In the dead of night, Leon crept quietly into bed, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "Sweetheart, Mom said she was way too rash today, and she apologizes to you," he whispered softly.

I remained motionless and silent, offering no response.

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "After what happened to Amanda, she wants to transfer our house under her name for now. I agreed. But don't worry, once she feels more at ease, I'll figure out how to get it back.

"Babe, just bear with it a bit for our family's sake."

No wonder Everly was apologizing—she had ulterior motives.

Suddenly, I bolted upright in bed. "We both bought this house together, didn't we?

"The title has both our names. Even if I wanted to sell, you'd need to be there to sign. So, Mom shouldn't even have any concerns about that."

He looked unhappy but resolute. "Can't you just be a bit more understanding? This isn't a big deal, and it's all for the family's harmony.

"Like I said, after this phase, I'll retrieve the house. Why can't you just think it through? Must you put me in such a tight spot?"

"The house issue is non-negotiable. I'm not that kind of sneaky person, nor do I stoop to such actions," I declared, turning my back and closing my eyes, refusing to engage further.

He was silent for a short moment before saying, "Fine, if you're really against transferring the house, we won't.

"Mom mentioned wanting to invest some money into Mia's company for interest. Her funds aren't enough, so I lent her our 300-thousand-dollar savings."

I turned around, my tone irked. "Why didn't you discuss this with me before just making the decision?

"We just had Lucy, and I'm currently unemployed too. If we face some emergency, what will we do now that all our money is gone?"

"Mom will just return the money when needed. Besides, our savings in the bank aren't doing much; at least with the investment, we'll have a bit more income every month."

"But..." I began, but he cut me off by gently gripping my shoulders.

"Look, I've already lent the money, so it'd be awkward to ask for it back now. I'll find a way to get it back later," he said, softening his tone.

In the middle of the night, the baby began to wail uncontrollably.

Leon was up before me. "Honey, you've had a rough night. I'll take it from here."

Ever since the baby arrived, the night shifts had fallen squarely on me.

At first, I would call for Leon, but he was either too exhausted from work to help or simply wouldn't wake up at all.

But maybe today was different—perhaps the guilt from having borrowed money without consulting me was weighing on his mind.

With Leon soothing the baby, I finally managed to get some much-needed rest, sleeping soundly until nine in the morning.

After getting cleaned up, I wandered into the living room, ready to grab a bite to eat.

"Celeste, drink this soup while it's hot," Carter said, bringing over a steaming bowl of fish soup.

"Yeah, Celeste, didn't you say your milk supply was low lately? Your dad and I went out early this morning to buy fish just to help you boost your nutrition," Everly chimed in from the sofa.

Her bluntness caught me off guard, and I felt my cheeks burn a little. I wasn't one to hold grudges, though. "Thanks, Mom and Dad," I replied, trying to sound gracious despite my discomfort.

"Celeste, I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. I shouldn't have lost my cool without understanding the situation. You know how impatient I can be; please don't hold it against me," Everly's tone softened, and she looked genuinely remorseful.

I wasn't one to dwell on things, so I let it go, convincing myself it was a done deal.

Just then, the baby's cries pierced the air again.

Leon seemed to have fallen back asleep; it had been a while since I'd seen him console the little one.

As I started to rise, Everly got to her feet first.

"Celeste, you eat. I'll check on the baby," she said, heading into our room.

She returned a short while later, cradling the baby and soothing her gently until she quieted down. It was a relief to see Everly so attentive. Surprisingly, she didn't head out to play cards at all that day.

Leon eventually woke up, and to my amazement, he not only did the laundry but also ran water to help wash my hair.

After my C-section, I'd asked him for help a couple of days ago.

Back then, he'd apathetically replied while gaming, "I'll wash your hair later." I had waited until late that night, but he never did.

Today, though, it was as if the sun had risen in the west—he actually offered to wash my hair.

As I lay back in the chair, he was busily lathering up my hair, saying, "Honey, I thought about a lot last night. I realize I haven't been very considerate, but I promise I'll change."

"Let's make things better moving forward, okay?"

From that day on, Leon really was different.

He catered to my every need and took on his share of baby duties as well. I thought we had finally turned a corner and that our lives would continue smoothly.

But as often happened, reality had other plans, and the truth turned out to be much darker than I had hoped.