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I Inherited $1 Billion… Then Overheard My Mother-in-Law Say, “DIVORCE THAT USELESS WOMAN!” — Transcript

by Twist of Life · 18,690 words · 2,733 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00I stopped my hand just as I was about to
0:02insert the key into the front door
0:04shortly before 700 p.m. It was because I
0:07heard my mother-in-law Shirley's voice
0:10coming from the other side of the door.
0:12You need to hurry up and divorce that
0:15useless woman. Hearing those words so
0:18clearly made the inside of my chest run
0:21cold. I tightly gripped the brown
0:23envelope I was holding in my hand.
0:25Inside it were legal documents
0:28displaying the staggering figure of $1
0:30billion.
0:31Thank you for watching. Please subscribe
0:35to the Twist of Life channel for more
0:36stories like this. My uncle passed away
0:40at the end of June. He was my mother's
0:43older brother Samuel and he was 74 years
0:46old. He had never been married and had
0:49no children. For the past few years, we
0:53only saw each other a few times a year,
0:55but he doted on me when I was a child.
0:58He was a kind uncle who would always
1:00take me out to eat delicious food during
1:03summer vacation. I was called to the
1:05office of the attorney acting as the
1:08executive of his will, where I learned
1:09the full scope of my uncle's estate for
1:12the first time. The office was located
1:14in a quiet commercial district in
1:17downtown Manhattan. In the conference
1:19room, I was guided into an older lawyer
1:22named Attorney Thomas was waiting for
1:24me. Natalie, thank you for coming in
1:28today despite your busy schedule. After
1:30greeting me, attorney, Thomas pulled out
1:33a single sheet of paper and turned it
1:35toward me. Today, I would like you to
1:38review a rough inventory of the estate
1:41listed. There were various assets my
1:44uncle had left behind. There were shares
1:46in a private company, commercial real
1:49estate properties in Manhattan and
1:50Boston, multiple securities, and several
1:53bank accounts. He mentioned that many of
1:56the items did not yet have a finalized
1:59valuation. This is strictly an estimate
2:02as of right now. I looked at the total
2:05line at the very bottom of the page. A
2:08very long number was written there.
2:11Approximately $1 billion.
2:14I counted the digits in that number once
2:16then. Twice just to be sure. Um, is this
2:20really $1 billion?
2:22My voice was trembling faintly. Yes,
2:26there is no mistake. Attorney Thomas did
2:29not break his calm demeanor. I can't
2:32even imagine $1 billion.
2:35That is completely understandable.
2:38Attorney Thomas smiled slightly to
2:40reassure me. you will have to pay a
2:44significant amount in estate taxes from
2:45this and it is not all in cash. He
2:49explained that the majority of it
2:50consisted of real estate and shares in
2:53the company my uncle used to run. I had
2:56absolutely no idea my uncle had grown
2:59such a massive business. For the first
3:01time, I realized that my gentle uncle
3:03had been carrying such a heavy burden
3:06all by himself. So, I'm not just going
3:09to become super rich overnight starting
3:12tomorrow, right? When I said that,
3:15attorney Thomas nodded deeply. That is
3:18exactly right. As the legal procedures
3:21will take many months, hearing that made
3:23me feel slightly relieved. I wouldn't
3:27know what to do if I were suddenly
3:28handed that much cash anyway. You do not
3:32need to take all of this on by yourself,
3:34Natalie. We will provide you with full
3:37support. So, please rest assured. Thank
3:40you very much. I bowed my head deeply
3:44and put the copy of the estate inventory
3:46he handed me into the brown envelope.
3:49When I put it in my bag, that envelope
3:51felt incredibly heavy. When I stepped
3:55outside, the summer evening sky
3:57stretched out above me. The stifling
4:00summer heat brushed against my face. As
4:03I walked toward the subway station, I
4:06took several deep breaths. $1 billion.
