As I washed my pregnant friend Summer’s feet, a post popped up on my phone. “What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve ever done in your life?” A recent comment underneath caught my eye. “I have this classmate and roommate I absolutely despise.” “She stole the man I had my eye on, and she took the scholarship that was rightfully mine.” “So, I slept with her husband, took her mansion, and even her son calls me Mommy in private.” “She thinks her husband went bankrupt and is working herself to death to pay off his debts, but all that money is going towards my designer bags.” “Oh, and by the way, she’s washing my feet right now.” I hadn’t really paid it much mind, but then I got up to dump the foot water, and the post updated again. “After she dumps the water, she’s going to make the bed.” “Last night, her husband and I explored quite a few positions on that very bed.” “It was such a thrill, knowing she was sleeping just next door.” I stood in front of the messy master bedroom bed, glancing at the cramped maid’s room across the hall. After a moment of silence, I found that long-forgotten number and dialed it. 1 The messy bed was neatly made, and the window was open, airing out the stale, putrid smell in the room. These tasks had become second nature to me. Because I don't sleep well. That bed, he’d personally picked out for me from the furniture store. Now, it was where he indulged his affairs. No one would ever guess that the once-illustrious Mrs. Harrison was now working as a maid in her friend’s house. Those hands, once meticulously cared for and skilled at restoring ancient texts at the National Historical Museum, were now calloused and scarred. As usual, I prepared dinner for Summer and then asked for some time off. Summer wiped her mouth, feigning reluctance. “You know my husband, he’s terribly stingy. If you take time off now, you’ll lose a whole day’s pay.” “But we’ve been friends since childhood, so of course, I’ll put in a good word for you.” With that, she took out a takeout container. She packed up her leftover food and handed it to me. “Take this back for an extra meal, don’t let it go to waste.” The look in her eyes as she gazed at me was filled with mockery. But the old me, I never would have noticed. I would have been eternally grateful for her “care” after my supposed bankruptcy. I stared at the greasy leftovers in my hand, my lips pulling into a stiff, forced smile. My voice was dry, like sandpaper grating. “Thank you.” Stepping out of the familiar villa gates, the cold wind bit at my collar. This affluent neighborhood stretched on endlessly, and I had no car. I could only walk, step by painful step, my feet heavy. Once, I was the lady of this mansion, living a life of boundless luxury. After my husband’s supposed bankruptcy, the villa was bought by Summer, a friend who had returned from abroad. She and I were college roommates and always close. We’d kept in touch even after she moved overseas. Leveraging that connection, I quit my physically demanding job and became their maid. Though her never-seen husband was notoriously stingy and my wages were low, I was content. When Summer became pregnant, I dedicated myself even more fully to her every need—cooking, washing her feet, and assisting with her daily routines. For three long years, it wasn’t until today that I realized. This entire situation was nothing more than a carefully orchestrated deception, all aimed at me. An hour later, I finally managed to hail a cab and made my way to my son’s school. The dismissal bell rang. In the throng of parents, I spotted that familiar Bentley. Its champagne color glinted, a sharp, unwelcome sight. This car was the engagement gift my husband, Drake, had given me, my absolute favorite. But after his bankruptcy, I had tearfully sold it to help pay off his debts. Now, it was here. Drake stepped out of the car, dressed in a sharp suit, radiating an air of success. He looked like a completely different man from the one at home, who dressed plainly and constantly worried about money. My son, Finn, rushed over and hugged his leg. “Daddy, can we go play at Summer’s today?” Drake bent down, ruffling his hair. “Today we’re going home to be with Mommy.” But my child, whom I had carried for nine months and brought into the world at great risk, pouted. “I don’t want to go home.” “Summer’s house is my home. She’s pretty and smells nice.” “Mommy smells of cooking oil, she’s stinky, I don’t like her.” My breath hitched, and my blood felt like it had frozen in my veins. So, my beloved husband had been faking his poverty all along. And the child I had poured my heart and soul into raising was lying to me. All my sacrifices for this family, in their eyes, were no more than stale leftovers. A bitter joke. I stood rooted to the spot, watching them drive away. My phone chimed—the special ringtone I’d set for Drake. “I’m working late tonight. I’ve picked up Finn. You’ve had a tough day, get some good rest.” The Bentley’s taillights vanished around the corner, and I sank to the ground, my heart aching. My fingers clenched, nails digging into my palms, drawing blood. It didn’t hurt. Not nearly as much as the torment I’d endured these past three years. 