaining a newfound strength, a swell of defiance. “I want to be the caring woman I can be." She declared.

Rebecca frowned with her disdain apparent in every gesture. “You just don't want to avoid responsibility,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “You’re just looking for a way to idle away while my son works tirelessly to take care of you.

Lisa, with her laugh fading into a mocking sneer, added, “Yes, Mom. What you say is true. She's just looking for a way to kick back and let Michael do all the grunt work."

Jenny’s heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. She had given up her freedom, her identity, for this family, for this life, and all she had gotten in return was despisement and hatred. The tears welled in her eyes threatening to slip over. She ran to her room, slamming the door behind her, the weight of her trouble crushing her.

She sat on her bed with her back against the cold wall, the heartbreaks racking her body. She had tried so hard, she had given so much, and they had only taken, had only mocked, had only made her feel more and more like a failure. The world seemed to have narrowed down to the walls of this room, to the ceaseless hatred from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, the weight of their judgment bearing down on her like an anvil.

But as the tears subsided, a new feeling started to take root in her heart with a sense of commission. She had made a choice, a decision that was hers and hers alone...