Chapter 3
The day Rachel got discharged from the hospital, she sat in a wheelchair, cradling her baby in her arms.
David pushed her along the hallway toward the exit.
Susan walked right beside them.
She kept talking nonstop.
"Rachel, once we're home, you've got to rest up after having the baby. No slacking off.
"No sitting in the wind, don't wash your hair, and seriously, no playing with your phone.
"You hear me?" Susan nagged, half worried, half bossy.
Rachel nodded.
"Okay," she said quietly.
Susan smiled, finally satisfied.
"Oh, and Emily said she wants to come over and help take care of you.
"I told her it wasn't needed, but she just wouldn't take no for an answer.
"That girl's got such a kind heart," she said, grinning.
Rachel hugged her baby a little tighter.
"Really, it's fine..." she murmured.
"Fine? Why not?" Susan snapped, her voice getting louder.
"You think you can handle the baby all by yourself?
"David and I both have jobs. Someone's gotta be at home to help out.
"Emily's got nothing going on right now, so what's wrong with her helping?"
Rachel bit her lip, holding back her words.
When they got home, Emily was already there, bustling around the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist.
"Mrs. Scott, Rachel, you're back!" she called out, her voice bright and cheerful.
She came out carrying a pot of soup.
"I made chicken soup for you, Rachel. Drink it while it's still hot," she said, her voice sweet and caring.
Susan's eyes crinkled with delight.
"Emily, you're so thoughtful," she said, her voice full of approval.
"Rachel, you're really lucky to have someone like Emily taking care of you."
Rachel stared at the bowl of soup, her heart sinking.
She didn't reach for it.
Emily's smile faltered for a second.
"Rachel, you don't like chicken soup?" she asked, her voice soft and a little hurt. "I'll whip up something else for you."
"No need," Rachel replied, her voice icy and distant.
She stood up, hugging her baby tight. "I'll handle it myself."
Susan's face instantly soured.
"What's your problem, Rachel?" she snapped.
"Emily's just trying to help, and you're acting all standoffish!"
Rachel looked at Susan, then at Emily.
Emily kept her head down, looking all sad and hurt.
Rachel took a deep breath.
"Mom, I'm tired. I just want to rest," she said, her voice steady but distant.
With that, she carried her baby into the room and closed the door behind her.
Through the door, she could hear Susan yelling at her.
"Rachel's getting more and more out of line.
"David, look at the wife you married.
"She doesn't even have basic manners," Susan scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain.
David's voice was low, almost a murmur.
"Mom, she just had the baby. Let her rest," he said, trying to keep the peace.
"Rest?" Susan scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"When I had you, I was up and working the very next day.
"But her? She just lies around all day, doing nothing.
"And she acts like she's too good for everyone."
Rachel sat on the bed, listening to every word.
Tears streamed down her face again.
She looked down at her baby, her heart aching.
He was sleeping so peacefully.
His tiny face was all scrunched up.
Rachel reached out and gently stroked his cheek, feeling a wave of tenderness.
Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming urge to protect him.
She couldn't go on like this.
No. She couldn't.
She had to start thinking about her baby's future.
The following two weeks were the most agonizing days of Rachel's life.
Emily moved in.
Supposedly, she was there to help take care of Rachel.
But in reality, her attention was all on David.
Every single morning, Emily was up bright and early.
She'd make breakfast for David before anyone else was even awake.
Fried eggs, sandwiches, and milk—the same combination every day.
Everything was arranged perfectly on the plate, like she was trying out for the perfect housewife award.
David ate every bite with a smile, acting like nothing at all was out of the ordinary.
"It's always Emily's cooking that tastes the best," she said.
Emily smiled gently.
"As long as you like it, David," she replied.
Rachel sat off to the side.
In front of her was a bowl of oatmeal.
Nothing else.
Susan glanced at her and said with displeasure, "You're supposed to eat light food during your postpartum recovery.
"Look at you, your face is breaking out.
"If you keep eating greasy food, it'll only get worse."
Rachel lowered her head and ate the oatmeal.
One spoonful at a time.
Each mouthful felt like swallowing broken glass.
At night, Emily would sit in the living room with David, watching TV together.
They laughed and chatted.
Rachel stayed in her room, holding the baby.
She could hear their laughter from outside.
Her heart grew colder, little by little.
One night, the baby started crying.
The baby started crying.
Rachel got up and tried to comfort him.
