Chapter 3

I didn't want to argue with them anymore. I turned and walked into my room, shutting the door hard behind me.

Finally, I had some peace and quiet.

I pressed my back against the door and slowly slid down to sit on the cold floor.

My tears finally broke free, streaming down my face.

I had no idea how long I'd been crying until my phone started buzzing.

It was Eric.

I swiped open the screen, and a flood of accusatory and gaslighting texts blew up my screen like a virus.

Eric: [Vivian, are you done making a scene?]

[Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me today? All my relatives and friends were there!]

[My mom only said those things because you pissed her off. Can't you just let it slide, since you're the junior here?]

[Enough with the attitude. Just come over and apologize to my mom. I swear I'll talk to her again about the wedding budget. Are you really going to throw away everything we've had over something so trivial?]

When I read those texts, my stomach churned with disgust.

Apologize? He actually expected me to apologize to the woman who humiliated my entire family?

And he still wanted to try and work something out?

It felt like I was watching the biggest joke in the world.

I didn't bother replying.

I tapped on his profile picture, found that red button, and hit it without a second thought.

I unfriended him and sent him straight to my blocklist.

I deleted every way we ever contacted each other, one by one.

After I was done, that suffocating feeling in my chest finally started to ease up.

Outside, the night was pitch-black.

I stared at my blurry reflection in the window, my eyes slowly steeling with determination.

This family and this relationship were like a massive, suffocating swamp.

I'd been trapped in it for way too long.

Now, I was done struggling.

I was going to claw my way out of this mess, even if it meant leaving a piece of myself behind.

Early the next morning, I was jolted awake by a commotion downstairs.

The shrill, familiar voice sliced right through the thin walls of our old building and drilled straight into my ears.

It was Linda.

I walked over to the window and pulled back a corner of the curtain to look down.

There she was, hands on her hips, standing at the foot of our building like a rooster spoiling for a fight, with Eric beside her, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

A crowd of neighbors who were out early for groceries or a walk had already gathered around.

"Come on, everyone, tell me if I'm wrong. Can you believe how cold-hearted young people are these days?" Linda shouted.

Her voice was so loud that everyone within 300 feet could hear her complaints.

She went on, "I was being so generous, putting up 60 grand for their daughter, every cent of it. And what did she do? She said it wasn't enough.

"At the engagement party, she flipped out in front of everyone and even hit my son!

"Who would want a woman this greedy and rude? Our Shaw family must've been out of our minds to even consider her."

She spun the whole story, twisting facts and playing the victim, making herself out to be the poor, perfect mother-in-law everyone should pity.

The neighbors started whispering, shooting our window some strange looks.

I could hear my parents pacing back and forth in the living room, arguing in hushed, frantic voices.

"What are we supposed to do? What should we do now?" my mom sobbed.

"It's all that damn girl's fault. She made this whole mess!" my dad snapped, his voice shaking with anger.

They didn't dare open the door or even make a sound. They were just like two terrified quails, cowering in their shell, shaking.

My heart sank.

Counting on them? Not a chance.

I took a deep breath and walked out of my room.

When my parents saw me, they looked at me like I was either their savior or the plague.

"Vivian, don't go out there. Just let her yell. She'll get tired and leave eventually," my mom pleaded, grabbing my arm.

I shook her off and walked straight to the door.

"Open the door," I said, my voice leaving no room for argument.

"Are you crazy? Why are you going out there?" my dad shouted.

"I said, open the door," I repeated, my voice cold as ice.

My dad couldn't stand my glare any longer. With trembling hands, he finally opened the door.

I walked down the stairs, step by step.

Seeing me, Linda puffed up even more, acting all high and mighty.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up. What's the matter? Did you do something you're ashamed of, so you were too scared to face anyone?" Linda sneered.

I ignored her and walked straight into the middle of the crowd.

I held up my phone, already recording in secret.

"Good morning, everyone," I said, my voice clear and steady.

My voice rose above Linda's yelling, loud enough for everyone to hear.

I said, "I'm Vivian Summers, the one who lives upstairs. And this is Linda Shaw, the woman who was supposed to be my future mother-in-law. But we broke off the engagement just yesterday."

Everyone's eyes were on me.

I went on, "You all heard what she just said. She called my family greedy and said I have no manners.

"But what she didn't tell you is that yesterday, right in front of everyone at the engagement party, she slashed the promised 60 grand to just 3 grand, right on the spot.

"She also didn't mention how she pointed at my parents and humiliated them, saying our family wasn't good enough for the Shaw family.

"My parents have always been honest, decent people. When have they ever been humiliated like this? I couldn't take it anymore, so I called off the engagement with the Shaw family.

"And now, she's standing outside my building, shouting at the top of her lungs just to drag my name through the mud."

I held up my phone, aiming it right at Linda's face, which was contorted in embarrassment as her lies were laid bare.

I said, "Mrs. Shaw, why don't you repeat every word you said at the hotel yesterday, right here in front of everyone? Or are you too chicken to admit how you really look down on my family?"