Freedom from Now On

Start Reading

My husband, Sebastian, carried the super-male gene.

He became obsessed with me, hounding me for three years, simply because I saved his life.

He intentionally ran over and crippled my childhood sweetheart, Liam.

He threatened to murder my entire family if I didn't marry him.

Seven years into our marriage, his possessiveness turned monstrous. He had a tracking chip implanted in my body, ruthlessly controlling my every move.

Yet, at the same time, he showered me with affection and indulged my every whim.

When his mother dared to point a finger at me in anger, he snapped it clean off.

When his sisters child disturbed my afternoon nap, he threw both of them out of the house and severed all ties.

I refused to bear a child with his super-male gene, so he invested his entire fortune into developing cutting-edge gene screening technology, allowing me to conceive a healthy baby.

But on the very day my pregnancy test came back positive, his mother burst into our home with a group of people. She accused me of infidelity, of carrying a bastard child, and beat me until I miscarried.

As I lay there, clinging to life, Sebastian finally arrived.

His mother held up a doctored video and declared, Son! Your wife has been cheating and is carrying a bastard! Look, this is the proof!

Staring at the two lines on the pregnancy test, I fell into a deep contemplation. After almost a decade of this twisted entanglement with Sebastian, a child was finally on the way. Maybe it was time to just give in. Even if he was a rabid dog, I was the one holding the leash.

With that thought solidified, I snapped a photo of the test and sent it to Sebastian, who was away on a business trip.

A moment later, a furious clamor erupted downstairs.

I peered out the window to find his mother, who I hadn't seen in ages, leading a gaggle of white-haired old women. They were striding along, shouting insults.

What a disgrace to our family, to suffer such a thing.

Ladies, if she hadnt gone too far, would we ever air this dirty laundry in public?

Today, Im willing to sacrifice my reputation to tear that cheating tramp to shreds!

I listened for a few sentences, then lost interest. After Sebastian and I married, his mother always believed Id stolen her son. She subtly, then overtly, antagonized me until Sebastian broke her finger and banished her from our lives. Our relationship was, to say the least, abysmal.

Minutes later, a knock echoed at the door. I checked the time. It was only nine. Why was our cook here so early today?

Puzzled, I opened the door.

His mother, trailed by her entourage of old women, barged in without an invitation.

Before I could even grasp what was happening, his mothers crooked finger jabbed at me. Everyone, look! This is the wicked daughter-in-law who, shortly after marrying my son, convinced him to break my finger!

She also made my son throw me, my daughter, and my grandson out of the house, cutting off all contact!

My brows furrowed in displeasure. This is my home. Please leave.

But his mother suddenly raised her hand and slapped me.

You little hussy! My son poured his heart and soul into you all these years, but you cheated on him and shamed him!

A searing pain flared across my face, leaving my head ringing. Since marrying Sebastian, if anyone so much as brushed against me accidentally, hed immediately beat them to a pulp. If he ever found out his mother had struck me today, she would be in for a world of pain.

To avert a potential family tragedy, I swallowed my anger and warned, Leave now, and I can pretend today never happened.

Sebastian, for all his gentle demeanor with me, was genuinely dangerous. With others, he was utterly ruthless.

But his mother showed no signs of backing down. She lunged, grabbing a fistful of my hair. Tramp, feeling guilty, are we? If you dare to cheat, youd better be ready to face the consequences.

I wrenched myself free, my face cold. Dare to accuse me of cheating? Have you forgotten how your finger was broken?

Sebastians possessiveness was disturbingly extreme. After we married, to constantly monitor my whereabouts, hed had a tracking chip implanted in my body. There wasnt even a male mosquito in my vicinity, yet she claimed I was cheating. It was utterly ridiculous.

Id thought reminding his mother of that incident would make her back off.

But she simply slapped me again.

Still playing innocent! Such good acting, why dont you become an actress!

Since I dared to come, of course, I have undeniable proof.

