A week prior, Carter and Everly had moved in to help me recover from childbirth.

On the day they arrived, I was in the room nursing my baby when Everly barged right in, pulling Carter along.

"Lucy, my sweet granddaughter," she cooed, completely oblivious to the situation.

Hastily pulling down my shirt, I reminded her, "Mom, why don't you and Dad wait in the living room? I'll bring the baby out once she's finished eating."

Everly waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, we can see her right here."

Carter, sensing the awkwardness, turned to leave. Before I could protest further, the baby started wailing.

"Can't you see Lucy's crying? Feed her already, you're giving me a headache! We've seen it all before; what's the big deal?" Everly snapped.

Feeling a twinge of irritation but focusing on soothing my baby, I let go of the argument temporarily. "Mom, could you close the door for me?"

"Behave like a princess when you're not one. So many rules," she muttered as she walked out, leaving me to shut the door myself.

From then on, every feeding session required locking the door to avoid any more awkward encounters.

Everly wasn't shy about voicing her discontent, calling me high-maintenance and pretentious.

After the baby had been fed, I stepped out, only to find Everly engrossed in a series of episodes on the couch while Leon fiddled with his phone. Carter was busy in the kitchen, a solitary figure. Everly snatched the baby from me, but her awkward hold caused Lucy to cry incessantly. Irritated, she handed the baby back. "She's always crying. What a hassle for a little girl."

"Mom, whether it's a boy or a girl, she's still Leon's and my child," I couldn't help but retort.

"Girls are no good; they'll just marry off eventually. Boys are better. If it weren't for our Leon, would you even be here doing chores? Thinking of us first?

"In the end, it's your own fault for not bringing a boy," Everly shot me a contemptuous glance.

Leon, ever the peacemaker, was interrupted by grabbing a handful of nuts from the coffee table and handing them to her. "Mom, try these. They're imported, special from a friend."

He then took the baby from me. "Here, let me take Lucy. You rest."

With that momentary distraction, the issue was quietly settled.

The door shook with each relentless knock, jolting me out of my thoughts.

It was Mia on the other side. The moment Evley laid eyes on Mia, tears began streaming down her cheeks.

She sobbed, her voice trembling, "Mia, I can't keep living like this with your dad!

"Do you know what I saw when I got here today?

"They were in the kitchen, getting cozy, completely oblivious to my return.

"I've felt something was off for days now. Just the other day, this shameless old man was even washing her dirty laundry!

"I've got some dignity—how can they behave like this?"

"Everly, what do you mean washing dirty laundry? You're being completely absurd," Carter's voice echoed from the bathroom.

"Only guilty people feel the need to explain themselves so frantically," Everly shot back, her frustration palpable.

"Wait, that's not..." I started, but Mia's piercing gaze turned toward me.

"Celeste, this isn't your moment to chime in!" she barked, springing to her feet and shoving me back a few steps.

"Have you no shame, getting involved with my dad like that? You're not embarrassed to let this all get out?"

Carter, suddenly bursting out of the bathroom, roared, "Mia, is your mom going crazy? Are you losing it, too?

"She just spends all her time out playing cards while I handle every bit of housework! I'm the one who cooks and cleans—doing it all myself!

"Celeste's been the one covering for me even after her childbirth; your mother comes back and starts this craziness!"

"You're clearly blinded by that little vixen, Dad! You never would've talked to Mom like that before!" Mia snapped back defiantly.

"YOU!" It looked like Carter was about to raise his hand to Mia.

I rushed forward, my heart racing. "Dad!"

I feared that if he went through with it, things would spiral even further out of control. Just then, Leon came in, catching the commotion.

"What's going on? Why the blow-up?" Leon asked, gripping Carter's hand alongside me.

Mia, puffing out her chest defiantly, shouted, "You're actually going to raise your hand to me for some outsider? Go ahead, put me out of my misery!"

Carter's face turned a furious shade of red, but words failed him.

Leon edged Mia away, trying to mediate. "Hey, sis, don't talk to Dad like that."

Carter was visibly shaky, and I helped him to the couch, where I quickly fetched some heart medicine from my bag and handed it to him.

Just as Carter started to recover, our baby began crying in the other room, demanding my attention. I had no choice but to go soothe the child.

Mia, frustrated, shook off Leon's hand. "You've got cuckolded and you're still here playing the peacemaker?"

Everly seized Leon's arm, her eyes filled with tears as she repeated her earlier tirade. "Leon, listen to your mom. Amanda's husband and her daughter-in-law colluded to move all their assets. Now that she's ready to divorce, Amanda discovers the whole truth!

"I've noticed Celeste acting off lately. Who knows what she's really up to?

"You need to count our assets quickly and maybe even consider a divorce from Celeste!"

Leon, struck by disbelief, stood there dumbfounded, speechless for what felt like an eternity.

"Did you hear that?" Everly nudged him, insisting he respond.

"That's impossible, Mom. Celeste would never do something like that!" His voice was firm and protective.

He quickly pushed open our bedroom door, standing there like a barrier. "Sweetheart, it can't be like what Mom is saying, right?

"How could you think I'd have anything with my dad? I don't buy it."

"If you truly didn't believe it, you wouldn't be asking," I said, looking down at the baby in my arms.

Taking a deep breath, I continued, "Leon, seriously, there's nothing going on between me and your dad.

"I know I just had a baby, so I shouldn't be doing anything too strenuous, but when I called for you a few times to help with washing some clothes, you never came.

"I washed my own stuff with gloves the other day. Your dad helped with my coat; I have no clue how your mom twisted that into something else.

"Today, when I was cutting vegetables, I accidentally sliced my hand. I couldn't put on a band-aid by myself, so Dad helped. But the moment Mom walked in, she didn't bother getting the whole story—she just started yelling.

"She's been like this lately, always on edge and jumping to conclusions."

"I'm so sorry, babe. I shouldn't have doubted you," he said, moving closer to pull me into a gentle embrace.

"Maybe we should get Mom and Dad to leave for a bit? I just had the baby, and while I can wear gloves to cook, I'd rather avoid any mix-ups like this. It's exhausting to explain myself." I suggested tentatively.

"Do you want to call your mom to come help? You really shouldn't be cooking right now, especially with a newborn," he replied, concern etched on his face.

"I asked her already, but she's busy taking care of my little brother's wife. She just had a baby too, so my mom can't make it," I admitted, my spirit dimming slightly.

Finally, Leon squeezed my shoulder, reassuring me that he was going to talk to Everly.

I chose to stay back, giving them some space to work it out.