4:10That number repeated over and over in my
4:13head. I always thought it was an amount
4:16of money I would never see in my
4:18lifetime unless I won the lottery. On my
4:21way home, the first thing I thought
4:23about was my husband, Simon. Simon has
4:26always been more put together than I am,
4:29and he understands how the business
4:30world works. A matter this huge is
4:33something I could never handle on my
4:35own. I need to hurry home and tell Simon
4:38everything. I was sure Simon would be
4:41just as shocked and would help me figure
4:42out what to do next. I believe that
4:46without a single shred of doubt. We had
4:48moved to this town because of Simon's
4:51job transfer and his father's failing
4:53health. It is only about a 10-minute
4:56drive to Simon's parents house. Taking
4:59the move as an opportunity, I quit my
5:02corporate job and started working from
5:03home doing freelance bookkeeping. My
5:07income decreased, but I had no regrets
5:09because it was the path I chose. I
5:13always thought Simon was happy that I
5:14was staying at home. Two, at the grocery
5:18store near the station, I bought Simon's
5:20favorite craft beer and some premium
5:22deli sides. I wanted to talk to him
5:25about our future life while eating good
5:28food. I bet we can pay off the mortgage
5:30right away. Thinking about things like
5:34that made my footsteps feel a little
5:35lighter. I wanted to see his face and
5:39tell him the news as soon as possible.
5:41To me, Simon was my biggest ally and the
5:45family member I relied on the most.
5:47Actually, I went to see a lawyer today.
5:51While organizing the order of the words
5:52in my head, I turned the corner of our
5:55apartment building stairwell. It was
5:57just past 700 p.m. when I reached our
6:00door. I took my keys out of my bag like
6:03I always do. I reached 4:00 the door
6:07knob and was about to insert the key.
6:09Suddenly, my hand stopped in midair. It
6:13was because I heard my mother-in-law
6:15Shirley's voice coming from the other
6:18side of the thin door. Shirley shows up
6:20unannounced multiple times a week. We
6:24never gave her a spare key, but she
6:26always aims for the time Simon gets home
6:29from work. Is she here again? I let out
6:33a small sigh and looked down slightly
6:35with the key still in the lock. My head
6:38was full of the inheritance
6:40today and I was exhausted. I couldn't
6:43exactly talk about the inheritance in
6:46front of Shirley. I wanted her to go
6:48home. But I couldn't pretend I wasn't
6:50there either. Just as I gathered my
6:53thoughts and put strength into my hand
6:55to open the door, it happened. Simon.
6:59Shirley's sharp voice echoed clearly
7:01through the door. How long are you going
7:05to keep living this kind of life? I
7:07completely
7:08stopped my hand from turning the
7:10doororknob. What did she mean by this
7:12kind of life? My heart made an awful
7:16heavy thud. Simon's reply was too quiet
7:19for me to hear clearly from out here.
7:23Only Shirley's voice rang out without
7:25mercy. She's almost 40 years old and all
7:29she does is tinker with spreadsheets at
7:31home. She was talking about me and I
7:33realized it instantly. She doesn't have
7:36kids and she hardly brings any real
7:39money into the house. The inside of my
7:42chest grew freezing cold as if I had
7:44been plunged into icy water. I had
7:47always sensed that surely looked down on
7:50my job. But this was the first time I
7:52had ever heard her use such direct,
7:55malicious words. I stood silently in
7:58front of the door, waiting for Simon to
8:00defend me by saying something like,
8:02"Don't complain about her." Or, "Natalie
8:05is working hard, too." But what I heard
8:08next wasn't even louder yell from
8:10Shirley. You need to hurry up and
8:13divorce that useless woman. I thought
8:15time had stopped. Useless.
8:18Divorce. Those words echoed over and
8:21over in the back of my ears. I almost
8:25dropped the grocery bags I was holding
8:26in my hand. I put all my strength into
8:30my fingertips and desperately held on.
8:33With my other hand, I tightly gripped
8:36the brown envelope through the fabric of
8:37my purse. Inside it were legal documents
8:40displaying the staggering figure of $1
8:42billion.
