"Do you know why you'll never become good at anything in your life?" The woman's voice was loud and filled with hate. Desdra Santiago, a proud arrogant lady with although a pretty face and banging body, but a rotten personality.
"It's because you never learn. Always acting like you know best. I don't know why my brother is still married to you anyway. You won't even give him any children." She rolled her eyes as if she had not just insulted Clarissa at all. "I'm just trying to say, do you understand?"
Clarissa frowned. "So you don't like the food? I apologize for making another terrible mistake."
Her husband, Jared, flashed an angry look at her. "Must you take everything to heart? My sister was just trying to teach you how to do something right."
Clarissa was tired of their constant nagging. For five years now, she had been living in an hell place. At first, she loved Jared that she defied her own best friends and chose not to speak to them again for correcting her choice. But now, she wished she had not gotten married to him at all with the way he had grown so cold to her.
Jared was always a flirt right before they even got married. He and her two best friends practically grew up together, and so she knew most of his bad behaviors. Yet, she fell blindly for him that after confessing her feelings. She even had to wait three months before he confirmed he liked her back. She might have been adapting to his nonchalant behaviors, but she couldn't deal with his family too.
Desdra was the breadwinner of the family so she always felt she could do anything she liked and everyone should still respect her.
"You know that isn't what I was trying to say." Clarissa added before her husband would start to condemn her. That was exactly who she had been. A submissive housewife who wanted peace at all cost.
"And sister Desdra, I don't think you have to keep reminding my wife that she is a barren. With time, God will hear our prayers and grant her a child." Jared cleared his throat.
A barren? Clarissa hated when he did that! Sure she had been trying to have a child but he promised never to remind her of her pain. What kind of husband was he??
"I am only just pointing out the clear truth, Jared. I dunno why you won't free yourself from this poor woman's charms." Desdra said, not even feeling a bit sorry.
Now Clarissa was getting angry at Desdra. She was only a year older than Jared, while Jared and her were agemates. Why did she always treat her like she was a child? And why does Jared keep sucking up all her trash?
"Excuse me." Desdra said before Jared could say anything else, and led herself to the kitchen.
"Jared," Clarissa called with her teeth barred. "I won't take this! This is our goddamn anniversary. Why is your sister living with us? And butting into out private matters?"
"Quiet down, Rissa!" Jared frowned. "I am starting to make progress on my business, and I won't let you ruin things with my big sis and I over your unnecessary anger. So what if she's here with us now? She even gave us the money to cook, and you still cooked nonsense. You should apologize to her, instead of saying bad things about her."
"Bad things? When will you grow up, Jared? This is so annoying. Every year we go through this phase, still you just never listen. It isn't right for her to keep meddling in our affairs! Do you think I didn't hear her setting you up on blind dates? Just because what? I'm now a barren woman? Do you think I like the situation I'm in?" Clarissa spat out her rage.
Jared brought a glass of wine to his lips and chugged down the content, letting out a burp. "Well where's the lie?" He said, not meeting her gaze. "Isn't it true? Can you give me a child? Father is getting old, and he always asks for a grandchild. Even mother in her grave must be crying for me right now for marrying wrongly."
His words hit her right in the chest like a bullet. Damn it, she might have not even felt anything at all if a real bullet had pierced through her ribcage at a close range.
Tears gathered in her eyes and filled it. "Jared? How can you...how can you say that?" She said in disbelief. If Jared felt an ounce sorry, he did not show it. Her chest ached and hurt so hard. She sniffed in, then cleared her plate that was still filled with food and carried it to the kitchen.
Before stepping in, she could hear Desdra's muffled voice. "...to me and listen good. You will not hire her, okay? How dare she apply to the same company as me? She has been useless at home for five years. Is it a good idea to hire someone like that to the company? What value would she impact there, huh? Yes! Her name is Clarissa Hart. Just keep that name stuck to your brain and promise me you will not give her the offer, even if the stupid hiring manager thinks her interview was successful--"
The plates in Clarissa's hand dropped freely to the ground. The tears that had filled her eyes began to drop freely. The chattering of glass plate matched that of her heart.
"You...don't want me to get hired??" She gulped in, waiting for a reply from her sister in law.
Desdra looked taken aback as she hung up quickly. "Why will you sneak up on me like that, you freak!"
Jared had rushed out from the noise made from the chattered plates. "Oh Clarissa, are you so silly you ruined one of your favorite dish? You better clean this mess up at once. And don't expect me to buy you any more Korean bowls again if you'll keep breaking them like that."
Desdra smiled. "I'm sure it must have been a mistake. You know what, you should leave, Jared. I'll help her clear."
Clarissa saw that she must not want Jared to know of her secret. She gathered all of her strength and muttered out. "Jared, your sister does not want me to get the job offer!"
Now, a good husband was supposed to have been shocked and overwhelmed by anger and disappointment. Yet, Jared sighed.
Clarissa turned to hear him speak. To support her and defend her, even against his sister.
"Jared? You're not saying anything!" Clarissa cried out. Even Desdra was waiting for her brother to yell at her or question her audacity somehow.
After what seemed like forever, Jared said. "Is it so important that you work? It will only make you become a sluty housewife. You should support your husband and stay home to do all the chores. Not work. I don't understand your obsession with getting this job."
No. She was hearing him wrong. The wave of betrayal was stinging too deeply that Clarissa might actually die of a heart attack. "What?" It came out as a soft whisper in despair.