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The Obedient Wife's Revenge He Chose His Ex Over Our Daughter
NovelShort
Hoàn thành
The ninety-ninth time Earl Sanchez's ex-girlfriend showed up to steal the dog, I had a ten-course dinner and a pot of soup waiting for her. "Eat while it's hot. The dog's been fed. Condoms are in the ...
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第1章
The ninety-ninth time Earl Sanchez's ex-girlfriend showed up to steal the dog, I had a ten-course dinner and a pot of soup waiting for her.
"Eat while it's hot. The dog's been fed. Condoms are in the nightstand."
The grin on Earl's face collapsed in an instant. "What are you making a scene about now?"
Norma Donaldson, busy smothering the Samoyed in kisses, let out a delicate scoff.
"Patsy, not everyone is trying to compete with you."
"I have zero interest in fighting over a man. You can have the husband, but I won't give up the dog."
"I lost the custody battle for Snowball back then, and I just miss him."
I didn't dare talk back. I just nodded, meek and obedient.
After ninety-eight rounds with Norma, I'd learned my place.
I watched the two of them exchange lingering glances and kept my composure. No tears, no tantrums. The perfect, understanding wife.
I turned to Earl, my voice tight with desperation.
"Honey, I'll step aside so the three of you can be a family again."
"Can you... do the same for me?"
……
Silence.
Earl's hand stilled on the dog's fur. Something unreadable crossed his face.
"Norma just can't bear to part with the dog. Stop blowing things out of proportion."
I shook my head with a bitter smile.
I didn't have the strength to fight anymore.
And I was done being the spare wheel in their little stolen-dog love story.
The Samoyed I'd fed for five years was barking at me, hackles raised, warning me not to hurt its "mommy."
Norma pulled the dog into her arms, soothing it with one hand while shooting me an amused look.
"Poor Snowball, living with this abusive mother-daughter duo for five years. He's suffered so much."
She turned to Earl with a coy pout. "I'm not backing down this time! I'm taking Snowball home."
Earl's expression softened immediately. "Oh? And why should I let you keep a father from seeing his son?"
"The little brat who abused Snowball has already been dealt with. Stop giving me attitude."
My head snapped up. I pointed at the dog prancing happily between them, my voice raw and strained.
"You two are... parents too. Can you give me my daughter back?"
"Bess has a heart condition. She can't take this kind of stress."
Earl blinked, then his voice turned cold and cutting. "Patsy Henson, stop making a scene."
"It's because of you and that miserable attitude of yours that our daughter turned out so vicious and heartless. She abused a dog."
"Norma and I have never crossed a line! Keep up this jealous act, and you'll never see your daughter again."
Every time the word "abuse" left his mouth, it carved through me like a blade.
Did he not know that Bess would stop for every stray she saw on the street? That she'd stand in the pouring rain to build shelters for them? How could she ever hurt an animal?
Norma looked down at me and casually scraped every dish of meat from the table into the dog's bowl.
"Heart condition? Well, my fur baby gets anxiety too."
"That child is cruel by nature. Earl sent her away for correction before she went down a path of no return."
Her gaze swept over me, head to toe, and she smiled with undisguised contempt.
"Patsy, you really don't carry yourself like the lady of the Sanchez household."
"Then again, one person plants the tree and another enjoys the shade. Earl's done a fine job keeping you."
The implication dripped from every word. I could only laugh at the absurdity.
Lady of the house? Me?
I remembered the first time Norma came to steal the dog. I'd called the police.
When she was accused of trespassing, Earl didn't hesitate. He stepped in front of her without a second thought.
"Her fingerprint is registered on the lock. The passcode is her birthday. How is that breaking and entering?"
The lady of this house had never been me.
Even this apartment, every inch of it, had been designed by the two of them during their relationship. A Disney-themed wonderland built on their love.
Five years of marriage, and the only outsider had always been me.
That truth had taken me from hysterics to hollow acceptance a long time ago.
All I wanted now was my daughter back.
And then I'd end this joke of a marriage where I'd only ever been running someone else's race.
第2章
I looked at Earl, my posture small and desperate, my voice unable to hide the panic clawing through it.
"Discipline? Where did you send her?!"
"Bess never abused that dog, and you know it better than anyone."
The image of my daughter's arm, punctured clean through by the dog's teeth, flashed through my mind. And now she was gone, taken somewhere I didn't know. Despair crashed over me like a wave.
"My daughter doesn't need the two of you to 'educate' her. I'm begging you, just give her back to me."
"Her condition is unstable. I'm afraid she'll—"
Norma arched a brow. "Bess abused my baby. That's a sin she needs to atone for. You can't just coddle her."
"Since you're so desperate to play the devoted mother, why don't you apologize to Rascal on her behalf?"
"Kowtow to him ninety-nine times. If he forgives you, I'll consider letting that little brat go."
I didn't hesitate for a single second. My knees hit the floor.
I abandoned every shred of dignity and bowed my forehead to the ground before a dog.
I'd learned my lesson long ago. Defying the real lady of the house only brought more suffering.
