Shattered Chains: The Quest for Freedom

I thought my efforts would be rewarded, but it turns out they only saw me as a free caretaker all along. Nathan Dance spent the money meant for my father's medical bills on frivolous things behind my back, and afterward, he wouldn't tolerate even a hint of dissatisfaction from me. And his sister, Judy Dance, inexplicably threatened me with a knife just because I revealed her secret, though I truly wasn't the one who spoke about it. In an instant, my family was on the brink of collapse, and I had no idea how to restore things to their original state.

1.

"Skye, are you home?"

The voice called out just as I was in the kitchen, scrubbing dishes and mopping the floor. I hurried to the door and found Emily White from next door standing there, holding a stack of cardboard and a bag of bottles and jars.

Emily had been my first friend after I moved here, though we weren't particularly close. Over the years, she'd remained the only person I could call a friend. She walked straight into the kitchen, complaining about the heat and her thirst, while I busied myself packing up the cardboard and bottles she'd brought.

Suddenly, a harsh, guttural cough echoed through the yard. It was my father-in-law Tom. I dropped what I was doing and rushed to his side.

At the age of 56, he'd been paralyzed from the waist down since an accident seven years ago.

My mother-in-law Kate Dance had left him and their four children long before I married into the family.

Nathan, Nathan Dance, was the eldest, followed by two sisters-Judy, a high school senior, and Jane, a freshman-and Jack, their younger brother, still in middle school.

I'd married Nathan at 19, and though we'd lost our first child to a miscarriage, the financial strain had kept us from trying again.

After helping Tom to rest, I hurried to the yard to work with Emily.

Emily looked up and asked me, "Skye, isn't today the weekend? Why are you the only one at home?"

"It's Jack's birthday," I explained. "Nathan took them out to celebrate."

Emily sighed, shaking her head. "Nathan's lucky to have you. If it were me, I'd have run away by now. I couldn't handle this kind of life."

I forced a small smile. "It's not so bad. Sure, it's hard and tiring, but as long as he cares for me, it's worth it."

Emily, never one to mince words, frowned. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think Nathan appreciates you at all. You're taking care of his father, his siblings, and now you're stuck dealing with all this junk. Sure, it brings in a little money, but you're going to wear yourself out."

Having known her for so many years, I knew her blunt nature well, so I just smiled and said, "It's fine. He doesn't want this either."

"I just feel for you," Emily said, her voice softening. "Seeing you so exhausted every day breaks my heart. Skye, don't take this the wrong way, but you should have a child while you're still young. It'll give you something to look forward to."

I nodded, not arguing, and quickly changed the subject. We chatted as we packed up the cardboard, and soon we were weighing it on the scale.

"Thirty-five dollars and sixty cents," I said. "I'll give you thirty-six. Wait here; I'll get the money."

I went inside to grab my wallet from the cabinet, but when I opened it, my heart sank. Only about two hundred dollars remained. Had Nathan taken the rest? Surely he didn't need that much for groceries and shopping.

Trying to push down my unease, I paid Emily and decided to ask Nathan about it when he got home.

By the time I finished cooking, night had fallen-a heavy, moonless darkness. Nathan and his siblings still hadn't returned. I called him, but he didn't answer, so I served dinner to Tom first.

"They're not back yet?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shook my head, avoiding his gaze.

"Nathan spoils his siblings too much," he grumbled. "You don't need to wait for them. Eat first. I'll talk to them when they get back."

"Tom, don't blame Nathan. Today..." Before I could finish, laughter spilled into the yard. Nathan and the kids were home, carrying bags of shopping, which made me stunned.

2.

Jane immediately showed Tom a new outfit. "Dad, look what we got you! Do you like it?"

But Tom didn't seem pleased. Instead, he frowned and said, "Why buy clothes? Wasting money. And coming back so late, don't you know to come back early to help Skye with chores?"

"Oh, Dad, why are you such a killjoy? Everyone has their tasks and responsibilities. The housework has always been Skye's job. We're tired from studying every day. Today is a rare chance to relax, and you're being so grumpy," Judy retorted sharply.

Tom was about to lose his temper when Nathan stepped in, "Dad, don't blame them. They're still young. Today is Jack's birthday, and it's rare for them to have fun for a day. Let's just enjoy the birthday party."

Nathan then opened a gift box, revealing a five-layer birthday cake. It was the first time I'd seen such a large cake. Jack was thrilled, and I was happy too, so I casually asked, "Such a big, beautiful cake, how much did it cost?"

Nathan hesitated. "Not much. It's just a cake."

I let it go, thinking it was worth it if it made everyone happy. But then Judy, oblivious, blurted out, "This stupid cake cost over a thousand dollars!

