Beyond the Divorce

I did not expect to see Melanie already at the house when I arrived.

When she saw me with the thermos and the caregiver, she immediately said sarcastically, "What is the meaning of this? Do you still consider yourself a daughter-in-law of the Murphy family? Didn't you take Grace away? Why did you bring her back? Were you trying to leave her at the hospital to end it all? You were scared she would die in your grand mansion, weren't you?"

She spoke without a shred of decency.

I ignored her completely and went straight inside. I found Grace in bed in the master bedroom. Matthew was nowhere to be seen.

"Why are you being so stubborn, mom? You should stay in the hospital for a few days and get the full course of medication. It'll be good for your health, and it'll help with the pain," I scolded her. "Where's Matthew?"

"Don't blame him. It was my decision to come back here. I'm more comfortable at home, and I want to stay here for a few more days. Matthew has some business to attend to at the company." She looked at me, sitting up. Perhaps the medication from last night had worked; she seemed exceptionally spirited today.

I quickly handed her the thermos. "I made you some breakfast. You should have some now. I hired a special caregiver for you, too. If you really don't want to go to the hospital, I'll discuss it with Matthew. We can administer the medication at home as well. The special caregivers are skilled at that, but you need to listen to what we say."

Grace got out of bed and went to the dining room.

I followed hurriedly, and reached the kitchen to get her utensils for breakfast. But Melanie walked up and overturned the table. "What are you doing? Why are you still calling her mom? Go on, keep calling her that! Let's see what she's going to eat now." The breakfast I had carefully prepared was ruined.

are you doing, Melanie? I don't care that you didn't get her breakfast, but

over, opened the front door, and called the neighbors over. "Come on, all of you. Come see what Melanie did

the phone, scolding

Matthew realized what was going on when he heard my tone. He was trying to make excuses for himself. "Come back right away, or

everything she had done to her mother-in-law. Whenever she tried to interrupt me, the neighbors would

sat there, visibly shaken. She pointed at Melanie and scolded, "You

finished speaking, Melanie slapped her in the face. "How dare you raise

forward to pick her up. While my back was

through

tried to hit Grace again, I saw red. I entrusted Grace to the caregiver and turned around to confront Melanie. In a burst of anger, I grabbed her hair with strength I

seized Melanie, straddled her, and pummeled her mercilessly. I didn't realize how ferocious I had become. She tried to fight back, but the neighbors,

he saw