When Emma returned with Ryan, it was just in time for dinner. The house was lively, and Emma's parents had prepared the meal.
Ryan glanced at the spread, his eyes lingering for a moment in silence.
When he wasn't around, the elderly couple managed fine on their own.
Everyone greeted Ryan and Emma with warm smiles.
Mary flashed a smile that was almost painful in its insincerity. "Ryan's back! Hurry up, wash your hands and come eat."
Ryan stared at his mother-in-law, almost forgetting their usual, ugly behavior.
He nodded at Mary and James, then turned and walked toward the bathroom to wash his hands.
What Ryan hadn't expected was for his mother, Jane, to follow him inside.
The door wasn't fully closed, so while they couldn't hear their conversation, everyone could clearly see them.
Ryan's expression turned colder with every word his mother spoke.
"Ryan, I'm not trying to lecture you, but what's going on between you and Emma? Why can't you two just get along? Even after the argument, Emma still came to pick you up. Your in-laws made you a big meal, waiting for you to come back."
"Men... There's really nothing worth getting upset over. You need to fix that temper of yours. If we have to tolerate things, we should just do it. After all, we're family…"
Ryan couldn't take it anymore. He turned toward Jane and asked, "Would you say the same if it were Luna or Stella?"
Jane froze.
If it were Luna or Stella, she would've suspected their husbands of mistreating them, causing her usually gentle daughters to flip tables and demand a divorce.
As a mother, she only had two precious daughters—she would never allow them to suffer. She'd make sure they got justice.
But with Ryan, Jane forced a nervous smile. "Ryan, you're a man. You should be more generous. What are you comparing yourself to Luna and Stella for?"
Ryan scoffed. "Mom, to me, whether it's favoring men over women or the other way around, it's equally disgusting."
Jane's face darkened instantly. "What did you say? Ryan, you ungrateful son!"
Before Jane could continue, Luna stepped in. "Mom, it's time to eat. Everyone's waiting."
Once Luna spoke, Jane shot Ryan a furious look and muttered, "I'm warning you, don't even think about divorcing Emma. You better work things out, or I won't recognize you as my son anymore."
With that, Jane muttered a few curses under her breath, probably calling Ryan ungrateful, before leaving with a forced smile.
Luna then turned to Ryan with a frown, saying, "All these years, I've never really understood you. But Third Brother, enough's enough. After today, let things cool down. Let's get life back on track."
With that, Luna also walked away.
Ryan stood alone, staring at his reflection in the mirror, his face pale and eyes shadowed.
Perhaps it was his illness, but his strength had greatly diminished.
"Uncle, come eat!" His nephew, Emma's son, called out to him.
Ryan responded with a faint smile, washed his face to clear his head, and quickly made his way back to the table.
The meal continued, and everyone appeared to be having a good time.
Emma, perhaps trying to make amends, unusually served Ryan a lot of food that evening.
But…
Ryan couldn't find joy in the lobster on his plate.
Emma… still forgot that he was allergic to lobster.
Then again, Ryan's health and needs had been hardly considered since their marriage. Emma rarely paid attention to his little quirks.
Ryan couldn't bring himself to eat, but Stella quickly noticed and took the shrimp from his bowl, offering it to her little daughter, Aria. "Sweetie, Uncle doesn't like shrimp. Would you like to eat it?"
Aria, just four years old, was lively and adorable. She giggled at Ryan, her voice sweet and high-pitched: "Okay! Aria loves it, Aria eats!"
Ryan smiled and gently ruffled Aria's head, but for some reason, his eyes became misty.
Stella watched her younger brother. Though they weren't close, she knew enough about his temperament. If he hadn't been pushed too far, he wouldn't have made such a scene in front of everyone.
But…
What had happened to make her usually calm brother so angry?
After the meal, Ryan and Stella washed the dishes together in the kitchen.
Seizing the opportunity, Stella asked, "Third Brother, is something wrong between you and Emma?"
Ryan didn't answer directly. He simply replied, "It's just some small issues, Second Sister. I've got it under control, don't worry."
Stella, however, couldn't let it go.
But no matter how much she pressed, Ryan remained silent, unwilling to share.
Eventually, Stella sighed and said, "In a marriage, mutual understanding is key. But if things truly reach an irreparable point, sometimes it's necessary to let go."
Ryan paused for a moment while washing the dishes. His relationship with Stella was neither close nor distant, but when everyone else doubted him, Stella's words offered him some comfort.
"I understand, Second Sister," Ryan said softly.
After finishing the dishes, Stella seemed ready to leave, but she hesitated, as though something was weighing on her.
Ryan, sensing her hesitation, said, "If there's something you need to say, Second Sister, just say it."
Seeing that Ryan had caught on, Stella didn't hold back any longer. "Don't take what Mom and Big Sis said too seriously. You know how they are—they care about you."
Ryan remained silent for a moment before responding, "I know."
Stella continued, "Third Brother, you're the only son in the family. Mom sometimes forgets that and thinks it's not a big deal for you to go through some hardship…"
Before Stella could finish, Ryan asked, "What about you? Do you think the same, Second Sister?"
Stella's words caught in her throat. After a pause, she reluctantly said, "Third Brother, you're a man. Every man suffers when they're young. The saying goes, 'You have to endure hardship to become great.'"
Ryan's face, which had softened, grew cold again in an instant.
Stella realized her mistake and tried to explain, "Third Brother, that's not what I meant…"
But Ryan wasn't listening anymore.
They were all the same.
His father remained silent as always.
He had long given up hoping for any family member to save him.
In a panic, Stella stamped her foot, unsure of what to do. Eventually, afraid Ryan might distance himself further, she went to Emma and told her about the conversation, hoping Emma, as Ryan's wife, would comfort him and help smooth things over.
Emma pretended to agree.
But in her heart, she looked down on Ryan.
She thought something big had happened, but in reality, it was just a matter of saying that men should endure hardship. She didn't think Stella had said anything wrong at all.
It was Ryan who was being too petty.
She felt embarrassed for him.