That night marked the beginning of a calculated nightmare, which I uncovered by listening to Patricia making secretive phone calls in the hallway about teaching me my place. The following morning, my mother in law demanded I wake up before dawn to begin an endless cycle of grueling household chores, criticizing every effort I made while Brad remained completely silent. My hands grew cracked and painfully raw from harsh detergents, but I refused to let them break my spirit. I secretly enrolled in an online accounting and payroll certification program, studying late into the night. Patricia mocked my ambitions and restricted my space, forcing me to set up a small folding table in a damp closet under the stairs. The true extent of their cruelty came to light a few weeks later when Brad returned home heavily intoxicated and confessed their entire scheme. He admitted he never wanted a wife, but he and Patricia had formed a mutual agreement to use me as free household labor. He callously explained that choosing a woman from a humble background saved them thousands of dollars, and their ultimate goal was to seize my twelve thousand dollars in savings to renovate their rental properties.
