Chapter 90 Driven Out of the House

"I wasn't sure where else to go, so I came to your place. During dinner, I kept an eye on what my son was eating because he had too much food last night and threw up until midnight. I think his grandparents fed him too much. I said something about it when it looked like it was happening again today. That's when my husband got really mad and started hitting me." Charlotte's anger flared, "Why would he treat you like that, especially after you've had two kids together?" Mileen shook her head in utter despair, "I'm not sure what to do next. I can't go back home. They kicked me and my daughter out, telling us to leave and go wherever." "Why is he treating you like this? You've had two kids with him. Doesn't he know what really matters? Just letting his parents spoil his son is bad for him. Doesn't he get that at all?" Seeing Mileen's distress, Denise quickly took Emily into her arms. She held her close and softly comforted her. Charlotte then asked Denise to feed Emily something. Seeing the mother and daughter crying so pitifully, she also felt a surge of sympathy as a woman. Mileen could not stop crying, reflecting on her marriage that had not brought her a single day of happiness. Although it was a marriage of convenience, they had hoped to live their lives with civility. But unexpectedly, just over a year after marrying him, Mileen's family fell into decline. Where others hoped for mutual support in a marriage of convenience, Mileen found herself left with nothing. Her parents, unable to bear the shock, passed away in deep sorrow. Due to these circumstances, her husband began to view her unfavorably. If it had not been for Mileen's pregnancy at that time, they probably would have already divorced. For seven years, Mileen endured mistreatment by her husband's family. She swallowed her pride daily to please her husband, never imagining she would be driven out of her home. Plus, her husband was not an honest man. Even during her pregnancy, he was involved with other women, frequently not returning home at night. Despite this, Mileen endured it all, hoping her children would have a good life. Now, Mileen's son mirrored the disdain of his father and grandparents, showing her no respect. Living in such an environment was hellish. Mileen sat crying for more than ten minutes before she could calm her emotions. Seeing her in this state, Charlotte sighed quietly, "You should have something to eat first. We can talk about what to do next after you've had your meal." Mileen had not expected guests at the house and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know you had guests." "It's alright. We don't mind." Sofia, who had been pampered all her life, also found these events unbelievable. She had never encountered such situations and only occasionally heard about them in the news. She had not expected to see such things happening in reality, especially to those close to her. Sofia went to the kitchen to get Mileen some cutlery, "Yes, come and eat first. We're Charlotte's friends; you don't have to treat us as strangers." Having cried so loudly earlier, Mileen still had not completely calmed down. On one hand, she felt guilty for troubling the neighbors; on the other, she was deeply distressed. Even during the meal, she hardly ate anything. They had originally planned to go out for a walk after dinner. But with Mileen there, it did not seem appropriate to leave. Denise had already put Emily to sleep and came downstairs to inform them before taking Andy and Lilya back to their room. "Thank you so much, Denise." As a maid in the household, Denise could not comment on the family's affairs. However, she was aware of the situation and felt sympathy, "No problem, Madam. I will take Andy and Lilya upstairs to rest now." "Go ahead." Guided by Charlotte, Mileen took a seat on the sofa. Luke and Caelan, feeling it was not their place to stay, went to the backyard to pass the time. Charlotte asked, "What did you do before you got married?" Mileen felt a bit embarrassed when Charlotte brought up her work. She said, "I used to design jewelry for my family's business. But I stopped working when I got married to him. I've been at home looking after the kids for years, and it feels like I've forgotten everything I used to know." "I see. Have you thought about continuing work in that field?" Mileen replied, "I have, but I really can't bear to leave my children. I was thinking of slowly getting back to work once they started preschool, but my husband and his parents were against it. So, I had no choice." Charlotte extended her hand, gently patting Mileen's back in a comforting manner, "I actually have a job opportunity for you. You can find someone to help you relearn gradually. You've done this kind of work before, so I bet it won't be too hard to pick it up again." A glimmer of hope shone in Mileen's eyes, "Really? But I haven't worked in so long, and I'm worried I might mess things up for you." Charlotte encouraged her, "Why are you worried? The way your husband is acting, it looks like he wants a divorce. Do you still want to be with him? It's important for a woman to have her own job. Being able to support yourself financially means a better future, right?" "You're right, but what about my son?" Charlotte said patiently, "It's not your fault. You just got married to a bad match because of your family's decision. I have kids, too, so I get why you're hesitant to leave your child. But with the way your son is, if it were me, I wouldn't want to keep him. We're not here to suffer. We're here to learn how to live better. Why worry about what has already happened?" Charlotte's words made Mileen realize that she should not give up her career for her children. She always lacked decision-making power, always having her family make decisions for her. Even choosing a design major was her parents' decision. Being in this business, her family had always hoped that Mileen would benefit them in the future. If she dared to resist, she would not be in her current situation; she would not be married to a husband who never met her expectations.