Chapter 2 - The Enabling Husband
The silence in the dining room was heavy, broken only by the clinking of silverware.
Sitting next to Sarah was her husband, Greg. The early-40s man with short dark hair, wearing a charcoal polo shirt, completely ignored the horrific display of disrespect that had just occurred. He didn't even look at Lily. He simply reached across the beautiful wooden table and grabbed another dinner roll from the bread basket.
He took a large bite, chewing loudly.
"Stop being so sensitive, Carolyn," Greg mumbled through a mouthful of bread, waving his hand dismissively. "She's just a kid. Kids do weird things. If you didn't cook the meat so dry, maybe she would actually want to eat it."
Sarah lowered her hand from her mouth. The amused, toxic smile still lingered on her face. She looked at her mother with pure condescension.
"Mom, don't start a fight over nothing," Sarah sighed, completely gaslighting the older woman. "She was joking. You always make such a huge deal out of everything. Just scrape it off and eat your dinner. We have a lot of things we need you to pay for this week."
Carolyn didn't scrape her plate. She didn't yell.
She looked down briefly at the ruined food. For three years, ever since her husband died, Carolyn had allowed Sarah, Greg, and Lily to live in her house rent-free to "help them get back on their feet."
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She had just reached her absolute breaking point.
👉 What is Carolyn about to do that will completely shatter her daughter's smug attitude?