8:43I felt incredibly pathetic for believing
8:46without a doubt that Simon was my
8:48biggest ally. How would Simon respond to
8:51his mother? How would he stand up for me
8:54as a husband against this verbal abuse
8:57toward his wife? I held my breath and
8:59gently pressed my ear against the cold
9:02door. The warm humid summer breeze
9:05slowly brushed against my cheeks. I held
9:08my breath while standing paralyzed in
9:10front of the cold door. Shirley's sharp
9:14voice was ringing in the back of my ears
9:17repeatedly. You need to hurry up and
9:19divorce that useless woman. It was the
9:22clearest possible declaration of
9:24rejection toward me. Even so, some part
9:27of me was still holding out hope. I was
9:31sure Simon would get angry for me. I
9:33thought he would snap back at his mother
9:36and tell her not to speak about his wife
9:37that way. After all, we were a normal
9:41married couple with no real problems
9:44feeling. My heartbeat speed up. I waited
9:47for my husband's voice through the door.
9:49A few seconds of suffocating silence
9:52passed. Eventually, I heard Simon's
9:55muffled voice. Mom, stop talking about
9:59this right now. I doubted my own ears.
10:03It wasn't a voice defending me, but
10:06rather a tone that just wanted to
10:07postpone a bothersome conversation. Why
10:11should I stop? Am I saying anything
10:13wrong? I'm not saying that, but still.
10:18So, are you going to divorce her or not?
10:21this time. Simon will definitely deny it
10:24clearly. I gripped my bag's handle
10:27tightly and waited, practically praying.
10:31However, the words that came from inside
10:33were unbelievable.
10:35I'm not thinking about it right now. Not
10:38right now. Those simple words completely
10:42crushed my heart. Simon didn't say that
10:44he had no intention of divorcing me. He
10:48didn't tell her not to insult me either.
10:50His only answer was that he wasn't
10:54thinking about it at this exact moment.
10:56He didn't know what would happen in the
10:59future, but he just didn't want to make
11:00waves right now. Simon's indecisive true
11:04colors were clearly showing through
11:06here. The brown envelope holding the 1
11:09billion documents rustled in my hand. It
11:12was the exact moment I realized just how
11:15foolish I had been. To Simon, I was not
11:18a precious family member to be
11:20protected. I was just a convenient
11:23roommate who kept him from having to
11:25cause a scene with his mother. Amidst a
11:28feeling of despair so dark it felt like
11:30I was losing my vision, I made one firm
11:32decision. I was absolutely not going to
11:36do something like cry and run away from
11:38the house. I walked back down the
11:41apartment stairs once and took a deep
11:43breath in the night air. Then I
11:46intentionally made slightly louder
11:48footsteps and walked up the stairs one
11:50more time. I put the key in the lock,
11:54made a loud clacking sound, and opened
11:56the door. I'm home. The voices of the
12:00two people talking completely stopped in
12:02an unnatural way. I haven't heard
12:05anything. I put on my usual smile and
12:08took off my shoes. When I walked down
12:12the hall and opened the sliding door to
12:13the living room, Simon stood up in a
12:16panic. "Oh, welcome home, Natalie. I'm
12:21home." "No, I really don't mind at all."
12:25Simon's face was twitching, and he was
12:27clearly flustered. Beside him, Shirley
12:31was sitting on the sofa as if nothing
12:33had happened. "Oh, Natalie, you're quite
12:37late today." "Yes, I had a few errands,
12:40too.
12:41run. Working from home must be so nice
12:44and flexible. Shirley's tone was calm,
12:47but she couldn't hide the condescending
12:49emotion beneath it. The word useless
12:52from earlier resurfaced in my mind. When
12:55I didn't argue back, surely let out a
12:58small scoff. But compared to Simon
13:01working out in the real world, it's a
13:04breeze, isn't it? That's true. Working
13:07outside the home is very tough. I let
13:10out a sigh as I transferred the deli
13:12food I brought to some plates. Even if I
13:16unleash my anger right here, Simon would
13:18definitely take Shirley's side. He would
13:22brush it off by saying I was just being
13:23paranoid. While setting the food on the
13:27table, I observed Simon's face. He was
13:30only looking at the television screen as
13:33if trying to avoid my gaze. Even when
13:36Shirley made sarcastic remarks at me, he
13:39absolutely refused to interject. Up
13:42until now, I had always generously
13:45interpreted this as him not wanting to
13:46get between his wife and his mother. But
13:49I was wrong. Simon simply found it too
13:52bothersome to stand up to his mother.
