No Longer A Doormat in My Second Life

The living room was suffused with the aroma of freshly stewed pork ribs, the rich meaty scent drifting warmly through the air.
Yet as I fixed my gaze on the neatly arranged plate of apples atop the tea table, an icy chill crept through my fingertips, and even my breath came stiff and unnatural.
My husband, Leo Collins, was rubbing his hands together, a sycophantic smile stretching across his face as he spoke to my mother-in-law, Linda Carter, who sat on the sofa: "Mom, Mr. Carter will definitely come tonight. Make sure to praise me in front of him—say how well I take care of the family. With that, the department supervisor position will surely be mine!"
He said this without forgetting to reach for an apple, biting into it with evident pleasure.
Linda Carter immediately nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with expectation for her son. Then, abruptly raising her voice, she snapped at me, "Bella Collins! What are you standing there for? Go and brew the tea at once! Take out that box of tea leaves you hid last time. Don't be stingy—today is an important day!"
I didn't move, not even lifting an eyelid, as if her words hadn't reached me.
Memories from my previous life surged into my mind like an overwhelming tide, so vivid it made my chest ache—that very day when I stepped out of the kitchen carrying freshly brewed tea, walking with utmost care, afraid of spilling a drop.
But no sooner had I reached the living room than my eldest sister-in-law, Melody Lee, 'accidentally' brushed past me. The scalding tea immediately spilled down my arm, making me shudder; my skin quickly broke out in a painful flush.
But not a single person came to check on me.
Linda Carter pointed her finger at my nose, her voice sharp as she scolded, "How can you be so useless? You can't even serve a cup of tea properly! If Mr. Carter sees this, Leo Collins will lose all face in front of his superiors because of you!"
Leo Collins frowned deeply, his eyes full of dissatisfaction, urging me to apologize to Melody Lee immediately, as if it were not my own arm I had scalded, but his entire future that was at stake.
Later, to make amends for this so-called 'mistake,' I resigned from the design position where I was about to be promoted.
That was an opportunity I had fought for over three years, one all my colleagues envied, yet I still gritted my teeth and handed in my resignation letter.
I took out my own salary, the savings I had accumulated before marriage, even the dowry my parents left me, all to help Leo Collins present gifts to the leadership and treat colleagues to meals, hoping he would smoothly become the Manager.
But not only did he fail to become Manager, he also, driven by impatience for quick success, tried to cover up his mistakes by falsifying accounts, which the company ultimately uncovered.
After the incident, he showed no remorse and immediately shifted all the blame onto me: "It's because you didn't manage the household well and distracted me every day that I made such mistakes!"
I lost my job and became a full-time housewife, staying up late every day to wash clothes, cook meals, and clean for their entire family. My health gradually deteriorated.
In the end, I died coughing up blood in the rented room. Just before my death, Leo Collins even came and pulled out my oxygen tube, snarling viciously, "If it weren't for you, I would have soared to success long ago! You have been a burden to me all my life!"
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back to the moment right before Mr. Carter knocked on the door.

This time, when he tries to climb over me, attempting to use me to fulfill his 'dream of soaring high,' I am determined to personally dismantle his ladder and make their entire family pay the price.
"Did you hear me? Go make the tea at once!" Linda Carter's voice shot up eight notes, thick with impatience as she saw I hadn't moved for quite some time.
I slowly picked up an orange from the tea table, pinching its skin between my fingers and peeling it deliberately. The orange's juice splattered on my fingertips, carrying a trace of sweetness, but it could never dissolve the chill settled deep in my heart.
"That box of tea leaves was specially brought back from F District by someone I entrusted. It's for soothing the stomach and not meant for entertaining guests." My voice was calm yet imbued with an unyielding resolve that brooked no denial.
The living room fell silent in an instant; even Leo Collins's laughter, which hadn't stopped moments before, froze on his face. He forgot to take a bite of the apple in his hand, staring at me in stunned silence.
