Chapter 7 No Place to Return To

• "Why did you come back at this hour? Did you get into an argument with Andrew?" Loretta Zing muttered, glancing up at the clock hanging on the wall.
• "We didn't get into an argument; we're getting a divorce. Mom, Andrew and I are getting a divorce, so I'm staying here for a couple of days."
• After walking through the door, Susan collapsed onto the couch with a pale complexion, barely able to muster the strength to speak. When she placed her hand on her forehead, she found it was a little hot to the touch.
• Loretta clutched her chest in horror upon hearing Susan's plans for a divorce. "Have you gone insane? Why would you ruin everything for yourself when you have such a good life? I will never agree to your divorce."
• "There's nothing you can do about it. I've already made up my mind."
• At that, Susan rose to her feet and headed to the kitchen to look for something to fill her stomach with. After all, she had barely had a bite to eat since the previous night, and no one would be able to withstand the continuous torture on their minds and bodies no matter how healthy they were.
• Loretta followed her closely into the kitchen, nagging into her ear, "Do you think you can make that decision? It was a huge fortune that the Bailey Family agreed to marry you in the first place, and you can't even appreciate that."
• Susan bent over to retrieve a bowl from the cupboard and opened the electric pot, but her hand froze just as she was about to take a spoonful of porridge. "I'm not a child anymore, and I can make my own decisions. It's because I appreciate things too easily that I've waited this long."
• "This bowl isn't yours. It's your brother's."
• As soon as she reached the spoon into the pot, it was snatched out of her hands by Loretta.
• "Then, what about my bowl?"
• "We don't have it here!"
• Susan froze for a moment. Then, she went back to the living room without saying a word, planning to spend a night on the couch.
• "Let me ask you a question. How will you take responsibility? You can't even make a living for yourself, so how will you live without Andrew? Besides, your brother has always been working at the Bailey Family's company. Have you ever thought about what would happen to him if you got a divorce? Are you planning to make him lose his job in his thirties?"
• As she looked at her mother's murderous glare, Susan felt a wave of helplessness surge in her heart. "He cheated on me. I can't stand spending the rest of my life with a third person," she explained calmly, not wanting to seem too pitiful.
• Loretta fell silent at her words, leading Susan to believe that she would understand her after everything she said as they were both women.
• "How many men out there don't cheat? Especially men who are as talented as Andrew. You shouldn't be too uptight about this; at least he still knows where his home is."
• Susan stared at Loretta in disbelief, feeling a knife digging through her already tattered heart.
• Loretta pleaded with her with teary eyes, "Don't be so selfish. You're not the only one involved in this divorce, and it'll be difficult for you to remarry. You know men; they're all fickle. If you hurry up and give Andrew a baby, you'll be able to secure your position in the Bailey Family."
• Susan didn't reply. Andrew didn't lay a single finger on her as he saved all of his energy for Rachel. Was Susan expected to fall pregnant asexually? Besides, she was not strong enough to have a baby just to keep a man who didn't love her by her side.
• At this time, Susan had already laid on the couch when Skylar Quinn, her sister-in-law, emerged from the bedroom while wearing a face mask. However, she immediately whipped around and returned to her room after seeing Susan.
• Susan rolled her eyes at the sight, knowing that Skylar was doing this on purpose.
• Loretta gave her a shove on her arm and said under her breath, "Skylar doesn't like it when the house is crowded. Please understand, Susan. It's not that I don't want you to stay here, but who runs back to their parent's home when they get into an argument with their husband? Your mother-in-law is definitely unhappy with you. Do you have any idea how many people are jealous of you having a mother-in-law who treats you so well?"
• Treats me well? Susan was baffled. I have no idea what Mom's idea of treating someone well is.
• With a face as pale as a sheet, Susan closed her eyes. "Can't I come home now? Mom, I don't feel too well. If you want your daughter to drop dead on the streets, you can chase me out."
• At the sight of Susan's lifeless behavior, Loretta touched her forehead and found that her skin was a little hot. She sighed, having not the heart to drive her out of the house.
• Susan lay on the couch, shivering from the cold. When she saw Loretta heading to the kitchen, she thought that Loretta was preparing supper for her out of worry that she might be hungry, and a stream of warmth filled her heart. There's just no place like home.
• "All of our rice is running out just like that. As I expected, too many people in the house will only be a waste."
• When Susan heard Loretta's grumbles of complaint, her heart instantly sank to her stomach. Or so I thought.
• Early the next morning, Susan climbed up from the couch and opened her bleary eyes to see her nephew, Leo, digging through her bag.
• "You didn't bring me any sweets, Aunt Susan."
• Leo held a rectangular jade pendant in his hands and dangled it before her eyes. "Aunt Susan, is this mint candy?"
• "Where did you get that from?" Susan asked with a furrowed brow.
• "From your bag, Aunt Susan!" he replied sweetly.
• Seeing that Susan wasn't trying to stop him, Leo licked the pendant and found that it was tasteless, causing him to shake his head in disdain.
• As Susan picked up the jade pendant that was doused with Leo's saliva and wiped it with her sleeve, she suddenly recalled that the man from last night had come to take something from her. Is this what he was looking for?