13:55Even if my dignity as his wife was
13:57damaged, he was fine as long as his own
13:59peace was preserved. Did something good
14:02happen today, Natalie? In the middle of
14:06dinner, Simon unexpectedly asked me a
14:08question. Why do you ask? I don't know.
14:12You just seem in a better mood than
14:14usual. I laughed coldly in my heart. I
14:18was not in a good mood. I was just so
14:21filled with despair that my emotions had
14:23gone. Numb. Not really. Just normal. I
14:28guess I'm happy I got these sides on
14:30sale. Oh, I see. That's good then.
14:34Simon tilted his beer glass with a
14:36relieved look on his face. This man
14:40really is incredibly shallow to feel
14:41secure just from his wife's superficial
14:44smile. With a frozen heart, I just let
14:47the conversation between the two people
14:50in front of me wash over me. It was past
14:52900 p.m. when Shirley finally went home.
14:56After seeing her off at the door, Simon
14:58stretched dramatically and rolled onto
15:01the sofa. Man, I'm exhausted. My mom has
15:05been coming over way too much lately. I
15:09know. It must be tiring for you, too,
15:12Natalie. So, just brush off whatever she
15:15says. He used a gentle tone as if he
15:19completely understood my struggles. I
15:21couldn't believe these words were coming
15:23from a human who just said he wasn't
15:25thinking about divorce right now. Yeah,
15:28I just brush it off. I answered briefly
15:31and pulled my work laptop out of my bag.
15:35At the bottom of my bag sat the brown
15:37envelope Attorney Thomas had given me.
15:40If things had gone normally today, I
15:42would have put this envelope on the
15:45table and consulted with Simon. I'm
15:47inheriting $1 billion from my uncle. I
15:50was going to say that so we could think
15:53about our lives together, but I didn't
15:55feel like doing that anymore. I couldn't
15:59talk about this massive fortune with a
16:01husband who would so easily abandon his
16:03wife. He might jump for joy and flip his
16:07attitude completely right alongside
16:09Shirley. Or perhaps he would try to
16:12steal the assets under the guise of our
16:14marriage. Either way, the image of the
16:17family I had hoped would figure this out
16:20with me didn't exist. You're still going
16:22to work? Seeing me open my laptop, Simon
16:26gave me a puzzled look. Yeah, it's the
16:30end of the month, so I have a few things
16:32to double check. Don't push yourself too
16:35hard. It's not like it's going to bring
16:38in that much money anyway. Even in those
16:41words, his inability to hide his
16:43superiority complex bled through. Simon
16:47felt secure in the fact that he was the
16:49one making more money and participating
16:51in the real world. Right.
16:54I'll just work enough not to overdo it.
16:57I answered quietly while staring at the
17:00screen. I could feel something inside my
17:02heart completely crumbling and
17:04collapsing with a loud crash. I had no
17:07place in this house. The peace I had
17:11built by constantly compromising was
17:13nothing but an illusion built on my own
17:15self-sacrifice.
17:17I didn't yet have the power to turn this
17:20situation upside down. I would stay
17:23quiet for now. I needed to carefully
17:26observe how Simon and Shirley would
17:28treat me from here on out. And when the
17:30time came, I had to make a decision
17:33based on my own will. I glanced down at
17:36the envelope in my bag and began typing
17:38on my keyboard. Meaningless words filled
17:41the screen, but Simon didn't notice at
17:44all. Only the sound of the television
17:46and the sound of my typing echoed
17:49emptily in the living room. Past 1000
17:52p.m. The living room was filled only
17:54with the bright voices from the reality
17:56show on the TV. I stopped my hands for a
18:00while, staring blankly at my laptop
18:02screen. My bookkeeping software was
18:06open, but none of the numbers were
18:07registering in my brain. The presence of
18:10the brown envelope sunken at the bottom
18:12of my bag occupied the vast majority of
18:15my consciousness. The absurd figure of
18:18$1 billion.