Linda Carter's face darkened immediately. Pointing accusingly at my nose, she said with heated intensity, "What nonsense are you talking? Mr. Carter is a distinguished guest! Leo still relies on him for his promotion. Are you trying to ruin my son's future?"
Our eldest brother, Dylan Collins, sitting nearby, furrowed his brows and scolded, "Bella, is this really the time to throw a tantrum? Get to work quickly and don't waste Leo's time!"
Leo Collins grew anxious as well, reaching out to grab my arm: "Bella, don't make a scene! Mr. Carter will be here any moment—don't let our family become a laughingstock!"
I jerked my arm free, my gaze cold as ice, speaking each word deliberately: "The guests are your responsibility. If you invited them, you should entertain them yourself. This has nothing to do with me."
After saying that, I picked up my mobile phone, turned to sit in the corner of the sofa, and lowered my head to scroll through messages, completely ignoring their sullen expressions.
Linda Carter slammed her hand forcefully on the tea table, making the cups on it tremble and hum: "You will stand still! When your elders ask you to do something, you snap back? Who do you think you're showing off to?"
"Leo Collins' superior will be here any moment. Are you deliberately trying to make him lose face?"
I lifted my eyes, tugged at the corner of my mouth, and let out a cold sneer: "You're exactly right—I do intend to make him lose face."
Not only Mr. Carter, but your entire family—I will make sure none of you find peace.
At that moment, Melody Lee, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly rose from the sofa, wearing a falsely sweet smile as she said to Linda Carter and Dylan Collins, "Father, Mother, please don't be upset. Bella is from the city, delicate since childhood. Maybe she was just tired from cooking earlier. I'll go brew some tea; please don't be too hard on her."
She spoke, and before I could react, she rushed forward, grabbed my bag, unzipped it, and began rummaging inside.
She forcibly yanked my purple clay teapot from the bag, warping the intricate dragon patterns etched on its surface.
Then, she poured all the tea leaves from my box into the teapot, grabbed the nearby kettle of boiling water, and poured it directly into the purple clay teapot.
I sat quietly beside her, watching coldly—the purple clay teapot was handcrafted and could not endure sudden temperature shocks; with such rough treatment, trouble was inevitable.

"Bang!"
Sure enough, a sharp, brittle sound shattered the air—the purple clay teapot had burst outright.
Scalding hot water drenched Melody Lee's face. She screamed sharply, her voice jagged: "Bella Collins! Did you tamper with the teapot? Were you trying to burn me on purpose?"
Leo Collins rushed over, grabbing my arm and shaking it forcefully. "Bella! Apologize to Mom and Melody at once! Mr. Carter is still here—don't let this become a laughingstock!"
The desperation in his eyes was about to overflow—I knew exactly what he was thinking: he feared Mr. Carter would see his family as fractured, and that the manager position would slip away.
But I was determined not to let him get what he wanted.
I stared at his contorted face and suddenly laughed, the sound steeped in scorn: "Apologize? Why should I? It was Melody who rifled through my bag and destroyed my belongings—what does that have to do with me?"
Leo Collins' face instantly paled further, and beside him, Mr. Carter's expression darkened so deeply it seemed to drip with displeasure, clearly dissatisfied with the debacle unfolding before him.
I paid no attention to Leo Collins' sullen expression and instead turned to Mr. Carter, speaking calmly, "Mr. Carter, there is something I must clarify with you."
Mr. Carter was momentarily stunned, saying nothing, but his eyes showed a flicker of confusion.
I continued, "Last year, you said your father was ill and urgently needed one hundred thousand for surgery. Without consulting me, Leo Collins transferred the money from my bank card to you.""At the time, you promised it was just a temporary loan for one month. Now, it has been almost a year—when do you plan to repay that one hundred thousand to me?"
"Are you crazy?" Leo Collins suddenly reached out to cover my mouth, his eyes filled with panic, as if afraid I would say more.
