Chapter 5
Rachel began to take action.
The first step.
She needed to get her paycheck card back.
At noon, David came home for lunch.
Rachel sat at the dining table.
She looked at him.
"David, I want my paycheck card back," Rachel said.
David was eating.
When he heard that, he paused.
"Why do you need your paycheck card?" he asked.
Rachel replied calmly, "I want to buy something for the baby."
"What exactly do you need to buy?" David pressed.
He set down his fork.
"Just tell me what you need, and I'll go get it for you."
"I want to buy it myself."
She looked straight at him.
"I want to keep my paycheck card with me."
David's face darkened.
"Rachel, we've been married for years, and I've always handled your paycheck card.
"Why do you suddenly want it back?
"Is there something you're not telling me?"
Rachel smiled, just a little.
"I just want my salary card back," she said.
"Is that such a big deal?"
David looked at her.
He paused for a moment.
Then he said, "The salary card is in the company safe. I'll bring it back for you tomorrow."
"Okay." She nodded. "I'll be waiting."
David finished eating and walked out.
Rachel sat at the dining table.
She watched him leave.
She knew the truth.
He was lying.
The card was never at the company.
It was right in his wallet.
She'd spotted it in his wallet yesterday when she was checking his things.
But she didn't call him out on it.
She wanted to see what he'd do next.
*****
That evening, Susan and Emily came back.
They brought in a bunch of groceries.
Emily went to the kitchen to cook.
Susan sat in the living room, holding her grandson.
Rachel sat quietly to the side.
She was staring at her phone.
Suddenly, Susan spoke up. "Rachel, I need to talk to you."
Rachel looked up.
"What is it?"
"David and I have discussed it." She looked at Rachel.
"We want Emily to move in.
"She can help look after you and the baby."
Rachel clenched her fingers.
"Hasn't she already moved in?"
"That's just temporary.
"I'm saying, I want her to stay here for good.
"The guest room's just sitting there empty anyway."
Rachel stared at Susan.
"Susan, this is mine and David's place.
"Shouldn't you ask me first before letting someone move in?"
Susan's face instantly darkened.
"Ask you? What, you think you get a say now?
"Emily's here to help with the baby, and you're still not satisfied?
"Rachel, don't get too full of yourself."
Rachel took a deep breath.
"I don't need her looking after me.
"I can take care of the baby myself."
"You? Take care of the baby?" Susan scoffed.
"You can't even hold the baby right, and you think you can handle him?
"Honestly, maybe you just want the house to be too quiet—let the baby starve, is that it?"
Rachel stood up.
"Mom, could you please be a little more respectful?" she said.
"Respectful? Really?" Susan shot back, rising to her feet as well.
She stood up too.
"What, you think I'm being rude?
"I'm letting Emily stay for your own good.
"And now you think you're some big shot?
"Rachel, don't forget; this is my son's house.
"I decide who gets to live here.
"You don't get a say."
Rachel stared at Susan.
She suddenly gave a wry laugh.
"Alright," Rachel said.
"Since that's what you want, looks like I shouldn't stay here anymore."
With that, she turned and headed into her room.
She started packing her things.
Susan was stunned for a moment.
Then she stormed in after her.
"What do you think you're doing?" Susan snapped.
Rachel folded her clothes carefully, one piece at a time.
Each item went neatly into the suitcase.
"I'm taking the baby and moving out," Rachel said.
"No need for me to stick around and bother anyone."
"You..." Susan sputtered, at a loss for words.
"You dare move out? Try it and see!
"You really think my son will let you leave? He won't go easy on you, just wait and see!"
Rachel ignored her completely.
She kept packing her things.
Emily heard the commotion and burst in, looking flustered.
She rushed over, worry written all over her face.
"Rachel, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Did I do something wrong?
"Please don't be mad at me."
Rachel gave her a cold, sideways glance.
"You're doing great," she said, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"So great that you've nearly drained my husband's bank account."
Emily's expression froze.
"What do you mean?" she stammered.
Rachel let out a cold, mocking laugh.
"You know exactly what I mean."
"Ninety thousand dollars." Rachel paused, letting the number hang in the air.
"Emily, you really are something else."
Emily turned white as a sheet.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about..." she mumbled.
"You don't know?" Rachel snapped.
She pulled out her phone.
Opened up the screenshots.
Flipped through them right in front of Emily, one by one.
"Care to explain these transfers?" Rachel's voice was icy.
Emily stared at the screenshots.
Her face was ghostly pale.
"David... he... he wanted to give me the money. I didn't force him..." she stammered.
"That's right—he handed it over willingly," Rachel said, her voice sharp.
"You didn't force him, true.
"But do you even realize—
"That was three years' worth of savings.
"Every dollar I scraped together while pregnant, penny-pinching through every day, every meal.
"I couldn't even bring myself to buy a one-hundred-dollar dress for myself, so I saved it.
"And you?
"You used my money to buy yourself a three-thousand-dollar dress."
Emily opened her mouth, but no words came out.
She looked completely dumbfounded.
Susan, hearing this from the side, was frozen.
She couldn't believe it either.
"Ninety thousand?" Susan burst out.
"David transferred that much to her?"
Rachel turned to face Susan directly.
"That's right.
"You really didn't know about this?
"Your son took every cent we had and handed it all over to Emily.
"Now there's just three thousand dollars left in the account. That's it."
Susan's expression shifted, her face tightening.
"No way!" she blurted.
"David would never do this!
"You must be mistaken!"
Rachel handed her the phone.
"See for yourself," she said.
Susan took the phone.
She stared at the transfer records.
Her expression grew more and more grim.
She turned to Emily.
"Emily, what is this? What's going on?" she demanded.
Emily lowered her head.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Susan, I really didn't mean to" Emily stammered.
"David said he wanted to help me.
"I never thought it would be this much."
Susan was stunned.
She'd always thought Emily was a good, sensible kid.
But now—
Emily had taken Ninety thousand dollars from David.
That was every penny the family had saved.
Rachel watched Susan's expression.
She knew this was her moment.
"Mom." Rachel's voice was steady—no anger, no tears.
"I'm taking the baby and moving out.
"I'll come back only if I ever want to. Otherwise, I'm gone for good."
With that, she picked up her baby.
She grabbed her suitcase, took a deep breath, and headed straight for the door.
Susan rushed to block her path.
"Rachel! Stop right there!
"The baby belongs to the Scott family; you can't just take him away!"
Rachel stopped in her tracks.
She turned to face Susan.
"I gave birth to him.
"Taking my own son with me is my right.
"If you try to stop me, I'll call the police.
"And I'll tell them you're illegally holding me here."
Susan was left speechless.
Rachel walked out of the house, holding the baby in her arms.
Behind her.
Susan was yelling.
Emily was crying.
But Rachel didn't look back.
She walked with determination.
Because she knew.
This was a step she had to take.
Only by leaving this house could she truly begin to fight back.