With that, his mother pulled out her phone, tapping to play a video. It showed a scantily clad woman passionately kissing a man. The woman was then pushed down, emitting suggestive moans. The video was incredibly explicit, and most disturbingly, the womans face was identical to mine.

One of the old women with his mother gasped, Shameless! Back in the day, a woman like this, who betrayed her husband, wouldve been drowned in a pig cage!

If that were my daughter-in-law, Id beat her to death today!

The world is truly going to ruin. She looks so demure, but behind closed doors, shes doing such disgraceful things.

Listening to the endless barrage of insults from these old women, I felt a surge of both fury and panic. Never in my life had I endured such humiliation.

The video was clearly a deepfake, AI-generated. I knew there was no reasoning with these old, dim-witted hags. I pulled out my phone, intending to call Sebastian. It was his mother; he should be the one to deal with her. How he chose to handle it, however, was no longer my concern.

But his mother, seeing my move, snatched my phone and smashed it to the floor. The device shattered instantly.

I stared at her thuggish behavior, utterly shocked.

Youre acting completely out of control today. If Sebastian finds out, even I wont be able to protect you!

His mother scoffed. If my son finds out about your cheating, hell show you whos truly in trouble!

I glared at his mother and her group, issuing a final warning. Your actions constitute a crime. Im giving you one last chance to leave.

One of his mothers old friends sneered, Preposterous! Cheating and still acting so self-righteous!

Exactly! Eleanor, you need to assert your authority as a mother-in-law today and teach this hussy a good lesson!

Spurred on by their words, his mother strode forward and kicked one of my prized, intricately carved golden sandalwood chairs, snapping it in two.

You eat and live off my son! Without him, youd still be sleeping on a hard cot in the slums! What right do you have to tell me to leave!

His mothers act instantly drew cheers from the old women, who hailed her as powerful and intimidating. Encouraged, they began to mimic her, smashing the remaining three chairs. This set of golden sandalwood furniture had cost Sebastian a fortune, bought specifically to make me happy.

One woman grabbed a precious antique glass chalice from my table, clearly intending to smash it.

My face darkened. That chalice is an antique, worth twenty million.

At my words, the woman visibly flinched.

Seeing this, his mother stepped forward, grabbed the chalice, and hurled it to the floor, shattering it.

Everything here belongs to my son! I said, today, everyone is free to smash things. We need to show this tramp a lesson!

With his mothers declaration, the group of old women went wild, wrecking the house. I watched their every move, my expression cold. Every item they destroyed would become evidence for their eventual imprisonment.

Suddenly, one old woman patted his mothers shoulder. Eleanor, look at her, shes glaring at you!

Everything youre smashing now is your sons hard-earned money. It wont affect this hussy at all.

Only by teaching this tramp a severe lesson will she remember it.

Hearing this, his mother looked up at me, a cruel glint in her eyes. She stalked toward me. They outnumbered me; I knew I was outmatched. A smart woman doesnt suffer immediate defeat. I quickly ran toward the door.

But his mother grabbed my arm, yanking me back. A sharp pain shot through my knee, and I crumpled to the floor.

His mother planted her foot on my thigh, grinding it down with force. Pain flared, and I cried out.

She cursed, You little hussy, so good at faking weakness! I barely touched you, and youre moaning like that for who?

I glared at her. Eleanor Finch, you will regret everything youve done today!

Still defiant, are we? Today, Im going to teach you manners and show you how a daughter-in-law should behave.

From the day I married Sebastian, his mother had been desperate to teach me manners. Shed even drawn up a list, including washing her feet and underwear daily. Id heard that Sebastians grandmother had treated his mother the same way, and his mother was eager to inflict it upon me. It was an age-old tradition: women often tormented other women.

But shed forgotten that my husband had the super-male gene, and I hadnt married him willingly. The list never even reached my hands before Sebastian tore it to shreds, yelling at her.

