Mutation

Chapter 3: Shadows of Ambition

As I stepped into the elevator, my phone buzzed violently in my pocket. The voice on the other end was tense and impatient. "Why haven't you returned yet? It’s dark outside. Are you still at the hospital?"

"I'm on my way back," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

With a sharp click, I hung up, feeling the familiar pang of frustration. It wasn't genuine concern that propelled him to call; it was simply the relentless urge to have dinner on the table. My duties were clear: cook, serve, and keep the family in order.

As I returned to my thoughts, I noticed a group of workers installing safety barriers and electric fences by the elevator entrance. "Make sure to add an extra layer of security there and install a network around the area. I'll pay an extra two thousand for labor," I instructed, my voice firm yet laced with urgency.

While they worked, I took the opportunity to order three solar power generators, a water purification system, and thirty supermarket shelves for my new venture—all expedited for delivery and installation the next day. This was the only way I could carve out a path for myself amidst the chaos that surrounded me.

By the time I finished organizing everything, it was already seven o’clock. I hurriedly drove home, my heart racing.

Upon entering, I was met with the familiar sound of Liang Zhiyong’s sharp reprimand. "So you finally decided to come home? The hospital called. They said you never showed up!"

My heart sank. "I ran into a classmate who needed help. I couldn’t just leave her," I replied, my tone cautious, like a child trying to avoid punishment.

His brows furrowed in disapproval. "Help? You know how critical IVF is for our family, right? Do you want the Liang family line to end with us?"

From the side, my mother-in-law’s voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'm just worried that some people are all talk and no action."

I held my breath, waiting for them to finish their tirade. "I'm going to make dinner," I said quietly, lowering my head as I quickly slipped into the kitchen. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug painfully into my palms.

The next morning, I left the house early. As luck would have it, I encountered the other woman—Lu Lili—who had been the bane of my existence. She stood in the elevator, her young son in tow.

With a disdainful glance, she remarked, "What’s that smell in the elevator? It’s like a dog has been here."

As if on cue, her three-year-old reached out, pressing the buttons for every floor below the 23rd. Instead of reprimanding him, Lu Lili beamed, "My son is so clever!"

I didn’t want to engage with them, but the construction crew was arriving soon, and time was of the essence. I reached over to turn off the buttons her child had lit up, but he erupted into tears, lunging at me, "You're mean! You’re a bad person!"

In a flash, Lu Lili was on the offensive. "How dare you touch my child! I’ll make you pay!"

The elevator doors opened to a scene of chaos. Neighbors, including Liang Zhiyong who was headed to work, gathered to witness the drama.

With tears streaming down her face, Lu Lili cried, "This woman just assaulted my son! I don’t even know her!"

The crowd turned their ire toward me, and I felt Liang Zhiyong’s grip tighten on my arm as he pulled me into the elevator. "What were you thinking? Hitting a child?"

Faces swirled around me, each one a reminder of my status in this family. I recalled a memory of being herded into a horde of zombies, feeling like a helpless animal caught in a trap.

And then something shifted inside me. I smiled—a chilling smile that seemed to spread unease among them.

"Is she having a mental breakdown?" one bystander whispered.

"She’s lost it; don’t engage with her," another murmured, stepping back as if I were contagious.

With a final glare, Lu Lili snatched her son and stormed out, leaving the others to disperse, murmuring their judgments. Liang Zhiyong stood there, cold and unyielding. "Zhu Ting, I know you haven’t been quite right in the head these past couple of years… Just go to the hospital, okay?"

Ignoring his comment, I walked away, not to the hospital but straight to the new apartment I had rented. The workers were already there, bustling about and swiftly installing my purchases. The increased wages had motivated them to work faster, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction watching the shelves go up.

A curious worker approached me. "Why do you need so many shelves?"

"I’m starting an e-commerce business," I replied, my voice steady and resolute.

I wasn’t a savior; I was merely a woman trying to carve her own path. Outside, the world remained blissfully unaware of my struggle. No one would believe me if I spoke of my ambitions, my plans to escape this gilded cage.

As the installation neared completion, I dove into ordering supplies from the city's largest online supermarket. This was my moment—no longer just a caretaker but an entrepreneur ready to take control of her destiny.