2 After he announced his bankruptcy, I decided to go out and work to help pay off his debts. The factory assembly line, twelve hours of non-stop work. Amidst the roar of machinery, my once soft palms became red and swollen. In just three months, my joints began to deform. Bending them felt like rusty hinges, the pain so intense it kept me awake all night. But one salary couldn’t even begin to cover the massive debts my husband owed. In the evenings, I’d also set up a stall at the night market, selling clothes. The winter wind was like a knife, chilling me to the bone. To sell more clothes, I’d stay out until the early hours of the morning, night after night. One day, six months later, I looked in the mirror and realized the person staring back was no longer the familiar me. My eyes were shadowed with dark circles, my hair was disheveled, and my skin was rough and dull. The cramped apartment was so small, there was barely room to turn around. The cooking fumes never dissipated, giving me a persistent pharyngitis. Every change of season, I’d cough until I felt like my lungs would tear. Back then, my son would feel for my efforts. “Mommy, don’t work so hard. I won’t drink milk anymore.” “Mommy, once Daddy’s business gets better, you can rest.” “Mommy, you’re my favorite person in the whole world.” I genuinely believed life would gradually improve. I believed Drake was the partner who would shield me from life’s storms. I believed Finn was the precious child who would always love and care for me. But today, I finally discovered. Every hardship I had endured, they had orchestrated. I returned to the villa district, standing in the shadow of the outer wall. The lights inside the house were glaringly bright. Through the glass windows, I saw the three of them, looking more like a family than ever. Summer leaned against Drake’s shoulder, her eyes crinkling with laughter. Drake carefully caressed her slightly swollen belly, feeding her bright red strawberries. His movements were tender, almost dripping with affection. Finn sat beside them, playing with a limited-edition toy car. Their voices drifted faintly. “Daddy, will Summer have a baby brother or sister for me?” His eyes sparkled. Drake ruffled his hair. “Either is fine, you’ll all play together, okay?” Summer smiled, handing him a glass of juice. “Will you protect them both when they’re here?” “Yes!” I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood spreading in my mouth. Their words were like steel needles, piercing my heart. But I couldn’t understand why they, father and son, would do this to me! Back then, Drake was just a poor boy. We met, fell in love, and grew together in college. After graduation, he came to ask for my hand, only to face my father’s fierce opposition. My father tried to pay him off, to make him leave me. A wad of cash, like a slap across his face. He, in his faded, threadbare shirt, clenched his fists, knuckles white, and turned to leave. I cried, chasing after him. That night, in a dimly lit room, we lay naked together, and he promised me. “One day, I’ll make your father look at me differently.” I believed him. Defying my family’s objections, I resolutely married Drake. I poured all my savings into his business, helping him climb to the peak of success, step by step. But now, it all felt like a cruel joke. Their laughter and joy were a mockery. A mockery of my foolishness. A mockery of my sacrifices. A mockery of my life, which had been a complete farce from beginning to end. 3 After standing in the cold wind for half the night, I developed a fever. Drake returned with Finn and found me curled up in a ball on the bed. Ignoring my sweat-soaked state, he pulled me into his arms. “Lynn, what’s wrong?” “I’m taking you to the hospital.” His voice, trembling with alarm, didn’t sound fake. But why would he do this to me? I shook my head, pushing away the man who had betrayed me. I looked at Finn, who stood behind Drake. I reached out my arm to him, hoping for a comforting hug. “Finn, Mommy’s tired.” I refused to believe that the child I had raised would treat his own mother this way. But he flinched, pulling back abruptly. My hand froze in mid-air. This was the child I had sacrificed my own meals for, to ensure he had milk. The child I worried about while shivering at the night market. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, a pain beyond words. Drake gently tucked my hand back under the covers. “If you’re tired, rest properly. Don’t worry about the kids.” His palm was warm, but I felt a chilling cold. Looking at the false tenderness in his eyes, I inexplicably blurted out. “Finn, if Daddy and I ever split up, who would you want to live with?” Finn and Drake both stared at me, their eyes wide with shock. They didn’t understand why I was asking. But Finn didn’t hesitate to answer. “Daddy!” “Daddy’s so successful, he can get me a big house.” “Mommy just cleans and cooks at home, and she smells awful.” Tears instantly welled up in my eyes, soaking Drake’s pants as they streamed down my face. He held me tightly, comforting me with a smile. “The kid’s still small, don’t take what he says seriously.” “We’ll never split up, don’t ask such silly questions again.” His embrace, once my safe harbor, now felt like a noose around my neck. In the middle of the night, I woke up thirsty and heard hushed voices outside the door. “Summer is just an outsider, Mommy is your family.” “How could you say that about Mommy?” I lay on the cold bed, silently weeping. So, he knew we were a family all along. But I didn’t want this family anymore. The next day, I went to work at the villa as usual. I installed surveillance cameras in inconspicuous corners throughout the house. Late that night, Drake still hadn’t come home. After tucking Finn into bed, I opened the monitoring app on my phone. The villa lights were still glaringly bright. Summer leaned against Drake’s chest, her fingers tracing patterns on his muscular torso. “When are you going to tell her the truth?” Drake, cigarette dangling from his lips, paused. His voice was low. “The day after tomorrow is her birthday. I’ll tell her the truth then.” “It’ll be her birthday surprise.” “She’s suffered enough these past few years, and I’ve had my satisfaction.” “I’ll give her back the company and the house, and then give her a grand wedding.” Summer’s eyes showed a flicker of something ugly. “I get it, she sacrificed a lot for you back then. I understand your love for her.” “But I love you too, and I don’t mind being your secret lover forever.” Her slender nails traced across Drake’s bare chest, her voice incredibly soft. “As long as I can stay by your side.” But Drake abruptly pushed her away. “You and I are just a temporary distraction.” “Once the baby is born, I’ll find a reason to bring her home, and Lynn will raise her.” “As for you, I’ll give you a sum of money, and you are never to appear before us again.” “Remember your place.”
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