I pushed his hand away with force, my voice louder than before: "I am not insane." That one hundred thousand was saved before my marriage; it is my personal property, not marital joint property. On what grounds do you refuse to return it?
Mr. Carter's face darkened immediately. Pointing at Leo Collins, he said angrily, "Leo Collins, what do you mean? When did I ever borrow money from you? How dare you use my name to swindle money?"
Leo Collins, drenched in sweat, stammered without managing a complete sentence: "Mr. Carter, please don't listen to her nonsense. She's just upset today and speaking nonsense..."
"I'm not lying." I took out my mobile phone, swiftly pulled up the bank transfer records from that time, and handed it to Mr. Carter. "See, on March 15th last year, Leo Collins transferred 100,000 from my card to your account, with the remark 'Mr. Carter's father's surgery fee,' correct?"
Mr. Carter glanced down at the phone screen, his face darkening further. Abruptly, he stood up, grabbed the coat draped over the chair back, and said, "Leo Collins, you actually used my name to scam money! With such character, you still want to be a manager? I don't think this meal is worth staying for!"
With that, Mr. Carter turned and left. The door slammed shut with a resounding bang, causing the paintings on the wall to tremble.
As soon as Mr. Carter left, Linda Carter lunged at me like a madwoman, her hand reaching out to slap my face: "You bring bad luck! You've ruined my son's future! I'll beat you to death!"
I stepped aside, and she swung at empty air, nearly falling to the ground.
Dylan Collins quickly stepped forward to steady her, then turned and glared at me fiercely: "Bella, you've gone too far! You're trying to destroy our family!"
I ignored them and fixed my gaze on Leo Collins, my voice cold: "That one hundred thousand —who exactly did you give it to?"

Leo Collins's forehead was slick with sweat, his eyes flickering nervously, unable to meet my gaze; his hands clenched tightly, revealing his guilt.
Suddenly, I remembered last summer when the entire family suddenly announced a trip to H District and even asked if I wanted to come along.
At that time, I was rushing to finish an important project and had no time, so I told them I wouldn't go.
Only later did I learn that not only had they gone to H District, but they had also bought numerous luxury goods—Linda Carter's gold bracelet, Dylan Collins's designer watch, and Melody Lee's new handbag were all bought during that trip.
It turned out they used my money to go on a trip but lied to me, claiming they had lent it to Mr. Carter in an emergency.
I laughed, tears nearly welling in my eyes, but my heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife: "Leo Collins, let's get a divorce."
Leo Collins was momentarily stunned, then panicked, quickly grabbing my hand. "Bella, don't be like this. We're fine. Why divorce? I know I was wrong. I won't lie to you again. Please don't divorce me, okay?"
But Linda Carter suddenly clapped her hands, her tone arrogant: "Divorce! Absolutely divorce! You cannot bear a child, and how dare you ruin my son's future? The Collins Family doesn't need you!"
"If Leo Collins hadn't been soft-hearted back then, taken pity on your parents' tragic deaths, and taken you in, do you think you could have even set foot in the Collins Family? You would have been homeless long ago!"
"My son is so outstanding; any woman he chose would be a hundred times better than you!"
I gazed at Linda Carter's arrogant demeanor and spoke slowly, my voice firm: "Separation is acceptable, but the money you've taken from me over these past three years—I intend to reclaim every single penny."
Linda Carter immediately jumped up, her voice sharp and piercing: "You're talking nonsense! When have we ever taken money from you? For these three years, you've been eating and living off the Collins Family! And yet you have the nerve to demand money?"
"Living off of yours? Staying in your home?" I sneered coldly, my eyes brimming with scorn. "I paid the down payment for this house, I financed the renovations. When your entire family moved in, you didn't even bring a mattress, and now you have the audacity to say I'm living off you?"
"Moreover, for the past three years, Leo Collins's monthly salary was only five thousand—barely enough for him to buy drinks for his colleagues.""The water, electricity, gas bills; the firewood, rice, oil, and salt; even each piece of clothing and every pair of shoes you wear—did I not pay for every single thing?"
