After My husband's Family Gave all Their Money to the Eldest Sister-in-Law, I Fled

I took a deep breath. "Fine, then from now on we split everything 50/50." My father-in-law's face went very dark. "Whoever heard of a husband and wife splitting finances? Mildred, do you even want this marriage to work?" "Of course I do, Dad, but if I hand over all my money to your eldest daughter-in-law and live on eight hundred dollars a month, then there's really no way to live." "If Anthony wants to live like this, that's his business. I don't." With that, I picked up my bag and stood. "I just remembered I have something to take care of at the office. I'm heading out." The eldest brother, William, said immediately, "Don't forget to pay the bill before you go." The tone of it—like paying the bill was simply my job. Our three households got together once a week, and we almost always ate out. The restaurant was always picked by William and his wife, and they ordered the dishes too. The deal had been that our two households would take turns paying, so Mom and Dad wouldn't have to spend a cent. But in reality, every time it was William's family's turn, the two of them would play dumb. I'm thin-skinned, so once the waiter had been standing there too long I'd get embarrassed and just pay it myself. And now it had turned into: paying the bill was supposed to be my job. "William, it's your turn to pay this time. My husband's whole salary goes to your wife, and you two play dumb and make me pay? That's taking advantage way too far." With that, I grabbed my bag and walked out, not caring about the looks on everyone's faces. When I got home that evening, I found Anthony sitting in the living room, his face livid, waiting for me. "Mildred Lyons, you won't answer my calls or reply to my texts, just because I let your sister-in-law manage our finances? Is that really necessary?!" "My phone was dead. I didn't ignore you on purpose." I walked straight into the bedroom as if nothing had happened. Anthony chased after me. "And what you said today, about William and his wife taking advantage—that was really nasty. Do you have any idea how awkward it was for me, sitting there alone?" "So did they pay the bill today?" "I paid it. William and his wife were already upset—how could I make them pay?" I laughed. "You've only got eight hundred in pocket money this month, and that meal cost at least six hundred. So are you planning to go on a hunger strike the rest of the month?" "That's what I've got you for." "I thought about it later. If you don't want to give your salary to your sister-in-law, then don't. The two of us still need some cash on hand, for emergencies and such." "I already told you—starting today, we split everything. You spend yours, I spend mine. Anthony, I won't give you a single cent." Anthony glared at me. "Mildred Lyons, we're husband and wife. Do you really have to keep such careful accounts?!" "So you do know we're husband and wife. Have you ever seen a husband hand his entire salary to his brother's wife? I haven't forced you to get your salary back—that's me being extremely generous already!" "Giving my salary to your sister-in-law is just letting her manage our money. Once it earns a return, isn't that money for both of us?" I held up a hand. "Stop right there. If you want to give your salary to Shirley Swanson, that's your business. Whatever you gain or lose, you carry it yourself. It has nothing to do with me." "Fine! When I earn it, don't you spend any of it!" I plugged in my phone to charge, and the moment it powered on, a text from the bank came in. A cold sweat broke out over me all at once. "Anthony, you withdrew the two hundred thousand in wedding cash gifts we got?"

