Chapter 6: The Apple and the Knife

This incident was scandalous; it spread through the village like wildfire. My sister-in-law was left alone in the hospital, and it was as if the family had forgotten she existed. But how could I be so heartless? I went to the hospital to see Mila and even paid for her hospital stay. I bought her a bag of apples and, seeing her pale and weak face, sat by her bed to peel one for her.

"Mila, losing the baby wasn't your fault. If they had taken you to the doctor when you were in pain, things wouldn't have gotten this bad," I said, trying to comfort her.

Mila bit her lip slightly and said nothing. I continued peeling the apple slowly.

"A woman's worth isn't just about having children. You still have a husband and a family. If you don't pull yourself together, the family won't feel like a family anymore."

Her eyes reddened, and she looked at me with an empty stare. She slowly opened her mouth, "I ... I have nothing left. Without a womb, I can't have children. I'm nothing."

At that moment, I cut the peeled apple into small pieces, stuck a toothpick in one, and handed it to her. I smiled, "You are still my sister-in-law. My brother married you with all the proper rites. You went through so much pain for him, even losing your womb to give him a child."

"And him? He's still obsessed with having an heir ..." I said the last few words with a meaningful tone. Mila's eyes turned redder, and the emptiness in her gaze disappeared. I smiled and put the fruit knife back in the fruit basket.

Despair? This isn't the time to give up yet. In my previous life, I was far more desperate than any of them ...

When I got home, I noticed my mother didn't dare to look me in the eye. A few steps further, I saw my room had been turned upside down, with all my luggage opened. My brother was rummaging through my things.

"This ungrateful girl, what did she learn in school? How to hide things so well?" he muttered.

I crossed my arms and sneered, "Rhett, what are you doing? What have you learned all these years? Stealing?"

My brother stiffened at the sound of my voice. He straightened up and pointed at me, yelling, "Stealing from family? You wretched girl, where's the money? Didn't you say you brought money back?"

I shrugged, "You all told me to take care of Mila. I paid for her hospital stay. Oh, and the doctor said she could be discharged in three days. Don't forget to pick her up."

In his rage, my brother smashed our family photo on the table to the ground. "Are you crazy? She can't have kids, and you still paid for her? She should just die there and give us peace!"

"I don't care. You get that money back and give it to me."

I couldn't believe I had called this person my brother for so many years. I walked into the room, "Do you think the hospital will refund the money just because I ask? If you have the nerve, go ask them yourself. Don't waste my time; my professor has an important project waiting for me. If I'm late, I won't get to work on it, and I won't have any money."

My brother gritted his teeth in anger, "Fine, fine. Next time you come home, you better bring me twenty thousand dollars."

He grinned sinisterly, "Otherwise, Ryann, we can make you go to school, and we can make you drop out. Don't forget, you will always be part of this family! Don't think you can get rid of us."

Hearing his threat, I paused in packing my things. Of course, I remembered. In my past life, they had forced me to come back the same way. First, my mother came to my school, crying and saying she couldn't go on, making me the talk of the school. Then my brother lied, saying she was seriously ill and had no one to take care of her ...

The family was either pregnant women, babies, or elderly. He had to go to work. He outright threatened me, saying if I didn't know how to repay the family, he would make sure everyone at school knew, and I wouldn't be able to continue my studies.

They forced me back home, where I found a job and worked from morning till night to take care of them. And my mother wasn't sick at all. The medicine she took every day was just vitamins, all to trick me into coming back and supporting them.

By the time I learned the truth, it was too late ...

Thinking of this, I continued packing my things with a blank expression. I rolled my suitcase over Rhett's foot and walked out.

As Rhett cried out in pain, my mother stood in front of me, stuttering, "Ryann, your brother has it tough too. We still need to find him a new wife. You should be more understanding and save some money for him."

I didn't even bother to look at her and walked straight out.

Ha, find another wife? Let's see how you manage that when Mila comes back.