The ninetieth time Norma had come to "reclaim" her dog, she'd discovered a small patch of missing fur.
She'd screamed that I'd mistreated Rascal and demanded I rip out ninety strands of my own hair as penance.
Because I'd hesitated for three seconds, she'd erupted into hysterics, turning to Earl with a face full of anguish.
"So it's true — once there's a stepmother, the father becomes a stranger too! Earl, is this how you take care of our son?"
"He's the puppy we raised together, back when we were the most in love..."
Earl's eyes reddened instantly, his heart aching for her.
He shot me one cold glance, then seized my daughter by the hair.
The sound of tearing. Clumps of hair hit the floor.
Bess went into shock and collapsed. My hands shook so badly I could barely dial 911.
But Earl only cared about comforting his aggrieved lover.
Even after our daughter crumpled to the ground, he didn't spare her a single look.
What he said that day was what finally broke me into obedience.
"Rascal is Norma's child. If you hurt him, I'll make your daughter pay the price."
I'd known for a long time. Earl didn't love me, and he cared even less about our daughter.
He resented this marriage for destroying any future he might have had with Norma.
So Bess and I were always destined to be sacrificial offerings in their tangled love story.
The unbearable memories flickered through my mind, but my heart had gone numb long ago.
Only one thought remained: protect Bess. Get her out.
I slammed my forehead against the floor, hard and deliberate, not daring to hold back. I was terrified that the slightest hesitation would give them an excuse to turn their cruelty on my daughter again.
Blood soon streamed down my face, soaking into the carpet beneath Norma's feet.
She wrinkled her nose and held up her phone screen. "Hurry it up. Mom's texting me and Earl to come to dinner."
"That feast you cooked can just be Rascal's dog food."
Blood blurred my vision, but I could still make out the family group chat on the screen.
I saw the way Earl's mother fawned over Norma, warm and eager to please, and I let out a bitter laugh.
The truth was, Earl's parents had always been kind to me.
But the moment I'd gone to them in tears, begging them to do something about Norma breaking into our home every other day to "take back her dog," their warmth had vanished overnight.
"Patsy, dear, you need to learn to be sensible and fulfill your duty as a wife."
My mother-in-law had shaken her head, regret buried deep in her eyes.
"Back then, I tore those two lovebirds apart and forced Earl into that blind date. He's never forgiven us."
"The girl just acts out a little. Patsy, you need to show a wife's grace."
Later, they'd added Norma to the family group chat.
Every last member of the Sanchez family knew who the real daughter-in-law was. Who the real lady of the house was.
Norma admired my wretched state, then leaned close to my ear and whispered.
"Your husband, your in-laws — I've taken them all."
第3章
"It's that clueless daughter of yours. I tried to win her over with candy, and she still wouldn't call me Mom."
"Come on, Patsy. Don't you think you should put a little more effort into those bows?"
My heart plummeted.
Ignoring the pain, I slammed my forehead against the ground faster, harder, apologizing to the dog in front of me.
"I'm sorry, Buddy. Please forgive me. Forgive Bess Sanchez."
"I was wrong... I'll give your mom and dad back to you."
Earl watched me, covered in blood, his expression unreadable.
He frowned. "That's enough. Get up."
Norma's face darkened instantly.
I didn't dare stand. Stubborn and resolute, I kept going.
I hadn't reached ninety-nine yet. I couldn't stop.
Any suffering I refused to endure would only be passed on to my daughter.
When he saw the wound on my forehead gushing fresh blood, Earl actually grew irritated.
"Patsy, are you pulling the victim act again?"
"Norma just feels sorry for the dog. Can't you at least maintain some dignity as a wife?"
Norma quickly laced her fingers through Earl's, blinking up at him with a playful pout.
"Remember, Patsy — all ninety-nine! Show my baby boy you're truly sincere."
She tugged Earl's arm. "Come on, it's time. We have a bucket list to finish."
Hesitation flickered across Earl's brow.
He looked at me, battered and bleeding, and didn't immediately agree.
That surprised me.
I knew about their bucket list.
Ever since they'd reconnected through the stolen dog, they'd been checking off old regrets together, day after day.
A kiss. Watching the ocean. Picking out a wedding dress.
One by one they'd completed them, and one by one, the last shreds of my hope had died.
Earl left anyway. The door slammed shut behind him.
Their love for each other had stopped hurting me a long time ago. The only thing I cared about was where my daughter was.
My phone buzzed. I looked at the screen, and the blood drained from my body.
It was from Bess's kids' smartwatch.
Mommy, it hurts so much.
Bess can't breathe... Mommy, don't you want me anymore?
The messages stopped there. Cold seeped through every inch of me, and tears spilled down my face before I could stop them.
In all the days since Bess had gone silent, I'd tried to reach her every single minute. This was the first time I'd gotten anything back.
I tapped into her chat window immediately, sending message after message, but nothing came through. No reply. No read receipt. Nothing.
I called Earl in a panic. The line was dead — phone powered off.
My hands shook so badly I could barely type.