"I gave it to your sister-in-law." I was nearly out of my mind with rage. "Anthony, have you lost it?!" I forced myself to calm down, then turned on the recorder. "I'll ask you one more time. Where did our $20,000 in wedding cash gifts go?" "Didn't I already tell you? I transferred it to your sister-in-law, and Mom and Dad transferred their savings over too. We're going to make a killing with them, so don't you get jealous!" "You're sure all $20,000 went into Shirley Swanson's account?" "I'm sure. Shirley and I went to the bank to do it right after dinner today!" I was so angry I couldn't speak. "I can leave your salary alone, but half of that $20,000 in wedding cash is mine. What gives you the right to transfer all of it to Shirley Swanson without my consent?!" "Oh, listen to you, so stingy. We're all family. Shirley's just helping us manage our money. She's not going to keep it from us, is she?" I quietly saved the evidence. "She'd better give it back." I didn't sleep a wink all night, and the next morning I got up and packed up all the milk, ham, and toast in the fridge. Anthony got up and saw it, rubbing his eyes as he asked me, "Why are you hauling all that stuff off?" "I bought all of this. I'm taking it to work to eat." "Mildred, is all this really necessary over a little food?!" "It is!" "From now on, I'll eat lunch at the company cafeteria and dinner out. You take care of your own three meals a day." We used to eat a little toast, ham, and fried eggs for breakfast, and I'd make and pack Anthony's lunch the day before. After work in the evening, I'd stop by the market to buy groceries, then go home and cook, so Anthony could have a hot meal the moment he walked in the door. I used to be a good wife. Now all I wanted was to be a passable roommate. "I've only got two hundred left in my pocket. That's not nearly enough for three meals a day eating out." "If it's not enough, figure it out yourself." "Lend me five hundred first." "No." I picked up my things and left without glancing at Anthony even once. Just before quitting time that evening, Anthony messaged me. "On your way back, buy a durian at the supermarket by our place. It's on sale today." I replied, "You can't buy it yourself?" "You know I'm broke." "No money, no durian." After work, I first grabbed a bowl of beef pho downstairs from the office, with a small side dish and five lamb skewers. It came to thirty total, cheaper than buying groceries. And eating something already made, without putting up with the smoke and heat of the kitchen, felt incredibly nice. On my way home after eating, I passed the supermarket by our building and bought a big premium Musang King durian. It only cost five hundred. Really was cheap. When I carried the durian home, Anthony was slurping up instant ramen. His eyes lit up when he saw the durian in my hand, and he immediately put down his ramen and came over to take it. "I knew you talked tough but were soft inside. Best wife ever." I pulled the durian away. "This is for me to eat." "Can you finish a durian that big all by yourself?" "I can!" I cracked the durian open right in front of him, and the aroma instantly filled the whole room. I saw Anthony swallow hard. I picked up the biggest piece of durian flesh and took a big bite. "So sweet." Anthony broke. "Mildred Lyons, you really won't give me even one bite?" "Not one!" "Fine, eat it all! Stuff yourself to death!" Anthony stormed into the bedroom in a huff, then came back out not two minutes later. "Tomorrow's Saturday. A few of my buddies are coming over. Cook a few dishes tonight—we'll eat at home." "How many meat, how many vegetable?" Anthony thought about it. "Let's do six meat and four vegetable, plus a soup. Four people are coming tomorrow." He muttered to himself, "Ten dishes and a soup should be enough for six people." "You want seafood too?" "Then throw in some river crab, and make some shrimp." I opened the calculator on my phone and added it all up. When I finished, I looked up and asked him. "That's eight hundred total. How are you going to pay for it?"

"Eight hundred!" Anthony shouted, and it made me jump. "What are you yelling about? Doesn't it cost money to buy groceries and cook? You want six meat dishes, four vegetable dishes, and a soup, plus crab and jumbo shrimp. The ingredients alone come to at least five hundred." "I'll even give you a discount on the labor for cooking, only three hundred. That's already a family rate, okay!" "Mildred, are you obsessed with money? Money, money, money, that's all you ever think about!" "You're right, I was being too petty. And honestly I don't want to cook anyway. Making that many dishes is exhausting. You all go out to eat." "You know I'm broke!" "If you're broke, why did you invite so many people over to eat?" "This was all set up last week. I can't tell them not to come over something this small." "Figure it out yourself." The next day, Anthony's parents showed up before his friends did. They came dragging duffel bags and suitcases, like refugees who'd just fled. Rowena said with a big smile, "Mildred, starting today, your dad and I are moving in with you two." "We'll rent out our old place, so we'll have a little extra income coming