After getting engaged to my boyfriend, Vino Fitzgerald, I went with him to his rural hometown to visit his family.

Our first meal there was nothing but a thin bowl of porridge. I was a little surprised by that.

Since Vino was marrying into my family, I brought along the agreed dowry of 880,000 dollar and handed it to his parents.

His mother took the money, frowned and said, “Isn’t your family supposed to be wealthy? This is way too little.”

I was stunned. “Eight hundred eighty thousand is too little?”

Deborah crossed her arms. “Here’s what I think: you should give each of our relatives a house. One for each person.”

I was so furious, I actually laughed. “Why would we do that?”

Her expression immediately darkened. “Why? My son is a top graduate from a prestigious university with a bright future. Your family may be rich, but that doesn't mean you deserve him.”

“Let me make this clear, an engagement doesn’t equal marriage. If you want to marry my son, you’ll need to prove yourself. And this dowry? It’s not nearly enough.”

She leaned closer and added coldly, “Also, even if you marry into this family, if you can’t give birth to a son to carry on the Fitzgerald name, I’ll make sure you get divorced.”

I was speechless.

It was her son who knelt at my parents’ house for three whole days and nights before they agreed to let him marry into our family.

Did she really not understand the situation?

——

I turned to Vino, hoping he would say something. But he seemed completely unfazed by what his mother had just said—still sitting there patiently teaching his father how to use a smartphone.

Then, Deborah tapped the edge of my bowl with her spoon. “It’s decided. You two can only get married once the house deeds are transferred.”

“It needs to be a property in a good school district. Don’t even think about a place in a bad area.”

Anger surged through me. I slammed my spoon down. “I’m not eating anymore.”

I stood up to go outside for some air, but Deborah stepped in front of me.

She pointed at the dining table. “Go wash the dishes.”

“If you’re going to marry into the Fitzgerald Family, you better learn how to behave and be observant.”

I was shaking with rage, unable to say a word.

I grabbed Vino’s sleeve. “Didn’t you explain everything to your parents?”

Vino looked a bit embarrassed and whispered, “It’s okay. I’m here.”

Then he turned to his mother. “Mom, your demands are too much.”

“We have so many relatives. Do you know how much money we’d have to spend?”

“I think we should just buy homes for close family. I have two uncles and three cousins. Five houses should be enough.”

His mother frowned but reluctantly nodded. “Alright then.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. I looked straight at her and said coldly, “I’m sorry, but I can’t agree to this.”

“I came here to get married, not to fund poverty relief.”

Deborah’s face twisted with rage. She slammed the table and shouted, “What kind of attitude is that? Do you have no manners?”

“You’re not even officially part of this family yet and you already dare to talk to your future mother-in-law like that?”

I didn’t respond. I just turned to look at Vino.

He finally stood up and said to his mother, “Mom, Misca just arrived today. Why are you making such a scene?”

“She’s my fiancée now. Please don’t talk to her that way.”

Then he turned to me, looking annoyed. “Misca Swan, you really are something. My mom isn’t in great health and you still argue with her?”

“Your family is rich—can’t you just buy a few houses to make my mom happy?”

“Why do you have to make everything so difficult? How are we supposed to live together in the future?”

“Apologize to my mom. Right now.”

I looked him in the eye and replied calmly, “I can’t do that.”

Without another word, I turned and walked out the door.

But when I stepped outside, I noticed something was wrong. The car I had parked in front of Vino’s house was gone.

Confused, I looked around and spotted someone driving it through the village.

I pulled out my phone and was about to call the police when Vino ran out and snatched it from my hand.

“What are you doing?” he asked, frowning. “That’s my cousin, David Fitzgerald, driving your car.”

I said, “Why is your cousin driving my car? Where did he even get the keys?”

Eddie slowly walked out of the house, his hands tucked behind his back. “I took the keys from your bag,” he said casually.

“Misca, you’re just a girl. Why do you even need a car? It’s not safe.”

“Since David just got his driver’s license, why don’t you just give the car to him?”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Give it to him? Why should I? Tell him to bring it back within five minutes, or I’m calling the police.”

Deborah suddenly came running out, jabbing her finger at my face and yelling, “Why should you? Why should you?”

“You’ve married into our Fitzgerald Family, so that means you’re part of our family now!”

“Your car is now our car—the Fitzgerald family’s property!”

“You want to call the police? Go ahead. Try it. I’ll beat you up myself!”

I replied coldly, “I think you’re seriously mistaken. I didn’t marry into your Fitzgerald family.”

“It was Vino who married into my family.”

“And even if we have kids in the future, they’ll carry the Swan surname—not the Fitzgerald surname.”

The moment those words left my mouth, Vino’s face twisted into an ugly expression. That’s when it hit me—he hadn’t told them the truth.

Deborah turned red with fury. She pointed at me and screamed, “Nonsense! Utter nonsense!”

“My son is a top student from a 985 university. And you? What are you?”

“You think you can make my son marry into your family? You’re dreaming!”

“Get out of here! We’re not marrying you anymore. Go back to wherever you came from!”

Eddie joined in with a stony face and said, “Leave. You’re not welcome in our home.”

I was so angry I could barely stay standing. Glaring at them, I said to Deborah, “Fine. If you want me gone, give me back my money.”

