Chapter 14 Breaking The Chains

Beatrice stood frozen for a moment, her eyes widening in shock. This was the first time Suzanne had ever spoken to her like that—stood up to her with such force. It caught her completely off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. She had always been able to control Suzanne, belittle her, and make her feel small. But now... now there was a fire in Suzanne’s eyes, a determination that Beatrice had never seen before. For a few seconds, the air was thick with tension, and Suzanne could almost hear the disbelief in Beatrice’s silence. Beatrice’s lips quivered as she tried to form a response, her pride wounded deeply. Finally, she spoke, her voice strained with disbelief, her tone dripping with venom. "Get out? I should leave my son’s house?" she asked, her words almost mocking but laced with shock. She took a step forward, her face red with a mixture of anger and incredulity. "How dare you speak to me like that?" Suzanne didn’t flinch. Her chest rose and fell with controlled breaths, her voice unwavering. "Yes. I don’t care who you think you are. You’ve disrespected me, insulted me, and manipulated me long enough. You’re nothing but a leech, feeding off your son’s hard work, poisoning everything you touch. I’m done with you." Beatrice’s mouth opened and closed as though she couldn’t find the right words to retaliate. She had never expected Suzanne, the quiet, compliant woman she had always treated like an extension of herself, to snap like this. It was a blow to her ego that she hadn’t seen coming, and it left her stunned. "How dare you!" Beatrice spat, her eyes narrowing with fury. "You think you can talk to me like this? You think you can just walk into this house and speak to me like I’m some stranger? I’m your mother-in-law! I’m the one who’s kept this family together, who made Charles into the man he is!" Suzanne stood tall, her back straight and her fists clenched at her sides. "Well, maybe it’s time someone told you the truth. I’ve had enough of you trying to break me down, enough of you making me feel worthless, enough of you trying to control everything about my life. I’m not your pawn anymore, Beatrice." The words hung in the air between them, thick with finality. Beatrice’s face twisted in disbelief, her shock turning to anger. But Suzanne wasn’t done. "I don’t want to see you in my house again," Suzanne spat, her voice hard, each word cutting through the tension like a blade. "You’ve done enough damage. Now get out." Before Beatrice could even open her mouth, a voice from behind them sliced through the thick tension. "Get out?" It was Charles, his disbelief evident as he stepped fully into the room. "Have you lost your mind, Suzanne?" Suzanne’s laugh was bitter, her eyes flashing with fury. "Lost my mind? It's you who’s lost your senses. Are you out of your mind asking me that? How dare you?" She couldn’t believe the nerve of him, the audacity to question her. Charles froze, blinking in disbelief. His wife, the woman who had always been quiet, compliant—she was finally speaking up. And in a way, he never expected. This wasn’t the meek woman he’d married. Beatrice's face contorted, her lips tight with rage. She couldn’t stay silent any longer. "Son, look at this! Your wife has grown wings. I was simply reprimanding her for what she did, and now she’s telling me to leave my house? This mansion that my husband built from the ground up with his life’s savings?" Suzanne’s voice was icily composed, every word cutting deep. "Don’t you have another home to go to? Why are you still here, trying to tell me what to do? I’m married to your son now. I am the lady of this house, and you’d better start using your damn brain and understand that." Charles’s jaw clenched, eyes narrowing in disbelief. The audacity of her words. She was speaking to him like she didn’t care anymore, like he didn’t have control. "You—" His hand raised in anger, as if to slap her, but Suzanne didn’t even flinch. She stood her ground, glaring at him with a steady, fearless gaze. "Don't you dare, you twat!" Suzanne snapped, her voice icy but fierce. "I've had enough of your maltreatment. The next time you raise your hand against me, I swear I'll lock you up." Her words hit like a slap, making the room fall eerily silent. Charles froze mid-motion, his hand still suspended in the air, his eyes wide with shock. He had never heard her speak like this before. Never seen her stand up for herself with such fire, with such confidence. Suzanne held his gaze, unwavering. Her chest rose and fell with each sharp breath, the weight of her words hanging in the air. "Try me," she challenged, her tone venomous. "I’m done being your punching bag, done being the one you walk all over." Beatrice’s eyes widened, disbelief flashing across her face. She hadn’t expected Suzanne to fight back like this. It was a battle of wills now, and Suzanne wasn’t backing down. Charles, though, was seething. His pride wounded, his face red with fury. But Suzanne wasn’t afraid anymore. She was done. Charles’s face twisted in anger as he tried to regain some control over the situation. His voice was dripping with venom. “Is this because of your boyfriend outside? Is that why you’re acting like this? Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Suzanne’s eyes narrowed, and to his surprise, she laughed. It wasn’t a nervous chuckle, but one full of mocking disbelief. "You think I don’t know?” she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You think I don’t know about you and Sarah? Look at the pot calling the kettle black. How long did you think you could keep that little affair under wraps?” The words hit like a thunderclap. Charles stood there, speechless, his mouth hanging open as Suzanne turned her back on them both. She walked toward the stairs, her heels clicking with purpose on the marble floor, leaving Charles and Beatrice in stunned silence. “You… you can’t just walk away from me, Suzanne!” Charles called after her, his voice cracking with a mixture of rage and disbelief. But Suzanne didn’t stop. She didn’t turn around. Without looking back, she climbed the stairs and slammed the door behind her with a force that rattled the entire house.