After eating the cake, Judy and Emily happily showed off their new dresses, while Jack had a pair of sneakers. Nathan said they were branded. Judy, while admiring her new dress, complained to my husband, "Nathan, I really liked that necklace. If I had known, I wouldn't have chosen this dress. I really want that necklace."

Nathan glanced at me before saying, "You've already chosen the dress. That necklace isn't as nice as the dress. If you really want it, I'll buy it for you the other day."

"Alright, then I'll wait for my birthday. You promise!" Judy sighed in resignation, her discontent evident on her face.

"Judy, then you can't have the cake. Otherwise, how would brother have enough money to buy it for you?" Jack said, his bright eyes shining.

In an instant, I noticed my husband's expression change slightly as he gestured to the siblings. Seeing me looking at him, he pretended to cough twice. I was puzzled, and apparently, Judy and the others didn't catch on either. Judy blurted out, "If not, then not. This stupid cake cost over a thousand dollars and was gone in two bites. It's nowhere near as worthwhile as a necklace."

Suddenly, the cup in Tom's hand fell to the ground, shattering with a piercing sound. I was stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

"What? This cake cost over a thousand dollars? Nathan, what the hell are you thinking? Are you still planning to live like this?" Tom immediately flew into a rage, scolding Nathan, while I silently returned to my room, my ears buzzing with a sense of panic sweeping over me. How could he do this?

3.

More than an hour later, Nathan pushed open the door and came in. I was sitting on the bed, dazed. He sat down beside me and asked, "Skye, don't be so stingy. I'm not extravagant every day. It's just that today is special, so I bought it. It's just a thousand dollars; I'll make it back soon."

His words left me speechless. I reached out my hand and asked him, "Where's the rest of the money?"

Nathan reached into his pocket and handed me the money. My heart sank when I saw only six hundred dollars left. "Where's the rest?" I asked, my voice trembling. He swallowed hard, avoiding my gaze, and stayed silent. A cold dread washed over me as I realized the truth. "You spent it all, didn't you? Over six thousand, gone. How could you do this? How are we supposed to live like this? I've been scrimping and saving for two years to gather this much. I told you my dad needs surgery soon. I promised my brother five thousand dollars for his treatment, and I was supposed to transfer it tomorrow. What am I supposed to do now?"

Tears streamed down my face as my heart broke, "I will borrow some tomorrow and pay it back slowly. It'll be fine."

"This isn't just about borrowing money; it's about our financial situation, which you know isn't great. You know how much your siblings need for their education and living expenses each year. Because of them, we haven't dared to have children yet. But you, you spent our savings from the past two years in one go. What if Judy gets into college next year? The costs will be even higher.

Nathan stood there, silent, for what felt like an eternity.

Seeing him like this, I felt a deep sense of disappointment. Whether he listened or not was up to him. I prepared a large meal, but they only ate the cake.

The siblings, afraid of being seen by their Tom, moved the table outside to enjoy the fresh air while eating. Watching the cake crumbs scattered everywhere, I felt a swirl of emotions.

By the time I finished cleaning up, it was already two in the morning. Returning to the bedroom, Nathan's snores echoed in the room. They all slept soundly, but I couldn't fall asleep for a long time, unsure of how to refuse my brother tomorrow.

Over the years, my father's medical expenses have been significant, and the pressure is immense. As his daughter, married for seven years, I've never given my parents a penny or properly cared for them. Now, I was about to break my promise to lend my brother money for my father's treatment. I felt a heavy heart, as life seemed increasingly difficult.

4.

The next day, while I was doing laundry, Brock called, saying he'd send me his bank account number. I lowered my head in shame, "Brock, I'm sorry, could you wait a couple more days? I haven't gathered enough yet."

Brock paused, then replied softly, "Alright, no problem. Just transfer it in a few days."

I asked a few questions about my father's condition before hanging up. I could sense Brock's disappointment, knowing he might have to ask for help again, and I felt helpless.

I made soup, intending to bring it to Tom. As I reached the door, I overheard him talking to Nathan.

His tone was somewhat displeased, "Nathan, you're too indulgent with Judy and the others. Did you spend all the money? I heard you were planning to lend some to your Tom for his treatment. What are you going to do now?"

"Dad, don't worry. I'll borrow some for her. Yesterday, I did spend a bit too much. But Skye was also a bit thoughtless, agreeing to lend money without consulting me first."

Nathan's words made me feel as if I had fallen into an ice cellar. Is this really how he sees me? Tom got angry, "How can you say that? That's your Tom.

Shouldn't you lend him some money? Skye hasn't done anything wrong. It's you who should learn to appreciate her. She helps you take care of your father, looks after your siblings, and works her fingers to the bone.

Yet, what did you do? You spent money on this and that yesterday. Tell me, what did you buy for your wife?"

