Chapter 1
Phoebe's husband, Lewis, tossed some cash onto the dining table.
The bills fluttered across the surface, their lightness at odds with the sharp, almost jarring sound they made.
"Thirty dollars," Lewis said.
His voice, like his demeanor, carried a cold, aloof indifference.
He said, "That’s three days of living expenses for you, my mom, and me. Spend it carefully."
Phoebe stood frozen, her gaze lingering on the scattered bills. Not a cent more, not a cent less. Thirty dollars, just right.
Angelina, Lewis's mother, cleared her throat and spoke up, her tone slow and deliberate. "Phoebe, I'm not trying to nag, but you really need to learn how to budget your money.
"Lewis works so hard out there to earn every penny. We can't afford to waste a single cent."
"Sure, groceries are expensive these days, but if you hit up a few different markets, you can always find something cheaper."
Phoebe's gaze drifted from the money to Angelina's face, which practically screamed shrewdness.
She didn't say a word.
She didn't even try to argue or explain, like she usually would, that a housewife's expenses were way more than just groceries.
There were water bills, electricity bills, gas bills, and property management fees.
There were snacks for the kids, the occasional toy, and clothes for each new season.
Every single one of them cost money.
But Lewis and Angelina never cared about any of that.
To them, she was just a housewife who didn't contribute anything and just spent money.
Lewis made 17 thousand dollars a month, but the money he gave her for living expenses kept shrinking.
It started at 1,700 dollars a month, then dropped to one thousand, and just last week, he started giving her 170 dollars a week.
And now, it was down to 30 dollars for three days.
Phoebe couldn't help but scoff inwardly, her thoughts dripping with sarcasm.
'This is beyond absurd,' she thought.
Three days, three people, 30 dollars. That was just ten dollars per day.
'What could ten dollars even buy these days? In this city, that's barely enough for two bottles of water,' Phoebe thought.
Lewis watched Phoebe stand there motionless, his brow tightening, impatience clear in his tone.
He snapped, "What are you standing there for? You think it's not enough?
"Phoebe, don't be ungrateful. Plenty of women would kill to marry a guy like me and enjoy an easy life at home. I'm giving you money to run the house because I actually respect you.
"If you think you're being wronged, why don't you go out and earn your own money? See how easy it is to find a job these days."
Phoebe was sick of hearing this speech. It was like a broken record at this point.
Every time Lewis cut her living expenses, he'd drag out the same old lines, constantly reminding her she owed everything to him, that her life depended on his generosity.
Back then, she'd cry, feeling humiliated.
She'd remember how, before she got married, she was a top student from a great university, working as a project manager at an international firm, pulling in twenty grand a month.
Lewis was the one who said he could take care of her, that he wanted her to stay home and handle everything so he wouldn't have to worry about a thing.
And Phoebe actually believed him.
She walked away from a bright future, swapped her office for the kitchen, and became that so-called "lucky housewife" Lewis always bragged about.
But there was no happy life.
All Phoebe felt was the never-ending grind, the daily exhaustion, and the way Lewis looked at her with more and more disdain.
Her entire value was reduced to the money she received from Lewis each month.
And now, that so-called value had dwindled to just 30 dollars.
Angelina was quick to add fuel to the fire, backing Lewis up.
She said, "That's right, Phoebe. You should learn to count your blessings and find happiness in being content.
"When I was with your dad, we were lucky if we had a dollar a day for groceries. Still, I managed to raise Lewis all by myself.
"You young folks these days have it way too easy. You can't take any hardship at all."
Phoebe felt a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.
It was like a soggy wad of cotton had been stuffed inside, making it hard to breathe.
She looked at the mother and son standing in front of her.
Lewis was always acting superior, measuring her worth in cash.
Angelina kept reminding Phoebe of her own tough past, using it to make Phoebe feel guilty about her life now.
They worked together seamlessly, always making sure she felt small.
All these years, Phoebe had been worn down by the constant pressure from both of them. Her spirit chipped away bit by bit until she barely recognized herself.
She looked at the 30 dollars and couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous it all was.
All those years of hard work, her youth, her career, her dignity... Everything she'd sacrificed was reduced to nothing but these flimsy bills.
'Alright then,' Phoebe thought.
The last thread inside her finally broke.
When a person couldn't even feel disappointed anymore, only quiet numbness was left.
It was a dead calm, like stagnant water, lifeless and still.
Phoebe walked forward slowly, not sparing Lewis or Angelina a single glance.
Her fingers moved slowly, picking up each bill from the table one by one.
Her movements were slow and light, almost weightless.
It was as if the money wasn't even money, just some insignificant pieces of paper.
She folded the bills neatly and slipped them into her pocket.
Then, for the first time, she looked at Lewis with an unfamiliar, emotionless gaze.
"Alright," she said. Just one word. No anger, no argument, no tears.
Lewis was momentarily stunned.