Earl, where is Bess?! Something's happened to her!
She has a heart condition. You're her father. I'm begging you — tell me where she is.
I'll agree to the divorce. I'll step aside for you and Norma. Just please, let me have this. Let me and my daughter go.
Every message sank like a stone into silence.
I reached out to everyone I could think of.
The police said she hadn't been missing long enough to open a case. Earl's parents gave me nothing but vague, evasive answers.
I sat alone in the room for two hours, motionless.
The city was enormous. Where had they hidden her?
Then Norma posted on Instagram.
The photo showed her and Earl kissing on a snow-capped mountain.
The caption read: "Falling in love in the snow — they say vows crystallized below zero never break."
The comments were flooded with cheers from the Sanchez family and their mutual friends.
Norma replied to each one, giddy and coy.
"When Earl and I were together, we promised we'd climb a snowy peak someday. We broke up before we could, but now that regret is finally complete."
"He's married now. No matter how this ends, I'll never regret loving him."
While I was drowning in agony over my daughter, the whole world was swooning over their star-crossed love story.
But I didn't have the luxury of caring anymore. I typed a comment beneath the post as fast as my trembling fingers allowed.
"You don't have to miss each other anymore. I've already drafted the divorce papers. Congratulations to you both."
第4章
"But something happened to Bess! Please, tell Earl to call me back! I'm begging you—leave her alone."
Insults and mockery flooded my inbox within seconds.
My mother-in-law said I had no class, no dignity. Mutual friends said I was the jealous type, competing with another woman over a man who didn't want me.
None of the attacks mattered. All I wanted was to reach Earl.
The call came. His voice crackled through the speaker, sharp with accusation.
"Patsy, do you have to drag our family's name through the mud in front of everyone?"
"Norma and I made a deal. Once I finish this ski trip with her and we've checked off every last regret, we'll put each other behind us for good."
"Stop making a scene. Please."
He sounded exhausted, put-upon—as if I were the unreasonable wife.
I cut him off, my voice breaking.
"Bess sent me a message. Something happened to her!"
"Earl, you're her father. Why are you so heartless toward us?"
Maybe it was the raw desperation in my voice. Earl went quiet.
"I just sent her somewhere to correct her behavior. Nothing could've happened."
"Bess is my daughter too. I'd never hurt her."
Helplessness spread through my chest like poison. I sobbed until my throat tore.
Earl was silent for a long moment.
"Fine. I'll take you to pick her up."
"But after we get her, you owe Norma and me an apology for ruining our trip."
As long as my daughter came back to me, I'd do anything.
Including walking away from him. Giving him what he wanted.
When I got into his car, he and Norma were kissing while their friends cheered them on.
Norma's lashes glistened with tears. "Earl, I have no more regrets now. I won't come bother you again."
"Let me say goodbye properly. And this time, I really am taking Marshmallow with me, okay?"
Earl's gaze was full of longing and anguish. "I don't want to lose you. But I have a wife and daughter. I have to be responsible for them."
"Why didn't I fight harder for you back then?"
I watched them cling to each other and felt nothing.
All I could do was urge him, frantic. "Take me to Bess. Now."
Every person in the car turned to stare at me with open contempt, the unwelcome intruder.
The car pulled up to a dog training facility.
My heart seized.
Norma caught the look on my face and let out a soft, derisive laugh.
"Patsy, why can't you just appreciate what Earl's trying to do?"
"You don't understand him at all."
Earl looked at me with disappointment carved into every line of his face. "I just wanted to teach Bess to be kind to animals."
"You're my wife. Why won't you even try to understand me?"
I ran toward the man in charge, demanding to know where my daughter was.
But the man's eyes darted away from mine. He looked past me, silently pleading with Norma.
My stomach dropped. "Where is my daughter?"
Earl rubbed the bridge of his nose and said flatly, "Is the kid trained up? Bring her out."
Behind the iron bars, dogs were snarling, gnawing on the leg bones of their own kind.
It hit me all at once. This place trained vicious, dangerous dogs. Dogs that mauled.
Cold sweat soaked through my clothes. I stared at Earl in disbelief.
The man's evasion shattered the last wall holding me together. I lost all control.
I screamed, demanding to know where she was.
Then I turned—and my gaze landed on the iron cage in the corner.
The sound that left me was barely human.
"Bess... is that Bess lying in there?"
My daughter was naked. Covered in blood. Lying motionless inside a cage.
Every face in the room went white.
The facility owner stammered, "Mr. Sanchez signed a liability waiver! We guaranteed obedience, not survival..."
"And you people hid her medical history! She has a heart condition—why didn't you tell us? That's not on us."
I collapsed to the ground, clutching my daughter's bruised, purple body.
She was cold. Terrifyingly cold. Not a trace of warmth left in her.
No breath, either.
A raw, guttural wail tore out of me. Anguish and despair, tangled together until I couldn't tell them apart.
My eyes locked onto Earl, who stood frozen beside me, the color drained from his face.
"Why?"
"Why couldn't you just let us go?"