Nathan was caught off guard, unable to respond for a while, and the atmosphere became tense. Tom took a deep drag on his cigarette and said sternly, "You don't cherish your wife, and you'll regret it someday. If you need to borrow money, do it quickly and stop dawdling."

Hearing Tom's words, I felt a small sense of relief and quietly retreated, planning to return after they finished talking.

During dinner, Nathan handed me a stack of money, "Here, five thousand dollars. You can count it. Are you happy now?"

Seeing so much money at once, my siblings' eyes lit up, especially Judy, whose desire for money was even more apparent, though I didn't notice it at the time.

I took the money from Nathan, finally relieved, "No need, I trust you've counted it."

I stood up, placed the money in our room, and returned to eat.

I thought everything would be fine, but the next day, when I checked, the five thousand dollars had vanished. I panicked and quickly called Nathan. He was at work and told me to search again and wait until he returned in the evening.

That day, I was too distracted to work or do anything else. I turned the house upside down but still couldn't find the five thousand dollars. Could it be that we were robbed?

I was restless the entire day until Nathan came back. After hearing what happened, he scratched his head and accused me, "You reckless woman, did you take it out and lose it?"

His words forced me to defend myself vigorously, "No, I put it inside after dinner yesterday. You saw it too."

"Then where did it go? Did it walk away itself?"

Nathan still didn't believe me, which hurt my feelings deeply.

Suddenly, I found myself at a loss for words, unable to explain, as if the words were stuck in my throat.

5.

Just then, Jane came home from school and burst through the door, saying, "I know who took the money. It was my sister. Last night, I saw her get up and go into your room. She took the money to buy her favorite necklace."

Nathan, Tom, and I were stunned, as if a bombshell had dropped, hardly able to believe it.

Not long after, Judy returned home and saw us waiting for her with stern faces. She was taken aback at first, then glanced at Jane and said, "Snitch."

Jane retorted, "Well, you should have shared it with me."

Tom shouted, "Hand it over, bring out the necklace."

Reluctantly, Judy took it out of her backpack. Tom was furious, "You are a grown girl now. How dare you do something like stealing? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He coughed violently as he spoke.

But Judy was unfazed and argued, "How is it stealing? I took money from my own family. That is my brother's money. It is not stealing!

Besides, my brother said he'd buy me a necklace for my birthday. I just exercised my right a bit early. What's wrong with that? It's all money my brother earned. Why can Skye use it, but I can't?"

"Slap!" The sound of a crisp slap echoed as Nathan hit Judy. We were all a bit stunned, except for Tom, who said it was well-deserved.

Nathan sternly said, "Taking without asking is stealing. You're in your senior year, and you don't understand this? I promised I'd buy it for you, and I would have. You can use my money, but you need to get my permission like Skye does. This house isn't yours to run."

Judy covered her face, tears welled up and spilled over, and shouted, "If that's how you all feel, then I'll return it. Here, sister-in-law, you win. Who cares if I'm a motherless child, easy to bully."

With that, Judy threw the necklace at me and ran back to her room. Tom told Nathan to return it immediately.

I always knew Judy had a headstrong and obstinate temper. After all, we were family, and I had taken care of her for seven years, watching her grow from a little girl into a graceful woman. I couldn't bear to see her upset. So that evening, I brought her some food, intending to comfort her. But she wouldn't even open the door and yelled at me to leave.

Tom, hearing this from the dining table, got angry and shouted at me, "Skye, come back. Don't bother with her. If she has the guts, let her starve. Let's see how long she lasts."

Because of this incident, the family was in turmoil. Judy didn't speak to us for days, locking herself in her room after school. Eventually, she even asked Tom and Nathan if she could stay at the school dormitory.

Tom flatly refused, and Judy threw a huge tantrum, claiming she was like oil and water with the family. I suggested Nathan talk to her, but she was too angry to listen to anyone.

I knew her temper well. She always got what she wanted, and Nathan spoiled her a bit. Whenever I objected, she'd say she was motherless and being bullied by me. I could only ask Nathan to discipline her, but he always indulged her, leading to her current unruly behavior.

I thought that being tough wouldn't work, so I decided to soften her up. I spent over three hundred dollars on a new dress, knowing she loved new clothes, hoping it would help her forget about the necklace and open up for a conversation.

But today, Nathan was on the night shift, and both my siblings had come home for dinner. Judy was still nowhere to be seen. It was almost eleven o'clock, and I was getting worried, so I went out to look for her. To my surprise, I saw a man walking her home. Judging by his appearance, he didn't seem like a good influence, and I felt a wave of irritation.

Judy glanced at me but ignored me, continuing to chat and laugh with the man. Unable to hold back, I called out, "Judy."

They both stopped and looked at me simultaneously. Judy's eyes were still filled with disdain, but the man spoke first.