His mother, furious but terrified of her son, had been unable to vent her anger on me. Today, she finally had her chance.

She instructed her old companions to fetch a basin of water from the bathroom. Grabbing my hair, she snarled, In the old days, women who cheated were drowned in pig cages. Today, youll get a taste of it.

With that, she shoved my head into the basin filled with icy water. The cold enveloped my mouth and nose, and an instant wave of suffocating pain washed over me. My body thrashed violently, desperate to escape her grip, but I couldnt. Just as I felt I was reaching my limit, on the verge of drowning, she yanked my hair again, pulling my head from the water.

I gasped for air, my face and body drenched, utterly humiliated.

Tramp, will you still dare to be arrogant, relying on my son? I raised him with such difficulty, and you treat him like a servant? Did I give you permission for that?

After Id regained my breath, I glared at her, an infinite hatred welling up inside me. If you have the guts, kill me today. Otherwise, I will make you pay! In that moment, I hated Sebastian with all my heart. It was because hed forced me to marry him that I was enduring all this.

Eleanor, fueled by rage, slapped me again. A thin trickle of blood traced the corner of my mouth.

Still defiant! If I cant humble you today, my life has been a waste!

With that, Eleanor shoved my head back into the basin. This time, she held it down even longer than before. The cycle repeated, leaving me utterly exhausted and drained.

At this point, someone, seeing my pale face, interjected, Eleanor, just teach her a lesson. Dont actually kill her.

Exactly, its not like the old days. Killing a daughter-in-law means jail time, and wed all be accessories!

At the mention of jail, more voices joined in, urging Eleanor to stop. Eleanor, with a harsh yank, flung my hair, and I lay half-drenched on the floor.

She sneered, Today, Ill let you go for now, you drowned dog. But Ill make my son deal with your cheating myself!

I thought weakly, When Sebastian makes you beg on your knees, I wont utter a single word to help you, not like before.

Just then, an old woman emerged from the bathroom, holding my pregnancy test. She handed it to Eleanor.

Seeing it, Eleanors eyes blazed, and she delivered a furious kick to my body.

You wretched woman! Youre even pregnant with a bastard!

My body instinctively curled, my hands flying to shield my stomach. Eleanor moved to kick me again. Fearing for my unborn child, I quickly cried out, Its not a bastard! Its Sebastians baby!

Eleanor roared, You tramp, dont try to fool me! Dont think I dont know you never wanted my sons child! You made him get a vasectomy ages ago!

She pointed at me, incensed. You vile woman, you want to leave my family without an heir!

When Sebastian and I first married, he constantly refused to use protection. Id bought dozens of birth control pill packs, throwing them in front of him, declaring that every time he touched me, Id take a pill. I refused to bear a child with his super-male gene. Worried about the medications harm to my body, hed eventually gotten a vasectomy.

His old companions, hearing this, were equally outraged. For women their age, nothing was more important than progeny.

This womans heart is too wicked! Not only did she make her own husband infertile, but she wants him to raise another mans child!

Oh, these womens minds are completely twisted now! My last daughter-in-law also cheated on my son and bore a bastard child. I served her for three years before I found out!

If I had known earlier, I would have aborted her bastard child, no matter what!

Stung by the old womens words, Eleanors eyes fixed on me with malevolent intent.

Thats right! Today, Im going to abort the bastard in your belly, to prevent it from growing up and harming society!

A panic Id never known surged through me. I looked at Eleanor, desperately explaining, Hes truly not a bastard! Sebastians company developed cutting-edge gene screening technology, allowing me to conceive a healthy baby!

If you dont believe me, call Sebastian and ask him!

You wretched woman! Do you think I dont know what youre plotting? Sebastian is so utterly bewitched by you, he wouldnt hurt you even if he knew you cheated!

But I, as his mother, cannot let him endure this utter humiliation!

With that, she brutally kicked me in the lower abdomen. A searing, bone-deep pain spread from the depths of my core.