18:20Shirley's voice at the front door
18:21saying, "Hurry up and divorce her." And
18:25Simon's words, "I'm not thinking about
18:27it right now." They intersected over and
18:31over in my head, freezing my heart cold.
18:34When I directed my gaze toward the sofa,
18:37Simon was lying down messing with his
18:39phone and laughing at the TV. He didn't
18:42look like a person who had listened to
18:44and agreed with his mother's insults
18:46about his wife just a few hours ago. I
18:49let out a slow breath and closed. My
18:52laptop. Reacting to the clicking sound,
18:55Simon looked my way. Oh, you finished
18:59working? Yeah, I found a good stopping
19:02point for today. I stood up and headed
19:05for the kitchen. While pouring cold iced
19:08tea into two glasses, I felt my hands
19:11shaking slightly. Holding a glass in
19:14each hand, I returned to the living
19:16room. I placed one glass on the coffee
19:19table and sat not next to Simon, but on
19:22a small cushion a little further away.
19:25Thanks. Simon sat up halfway and took a
19:29sip of the iced tea. Then he tried to
19:32return his gaze to the television
19:34screen. Hey, Simon. I called out to him
19:38quietly. I was mindful of using a calm
19:42tone that wouldn't be drowned out by the
19:44TV but wouldn't sound overly emotional
19:46either. What's up towards my husband who
19:50was still looking at his phone. I spoke
19:53the words that pierced right to the
19:54core. Can I ask you something? Have you
19:59ever thought about divorcing me? In that
20:01instant, the movement of Simon's thumb
20:04completely froze. Simon placed his phone
20:07face down on the table and slowly turned
20:10to face me. The smile vanished from his
20:13face and obvious agitation
20:15appeared. It wasn't because he realized
20:18I had overheard the earlier
20:20conversation.
20:22He was just surprised by the sudden
20:23heavy question. Why are you asking
20:27something like that out of nowhere?
20:29Simon wiped the condensation off his
20:32glass with his finger without making eye
20:33contact. Answer me. When I asked with a
20:38stronger tone, Simon awkwardly let his
20:40eyes wander. Don't worry about weird
20:44stuff like that. He tried to brush it
20:46off, but I refused to back down. Have
20:50you or haven't you? When I asked him
20:53again, Simon went silent for a while.
20:55After about 10 seconds of heavy silence,
20:58he scratched the back of his head and
21:00opened his mouth. Well, my mom, the
21:04exact subject I expected came out, and I
21:07laughed coldly in my heart. What about
21:10Shirley? She's been saying stuff like
21:13that for a while now, like how you're
21:15always homework, but hardly making any
21:18money. Simon listed his excuses, never
21:21dreaming that I had been eavesdropping
21:23on them. Yeah, it's just exhausting for
21:27me to have to listen to her complain
21:29every time she comes over, you know,
21:31being told the same thing over and over.
21:34He paused his words there and glanced at
21:36my face to gauge my reaction. I said
21:39nothing and just stared back at him. So,
21:42I have thought that maybe things would
21:45be easier if we split up. Yeah, I've
21:47thought about it. The depths of my chest
21:50made a grinding sound and achd. It was
21:53an answer I had prepared myself for, but
21:56hearing it directly still came as a
21:57shock to my husband. Our marriage was
22:00not something to be protected, but
22:03rather something that had become a
22:04nuisance. What would become easier? I
22:07suppressed my emotions and asked in the
22:09flattest voice possible. Well, you know,
22:13I wouldn't have to argue with my mom and
22:15I wouldn't be caught in the middle. I
22:18couldn't help but let out a dry laugh. H
22:22what's so funny? Simon raised his voice,
22:25sounding slightly irritated. I'm sorry.
22:28It's just funny. I just realized that
22:30the solution to your mother. Hating me
22:33isn't protecting me. It's divorcing me.
22:36At my words, Simon's face quickly turned
22:39bright red. It was the expression of a
22:42man who had been hit right where it
22:44hurts. That's not what I meant. I've
22:47never said anything bad about you, but
22:51you've never defended me either. My mom
22:53doesn't mean any harm by it. She's just
22:57worried. There were those words again.