Her eyes flickered with panic. “What money? What are you talking about? Don’t make things up!”

I nodded calmly. “Alright then. If you won’t return it, I’ll see you in court.”

Without another word, I turned around and started walking toward the village exit.

I knew there was a long-distance bus that left from the town ten miles away. I’d rather walk under the blazing sun for hours than stay another second in Vino’s disgusting home.

Vino ran after me, stomping his foot. “Misca! What’s wrong with you?”

I laughed through my anger. “What’s wrong with me? Vino, I should be asking you—what’s wrong with you?”

He looked around nervously, clearly afraid I’d spill everything in front of his parents. He dragged me into a corner, out of sight.

With a frustrated look, he scolded me, “Misca, who told you to bring up the part about me marrying into your family?”

“My parents care a lot about appearances. You brought that up in front of them—what do you expect? You embarrassed them!”

“I’ve always been the pride of this village and now you’re shouting things like that out loud. What will the neighbors think? Where’s my dignity?”

I let out a cold, sarcastic laugh. “So now I’m the one who’s wrong?”

“Vino, you knelt at my family’s house for three days and nights, begging to marry into our family. You moved my parents with your sincerity.”

“And now that we’re engaged, you’re backing out? Were you planning to trick me into marriage all along?”

Vino furrowed his brows. “What trick? Don’t put it so harshly.”

“Yes, I do want to marry into your family. But here, in my hometown, I still need to save face. When necessary, you have to lower yourself a bit.”

“My mom scolding you a few times isn’t a big deal. All daughters-in-law here go through this kind of thing.”

I nodded slowly. “I see. So you planned to fool both sides.”

That set him off. “Misca, are you done? Just because I’m marrying into your family doesn’t mean you can treat me like trash.”

“Let me tell you, I’m doing this because I love you. But if you take advantage of that love and act like this, you’ll regret it!”

I looked him dead in the eye and said with a smirk, “I already regret it. Goodbye.”

Seeing that I was truly about to leave, Vino panicked. His tone softened immediately.

"Alright," he said. "I admit there was a misunderstanding between you and my parents today. I'll explain everything to them properly. Just come back with me first—let's not blow things out of proportion."

I didn’t respond. I simply kept walking.

The scorching summer sun beat down mercilessly, making me feel lightheaded. My lips were dry and chapped, on the verge of cracking. But I didn’t stop.

I thought back to when Vino first came to meet my parents. They had flat-out refused to approve of him.

But I was the one who insisted they give him a chance.

Vino knelt at our doorstep for three days and nights, swearing up and down that his intentions were pure. In the end, my parents reluctantly gave in—for my sake.

And now?

Now I realize just how clear-sighted they were.

I had chosen the wrong person.

Suddenly, a loud honk blared behind me. I jumped, startled.

A Porsche was speeding toward me—my car. Vino was driving.

I walked up to the vehicle, expression cold. “Give me back my car.”

Vino leaned out the window. “Misca, get in the car. Come back with me.”

“My mom knows she was wrong. She even slaughtered a pig and made tons of dishes just to apologize to you.”

I frowned. “No need. Just give me my car back.”

Vino insisted, “Misca, do you even know what it means when someone slaughters a pig here? It’s the most elaborate way to welcome a guest. If you don’t go back, it’ll be humiliating for my mother.”

The sun was making me dizzy and my patience had run out.

“She slaughtered a pig. And what does that have to do with me?” I snapped.

“She treats me like garbage and tells me to get out—and now that she’s cooked a few dishes, I should just go back?”

“She butchers a pig and suddenly expects everything to be fine?”

“Vino, you keep saying you love me. Is this how you show it?”

I pulled out a stack of cash from my bag, didn’t bother counting it and shoved it into his arms.

“Consider this payment for her pig, alright?”

“Now get out of the car. I’m driving myself home.”

Vino looked at me, eyes dark. After a long pause, he said quietly, “Are you really leaving?”

I nodded.

He gave a heavy sigh. “If you leave now, we’re over. Misca, think it through.”

I let out a cold laugh. “I already have.”

Vino was quiet for a beat, then said, “Fine. Get in. I’ll drive you back.”

“You’re not feeling well. You’ve been in the sun too long. It’s dangerous for you to drive like this.”

I hesitated for a moment. Then I got into the passenger seat.

My head was spinning from the heat. I grabbed a bottle of water, drank deeply and leaned back with my eyes closed, letting the air conditioning cool me down.

But less than ten minutes later, the car came to an abrupt stop.

I opened my eyes—and realized Vino had driven us straight back to his house.

He had tricked me again.

I immediately reached for the door, ready to get out, but Vino was already there. He opened the door and pulled me out.

“Misca,” he pleaded, “for the sake of all the years we’ve been together, can’t you just stop being so stubborn?”

He said this while dragging me toward his house.

He was stronger than me and his pace was fast. I stumbled several times trying to keep up, nearly falling.

As we entered the yard, I saw a crowd—men and women scattered across the courtyard, some standing, some squatting, all eating from bowls and chatting loudly.

Vino dragged me inside and pushed me toward a large table.

Several women sat there, smiling as if nothing had happened.

Deborah was among them. She glanced at me coldly, then went back to eating, completely ignoring me.

I turned to Vino.

“Is this the apology you were talking about?”