in." I asked them, "So who gets the rent money?" "Your sister-in-law, of course. She can hold onto it for us along with everything else." Anthony said smugly, "You didn't want to cook, so Mom and Dad came over and did it for me. If you've got the nerve, go ahead and don't eat any." I laughed and said, "You all eat your food. I'll order takeout for myself." Anthony only had two hundred on him, and his parents together had just sixteen hundred. My father-in-law goes through a pack of cigarettes a day, twenty a pack, that's six hundred a month. He also loves the card hall, where a single visit runs a hundred and change, and he goes at least five days a week. My mother-in-law doesn't spend on much, just groceries and cooking. But today's one meal alone was going to run five or six hundred. After this, the three of them probably wouldn't even be able to afford plain bread and pickles. "Mildred, come to the market with me. I can't carry all of it by myself." "Mom, I still have work I haven't finished. Anthony's not busy, so let him go with you." Anthony scoffed. "Mildred, you really are calculating. You're just afraid that if you go with Mom, she'll make you spend money, aren't you?" "That's right, I don't want to spend money." Anthony pulled out his phone. "Look what your sister-in-law just sent me. The stocks she invested for us have gone up this much, and the fund is growing steadily too." "We're about to be filthy rich, and when that happens, you'll be the only poor one left in this family!" "After the way you're treating us, you won't get a single cent of that investment money to spend!" I took the phone and zoomed in on the picture. "This picture is photoshopped." "No way!" I held the phone up in front of his eyes. "Look, the numbers are all warped from editing." Anthony snatched the phone back. "I think you're just jealous. You can't stand to see the whole family do well!" "Come on, Mom, I'll take you to the market!" I went straight back to the bedroom, shut the door, and tuned it all out. Anthony's buddies arrived one after another. They ate and drank in the house, leaving aluminum cans and dried-fruit peels thrown everywhere. Every air conditioner in the house was running, his two buddies had the eighty-inch TV monopolized for PS5, and the high-wattage oven was going nonstop. The electric bill was definitely about to be more than we could handle. My mother-in-law finished the food but didn't call me. One of Anthony's buddies asked him, "Isn't your wife eating with us?" "Don't mind her. You guys eat." I ordered my own takeout and ate it slowly in the bedroom. Right when they were halfway through the meal, the air conditioners, the oven, and the TV all cut out at once. "Power's out?" Anthony stood up and looked over at the neighbors across the way. Their big TV was still playing its palace drama. Anthony came into the bedroom. "You didn't pay the electric bill?" "We agreed to split things 50/50. Now your parents are moving in too. There are three of you, so why should I be the one to pay?" My mother-in-law came in too. "Anthony, why don't I just go ahead and pay the electric bill?" "No need, Mom. If she won't pay, we won't pay either. She uses the most electricity. Let's see who outlasts who." Anthony led his mother back out. I heard him tell his buddies. "There's a little problem with the wiring in the house. You guys go ahead and eat. If the meal's not great this time, we'll get together again next time." They finished the meal in the dark. My power bank, laptop, and phone were all fully charged, more than enough to last through the weekend. After seeing Anthony's buddies off, my mother-in-law said, "It's too dark. Let's clean up tomorrow." Early the next morning, my mother-in-law woke me up. "Mildred, hurry and help me tidy up. Anthony's buddies made a real mess of the house yesterday." I got up right away, but not to help her clean. "Mom, I've got plans with a friend and I'm heading out soon. Take your time cleaning up." Anthony heard. "Mom, don't bother cleaning. This is Mildred's house too. If she won't clean it, then let it stink like this. We'll see who can't take it first!" Anthony knows I like things clean, and he was sure I couldn't stand a house in this state. But what he didn't know was that tonight was my last night living in this house. When I got home that evening, the house was indeed exactly as before. With no electricity, the air conditioner and fans couldn't run, so my father-in-law sat by the window fanning himself against the heat. The fruit peels left uncleaned on the coffee table had already drawn flies and gave off a foul smell. Right now it was only the power that was out. Next would come the water, the gas, and the internet. I showered in the bathroom, then went back to the bedroom and lay down. The next day, before dawn, I grabbed my things and left. That night, when I still wasn't home by eleven, Anthony flew into a rage and video-called me. "Mildred, you're getting more and more out of line! You stay out this late and don't even bother to say a word about it!" Then he froze. "Why is it daytime where you are?" "I'm overseas." "Forgot to tell you, I applied for an overseas work assignment. Three years."