23:00She doesn't mean any harm. She's just
23:04worried because we're family. Simon
23:08always used those words as a shield to
23:10force me to endure everything. He
23:13sacrificed me to avoid the hassle of
23:16dealing with his mother all to preserve
23:17his own peace. Then explain to me what
23:21you actually meant. When I quietly
23:23pressed him, Simon ultimately couldn't
23:26say anything. From the very beginning,
23:29he never possessed any compassion or
23:32sense of responsibility toward me. I
23:35finally stood up and picked up my empty
23:37glass. Hey, Natalie, come on. Cheer up.
23:42You know, I don't actually want a
23:44divorce, Simon called out in a panic.
23:47But my heart had already frozen.
23:50Completely over. If you don't actually
23:52mean it, then I wish you wouldn't think
23:55about it so lightly. I left him with
23:57just those words and took my glass to
23:59the kitchen. I turned on the faucet and
24:02slowly washed the glass with a sponge.
24:05The sound of the running water felt
24:08terribly grating to my ears. After
24:10drying my hands, I headed to the bedroom
24:13and pulled out a spare blanket and
24:14pillow. What are you doing? Simon peeked
24:19in from the living room and spoke in a
24:21puzzled voice. I'm sleeping in the
24:24office tonight. I want to think by
24:26myself for a bit. I answered without
24:30looking at my husband's face and headed
24:32toward the small spare room. Simon
24:35started to say something. But once I
24:37closed the door, he didn't follow me any
24:40further. Spreading the blanket on the
24:42floor of my home office, I took the
24:45brown envelope out of my bag. I turned
24:48off the room's light and confirmed the
24:50texture of the envelope in the dimness.
24:52Written inside was the absurd figure of
24:55$1 billion.
24:57Until a few hours ago, I had been
24:59dreaming of the kind of life Simon and I
25:02would live with this money. But it was
25:04different now. It felt like the only
25:06weapon I had to protect myself from the
25:08people who looked down on me and would
25:10so easily cast me aside. I wrapped
25:13myself in the blanket and closed my eyes
25:16on the cold floor. It was the first
25:18night a clear boundary had been drawn
25:21between me and the husband I had shared
25:23a bed with for years. Today I learned my
25:26husband's true colors. Starting
25:28tomorrow, I must stand on my own two
25:31feet instead of relying on him. I
25:34remembered attorney Thomas's words that
25:36the legal procedures would take many
25:38months. I still had time. How would I
25:42face and manage the reality of $1
25:44billion?
25:46And how would I settle things with this
25:48twisted family? In the darkness, I
25:51quietly made my resolve. The next
25:55morning, I woke up on the hard floor of
25:57my office. sleeping with just one thin
26:00blanket made my back and shoulders ache
26:02terribly. Despite that, my mind was
26:06strangely calm. When I went to the
26:08living room, Simon was already awake and
26:11tying his tie with a sour look on his
26:13face. Morning. When I spoke, he shot a
26:18glanced my way and scoffed. Are you
26:21seriously telling me you slept in there?
26:23Yes, just like I said I would. Simon
26:26scratched his head in annoyance and
26:29demanded coffee like he always did. I
26:32headed to the kitchen to boil water
26:34without saying a word. Any faint hope
26:37that he might be reflecting on last.
26:39Knight's conversation completely
26:41vanished to him. My actions didn't look
26:44like the valid protests of a wife, but
26:47merely baseless, selfish tantrums. When
26:50I placed the mug of coffee on the table,
26:53Simon took it with one hand while
26:54looking at his phone. I'm busy again
26:58today. You don't have to commute, so you
27:00can just sleep in later. Simon threw
27:04those words at me without a hint of
27:05guilt. Grabbed his briefcase and headed
27:09for the front door. Have a good day. The
27:12sound of the door closing echoed without
27:15any response to my send off because I
27:18don't commute. I must have a lot of free
27:20time. That was the unvarnished
27:23assessment my husband held of me. After
27:26cleaning up breakfast, I returned to my
27:28office and turned on my laptop.
