And I knew. And all guests understood your intent.» Margaret Wilson caught her breath, clearly holding anger.
«Fine. Suppose I was wrong. But what you did is incomparably worse.
You revealed my son’s personal medical secret. This… this is illegal.» «It’s not a medical secret,» Olivia objected.
«It’s a fact of our family life you used against me, constantly hinting at my infertility though knowing the truth.» «Ethan is depressed,» Margaret Wilson continued, changing tactics. «He doesn’t leave his room, refuses food…
Do you realize what you’ve done?» «And do you realize what you did to my daughter for two years?» Linda Carter asked quietly. «How was it for her to hear your remarks, endure humiliations, see her husband always take mother’s side?» Margaret Wilson shifted gaze from one woman to another, realizing no sympathy. «What do you want?» she finally asked.
«Money? I’m ready to pay for you to publicly refute all these online stories.» Olivia laughed.
Bitterly, but without malice. «Money? You really think it’s about money? I didn’t post those. And won’t refute anything, truth is truth.»
«Then why all this?» Margaret Wilson exclaimed desperately. «Why start this scandal?» «I didn’t start it,» Olivia reminded. «You did.»
I just didn’t stay silent as usual. Margaret Wilson sank onto the couch edge, suddenly losing all her combative spirit. «What do I do? My son, his career at risk, all these gossips…» «You know…» Olivia sat opposite her.
«I really don’t wish you ill, neither you nor Ethan. I just want to divorce and start a new life, without you both.» Margaret Wilson raised her eyes.
«You don’t love my son?» «I did,» Olivia answered honestly. «But your constant interference, his inability to protect me, constant concessions to you—it killed my feelings.» «Ethan is a good boy,» Margaret Wilson said quietly.
«He’s just attached to me.» «Too attached,» Linda Carter noted. «A man must separate from mother when starting a family.»
«You don’t understand,» Margaret Wilson shook her head. «He was always special, sensitive. After father’s death, we became even closer.»
«His father died two years ago,» Olivia reminded. «We were married a year by then.» Margaret Wilson didn’t answer, staring into space.
For the first time, Olivia saw in her not a formidable mother-in-law, but just an aging woman panically fearing loneliness and clinging to her son as her only support. «What do you want from us?» Olivia asked after a pause. Margaret Wilson gathered thoughts.
«I want you to help stop this online dirt flow, publicly state it was a misunderstanding.» «I can’t do that,» Olivia shook her head. «First, I don’t control who writes what online.
Second, it wasn’t a misunderstanding. You consciously humiliated me, my mom protected. That’s the whole story.»
«Then at least,» Margaret Wilson stumbled, «at least don’t aggravate, don’t give interviews, don’t publish details.» «That I can promise,» Olivia agreed. «I won’t turn my personal life into a reality show.»
Margaret Wilson nodded, accepting this small promise as a major victory. «And about the divorce.» «I’ll file papers next week,» Olivia said.
«Hope it goes quick without extra complications.» «You… sure?» Margaret Wilson asked hopefully. «Maybe wait? Cool down? Ethan is very upset.»
«I’m sure,» Olivia replied firmly. «Our marriage was a mistake from the start. Better admit now than continue tormenting each other.»
Margaret Wilson stood, adjusted her jacket, and headed to the exit. At the door, she stopped and, without turning, said. «You know, I always wanted the best for him.
Always.» «I know,» Olivia replied. «The problem is you never considered me the best.»
Margaret Wilson said nothing and left, carefully closing the door behind. «Well, that’s it,» Olivia exhaled, sinking onto the couch. «Not all,» Linda Carter shook her head.
«Just the beginning. But you’ll manage.» And Olivia knew her mom was right.
This was just the beginning. Beginning of a new life, free from toxic relationships, from constantly proving her worth, from an unequal marriage to a man unable to cut the umbilical cord tying him to his mother. A week later, she filed for divorce.
Ethan didn’t object, though tried several times to meet and «discuss everything.» Olivia refused, not out of anger, but because she understood any talk would turn into manipulations and guilt attempts. Had to change apartments, too many memories, too many past ghosts.
Olivia found a small studio closer to downtown and enjoyed furnishing it to her taste, without regard for others’ opinions. The birthday story gradually faded, displaced by new scandals and sensations. Sometimes Olivia stumbled online on mentions of that very mother-in-law or mother-in-law’s revenge, but it no longer evoked painful emotions, only a light smirk.
The divorce was finalized quickly without extra dramas. Margaret Wilson didn’t appear at hearings, Ethan was pointedly polite and detached. They divided jointly acquired property, which fortunately wasn’t much, and went separate ways.
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