Linda Carter stiffened her neck, clutching at straws, "That's because my son is capable—able to make you willingly spend money on him! As his wife, it's your duty to support the family!"
"Supporting the family?" I turned to Dylan Collins, my voice icy cold. "The eighty thousand down payment for the SUV our eldest brother bought last year came from my project bonus. Have you forgotten? You even promised to repay me, yet you haven't mentioned a single cent until now."
Dylan's face flushed red instantly. He quickly looked away, avoiding my eyes, mumbling, "I was just short on cash at the time..."
Then I glanced at Melody Lee and continued, "Melody, that gold necklace around your neck—last year on your birthday, Leo Collins covertly used my card to buy it for you, spending twelve thousand. Have you forgotten? You told me back then it was Dylan who bought it. So why now are you silent?"
Melody Lee instinctively covered the necklace around her neck, her eyes darting away, unwilling to meet my gaze.
"Two years ago, Father complained of back pain and insisted on imported physiotherapy treatments. Each course cost thirty thousand, and he underwent three courses—ninety thousand—all charged to my credit card."
"And you, Mother, constantly saying the household is short of soy sauce or laundry detergent and asking me to purchase them; Melody's son enrolls in extracurricular classes, lacks funds, and comes asking me as well; Even when your old friends come to visit, you have me buy imported tea leaves and snacks—was there ever a single thing I didn't pay for?"
I paused, my voice cold as ice: "By rough calculation, over these three years, the money you've taken from here amounts to no less than a million."
Linda Carter was left stunned by my words, unable to respond for quite some time.
Melody Lee snorted, speaking with self-righteous certainty: "You married into the Collins Family; your money is the Collins Family's money. Using it is only natural! Now that you're counting it against us, aren't you being utterly heartless?"
Dylan Collins joined in, defending them: "Exactly, Bella, family members ought to help one another. Being so petty only damages our bond."
"Feelings?" I stared at their hypocritical faces one by one, a wave of nausea churning in my stomach. "When you were spending my money, why didn't you talk about feelings? When Leo Collins silently allowed you to take my money and treated me like an ATM, why didn't you speak of feelings then?"
"And now you want to talk about feelings? Do you even deserve that?"
I picked up my mobile phone and opened the recording app—every single word I had just spoken, every reaction from them, had been captured.
"Whether you acknowledge this money or not, we will see each other in the courtroom." I rose and walked toward the door. "This marriage is over. Everything that belongs to me, you will return every last cent!"
Leo Collins reached out to grab me, but I sharply shrugged off his hand, my voice laden with disgust: "Don't touch me; I find you filthy."
Stepping out of the house for which I had paid the down payment, yet always felt like a stranger in, the evening breeze brushed my face, finally easing the suffocating weight on my chest.
I didn't return to the company dormitory but took a taxi straight to my close friend Tina Xavier's home.
The moment Tina opened the door and saw me dragging my suitcase, she hurriedly pulled me inside, her face full of concern: "What's wrong? Did Leo Collins and the others bully you again?"
I told her about the divorce, and she jumped up immediately, her voice fired with emotion: "You should have left them long ago! That whole family of bloodsuckers—you should have broken free from them! I told you before, Leo Collins isn't a good man, but you wouldn't listen!"
She frowned once more, worry flickering in her eyes: "But what about the money you had before marriage? Can you really reclaim it? They'll undoubtedly argue it's marital joint property, and the tangled disputes will only worsen."
I pulled a document from my bag and handed it to her: "I notarized my assets before marriage. Every deposit and investment profit is documented. For every sum they took, I have transfer receipts—and there's the recording from just now. The evidence is all in order."
Tina Xavier's eyes brightened as she patted my shoulder: "You'd prepared all this long ago? That's wonderful! Don't worry, I'll get you the best lawyer. We'll make sure they return every penny—they won't get away with a thing!"

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