Chapter 2: "Your Comfortable Life Ends Tonight"
Chapter 2: "Your Comfortable Life Ends Tonight"
Silence swallowed the room.
The television screen went black, and every pair of eyes turned toward Ethan.
Madison frowned first.
"What was that for?"
Courtney rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, Ethan?"
Vanessa looked up from her phone, annoyed.
"We were watching something."
Diane slowly set her smoothie on the table, her expression calm but irritated.
"Ethan, plug the television back in."
He didn't move.
Instead, he looked at each of them one by one.
For the first time in years, none of them recognized the man standing before them.
His voice was low.
Cold.
Controlled.
"My wife is upstairs."
No one answered.
"Eight months pregnant."
Still nothing.
"She just spent nearly two hours washing dishes while the four of you sat here doing absolutely nothing."
Madison crossed her arms.
"She volunteered."
Courtney nodded.
"Nobody forced her."
Vanessa shrugged.
"She's the homemaker."
Then Diane spoke.
"Your wife has responsibilities."
Ethan stared at his mother.
"No."
His voice became sharper.
"She has a high-risk pregnancy."
Diane frowned.
"You're exaggerating."
"The doctor says she's one bad day away from serious complications."
Nobody seemed concerned.
Instead, Madison sighed dramatically.
"So... who's making breakfast tomorrow?"
That was it.
Ethan walked to the hallway closet, opened the door, and pulled out four suitcases.
One after another, he dropped them onto the hardwood floor.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
His family stared.
"You have until noon tomorrow."
Vanessa blinked.
"...To do what?"
"Pack."
The room froze.
"What?"
"You heard me."
Diane slowly stood.
"This is my house."
Ethan looked directly into her eyes.
"No."
"I bought this house."
"I pay every mortgage payment."
"I pay every utility bill."
"I pay for every phone, every streaming service, every shopping spree, every restaurant meal, and every vacation."
He paused.
May you like
"Your comfortable life ends tonight."
No one laughed anymore.
