Chapter 1

Susan , wake up!"

My mother's voice cuts through the tranquillity, filled with anger. I open my eyes to find her standing beside me. I must have fallen asleep at my reading table while engrossed in the latest romance novel on my Kindle last night.

"Good morning, Mom."

"Get up and come with me to the kitchen."

I wonder what it could be this time. With a sigh, I reluctantly follow her.

My brothers never wake up early. It's typical that I, being a girl, am the one who has to suffer.

As I reach out to grab an apple from the bowl near the microwave, she grunts, stopping me midway.

"That's not why I woke you up."

I try to suppress an eye roll. My parents place great importance on obedience and respect to ensure a long life.

"Dirty plates in the kitchen sink. You were supposed to wash them last night before going to bed," Mom says while stirring her signature carrot soup.

"I did! Ryan or Ethan probably ate and didn't wash up again. How many times are we going to argue about this every morning? It's been three days of the same thing."

"That's always your excuse. You should know better than not to check. I have told you countless times, your brothers do eat again sometimes after dinner. You should always check for dirty plates even after dinner."

"What happened to them washing their plates? It's not that difficult. They've been doing this for three days now, Mom!" I snap, and she squints her eyes in warning.

"Watch your tone, young lady. I did not provide for you and raise you to be disrespected by you."

There goes the disrespect lecture again! God...I will move out one day!

"Mom..." I feel tears of anger welling up, but I refuse to show them.

"That's the price of being a woman, Susan tica. You have to take responsibility for the men around you. Now, clean up that sink and join me to finish cooking."

Ugh! I'm so angry!

I walk towards the kitchen sink, consumed by anger, and grip the faucet forcefully, forgetting that it's already malfunctioning. 

I gasp in shock as it comes off due to my rough handling, causing water to rush out frantically.

"Oh, gosh..."

Mom gasps and looks at me as if I'm a criminal.

"You just had to! Why can't you do anything right, child?"

"It was a mistake!" I panic as she pushes me aside and grabs a plastic bag from the counter to tie it around the faucet's mouth, stopping the water flow.

"Now we have to call Jeff."

Jeff is the plumber who lives two houses away. He charges exorbitant fees, and my mom has forbidden us from calling him for any household plumbing job.

"Mom...what happened?" Ryan appears out of nowhere.

I look at him in annoyance, and he gives me a "What did I do?" look. Dad comes out behind him, asking Mom what's going on.

She starts with the usual, "Susan ..."

I don't wait to hear the rest. I just storm off to my room, filled with anger.

My parents always know how to push my buttons, and it makes me react impulsively towards them.

I try my best to please them, but it's challenging when all they do is make me regret being born into a family of boys. 

I have to conform to traditional gender expectations while my brothers can live however they want. 

I only have a boyfriend because I insisted on having one. 

I stood my ground and assured them that he was a devout Christian who wouldn't lead me astray—that's the only reason they allowed me to see Austin.

My life has been meticulously planned out for me—from kindergarten to middle school, high school, and now college. 

The next step is to obtain my ICAN degree, secure a job, and eventually marry Austin. 

It's all part of the "perfect" plan my parents have envisioned for me, and I've been going along with it in the hopes of finally earning their pride.

I'm currently driving my dad's car, heading towards Austin's place. Today marks your second secondary and I want to surprise him. 

That's why I didn't call him beforehand. The original plan was to meet at the designated venue for our date, but now I'm thinking of changing the narrative.

I take the elevator to the top floor of his apartment building. Austin resides in apartment room 306. When I reach his door, I knock eagerly.

The door swings open, and I'm greeted by Austin's bewildered expression. He stands shirtless, with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hey...babe. What are you doing here?"

I raise an eyebrow in question. "Um...hi. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Austin blocks the doorway with his body, and I can't help but feel an uneasy sensation in the pit of my stomach.

"Um...I'm kind of busy right now..."

"Austin?"

A woman's voice emerges from inside his apartment, and my heart sinks.

"Austin, who's that?"

He momentarily turns his gaze away, and I take advantage of the opportunity to slip past his barricade. 

The unfamiliar woman stands there, clad only in a matching set of black underwear, and regards me with disinterest. Her indifference fuels my anger.

"What on earth is going on?!"

"Babe...I can explain..."

"Really?!" I turn to the woman, who appears to be at least five years older than me.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?! I wanted to have sex, and you kept saying no! You kept bringing up Christianity and calling it fornication... I mean, it's not that big of a deal. It's just sex!"

His words catch in my throat, and I can feel tears welling up. 

I swiftly walk away from the scene of betrayal, but not before delivering a resounding slap across Austin's cheek, relishing the momentary satisfaction it brings. 

The look on his face afterwards will forever be etched in my memory.

Take that, you cheater!

I make my way out of the building, my emotions a whirlwind of hurt, anger, and disappointment. 

The weight of my parent's expectations and the unfair treatment I endure from them suddenly feels unbearable. 

As I step into the street, tears stream down my face, and a newfound determination takes root within me.