No matter how hard she tried, the baby just kept crying.
She carried the baby out of the room.
She headed to the kitchen to prepare some formula.
As she walked past the living room, she saw two people sitting on the couch.
Emily was leaning against David's shoulder.
David didn't move away.
They were watching a movie together.
The glow from the TV lit up their faces.
It was such a cozy scene.
They looked like they truly belonged together.
Rachel stood in the doorway.
She froze, unable to move.
The baby was still crying.
Emily heard the noise and looked up.
When she saw Rachel, she quickly sat up straight, moving away from David's shoulder.
"Rachel, what's wrong with the baby?" she asked.
David turned his head too.
He saw Rachel.
A flicker of discomfort crossed his face.
"Rachel, you..." he started.
Rachel didn't say a word.
She turned around, cradling the baby in her arms, and headed into the kitchen.
She mixed up the formula and gave the baby the bottle.
Her hands trembled.
Her mind kept replaying the scene she'd just witnessed.
Emily was leaning against David's shoulder.
David didn't pull away.
Rachel felt her heart shatter into pieces at that moment.
The next day, Rachel took the baby and walked out the door.
Susan saw her and immediately blocked her way.
"Where do you think you're going?" Susan demanded.
"You're not supposed to go out during your postpartum recovery!"
Rachel looked at her.
"I'm going to the hospital for a check-up," she said.
Susan Scott's brows furrowed as she repeated, "A check-up?"
"Let David go with you," she said.
"No need," Rachel replied.
She walked out with the baby in her arms.
Susan called after her.
"Rachel! Get back here!"
Rachel didn't look back.
She took a cab to the hospital.
But she wasn't there for a check-up.
Instead, she went straight to a lawyer's office.
The lawyer was a woman.
She was in her thirties, sharp and professional, with a piercing gaze.
"Hello, I'm Jessica Bates," she said. "You mentioned on the phone that you wanted to discuss a divorce?"
Rachel nodded. "Yes."
Jessica gave her a quick look.
"You just had a baby, didn't you?" she asked.
Rachel blinked in surprise.
"How did you figure that out?"
"Just by looking at you."
Jessica poured some water for her.
"Go ahead, tell me about your situation."
Rachel took a deep breath.
She poured out everything that had happened over the past month.
The highway.
The hospital.
The postpartum days.
Emily.
When Rachel finished telling her story, her eyes were rimmed with tears.
Jessica listened in silence.
She paused for a few seconds.
Then she asked, "Do you have any solid proof your husband and Emily have something going on?"
Rachel shook her head.
"No," she said.
"They're just always together, acting really close," Rachel replied.
Jessica nodded.
"Right now, there's just not enough proof.
"If you're serious about getting a divorce, you'll need to collect some evidence first.
"Stuff like chat logs, bank transfers, hotel receipts.
"The more details you have, the better."
Rachel looked at her.
"What should I do?"
Jessica pulled out a business card.
"Here's my contact info.
"When you get home, start watching everything they do from now on.
"Phones, computers, bank transfers.
"If you notice anything suspicious, tell me right away.
"I'll help you out."
Rachel took the business card.
She gripped it tight in her hand.
"Thank you," she said.
Jessica looked at her.
Jessica's gaze held both admiration and a hint of pity.
"Don't thank me," she said.
"If you want to thank someone, thank yourself.
"It takes guts to stay clear-headed and come see a lawyer when things are this messy.
"You're sharper than most women I've met."
Tears rolled down Rachel's cheeks.
Jessica handed her a tissue.
"Don't cry," she said.
"Save your strength for dealing with those bastards."
Rachel wiped away her tears.
She nodded.
When Rachel got home, Susan was waiting in the living room, already scolding her.
"Where did you run off to?
"You just had a baby and you're running around everywhere. Are you out of your mind?"
Rachel held the baby in her arms.
She replied calmly, "I went for a check-up.
"The doctor said I'm doing great."
Susan snorted.
"If you're feeling so great, then get back to work already.
"Don't just laze around all day."
Rachel didn't say a word.
She carried the baby into her room and closed the door behind her.
She sat down on the bed, pulled out the business card and gazed at it for what felt like ages.
Then, she unlocked her phone.
She tapped into David's messages and started scrolling up through their chat history.
She scrolled through every message one by one and scrutinized every word.
Her eyes grew cold and resolute.
She was done crying.
From this day forward, she would fight back.