27:32Displayed on the screen was bookkeeping
27:33data filled with tiny numbers. My job
27:37involves handling outsourced accounting
27:38and administrative tasks for several
27:41small businesses. At the end of the
27:44month, it's not unusual for me to stare
27:46at the screen until midnight processing
27:48invoices and checking expenses.
27:52It was certainly not the easy tinkering
27:54with spreadsheets that surely made it
27:56out to be. Even so, it was true that my
27:59income had dropped compared to when I
28:02was a corporate employee. A few years
28:04ago, we moved to this town when we got
28:07married. The reasons were Simon's job
28:10transfer from another state and his
28:12father's failing health. Simon begged
28:15me, saying his mother would be anxious
28:18alone. So, I quit the company I had been
28:20working for. Finding a full-time
28:23corporate job in an unfamiliar town was
28:25difficult. So, I started this work from
28:28home job hoping it would help with our
28:30finances. It was a path I chose. myself,
28:34offering no commute and the flexibility
28:36to check on my in-laws. Therefore, I
28:39didn't regret the drop in income itself.
28:41But the sacrifices I willingly made for
28:44my family and being called useless were
28:46two entirely different issues. Simon and
28:50Shirley conveniently forgot the fact
28:52that I gave up my career for them. They
28:55only looked at the superficial results
28:57that my income was low and I was home
29:00and looked down on me for it. I slammed
29:03the keyboard hard while moving the
29:05mouse. Every time I inputed a number, my
29:08past choices felt incredibly pathetic.
29:12Don't make waves. Avoid conflict. The
29:14result of me constantly yielding was my
29:17current treatment. In the afternoon,
29:19when I reached a stopping point in my
29:22work, I took the brown envelope out of
29:24my bag. I untied the string sealing it
29:28and stared once more at the estate
29:29inventory. inside the number written
29:33next to the total value. Approximately
29:35$1 billion.
29:37No matter how many times I looked at it,
29:40it felt unreal, like nothing more than
29:42ink on a page. What would have happened
29:44if I had shown this paper to Simon last
29:46night? He definitely never would have
29:49said, "Actually, I was thinking about
29:51divorcing you." He might have changed
29:55his attitude entirely and pretended to
29:56treat me like royalty, but that wouldn't
30:00have been because he respected me. He
30:02would have just been sucking up to the
30:04money. What meaning could there possibly
30:07be in that kind of love or respect?
30:10Besides, Attorney Thomas's words were
30:12also bothering me. It is not all in
30:16cash. The legal procedures will take
30:18many months. I myself didn't fully
30:22understand this estate. the vast
30:24majority of which consisted of private
30:26stock and real estate. What would happen
30:29if I just handed over a story about a
30:32massive amount of money I barely
30:33understood to my husband? Simon, who
30:36believed he knew how the world worked
30:38better than I did, would undoubtedly
30:40insist. I'll manage it for you. I
30:44carefully folded the inventory and put
30:46it back inside the envelope. I wouldn't
30:49tell Simon today either. I quietly made
30:52my decision. I needed to understand the
30:56true meaning of this money and the power
30:57it brought for myself first. To do that,
31:01I needed to hear a more detailed
31:03explanation from the experts.
31:06Simon came home just after 8:00 p.m. I'm
31:09home. Look, I bought cake from the
31:13bakery near the station. In Simon's hand
31:16as he walked into the living room was a
31:18small box from a pastry shop. It was
31:21obvious he was trying to get back on. My
31:24good side. He thought one piece of cake
31:26would erase his comment about
31:28considering divorce from last night.
31:31Thank you. I'll put it in the fridge.
31:34When I accepted it cooly, Simon looked a
31:36bit let down. He probably expected me to
31:40be overjoyed and immediately forgive
31:42him. Hey Natalie, about yesterday. Simon
31:46started to make excuses while loosening
31:48his tie. My mom didn't mean any harm and
31:52I really have no intention of actually
31:53leaving you. So, please don't worry too
31:58much about it. I closed the refrigerator
32:00door and slowly turned to look at my
32:03husband. Yeah, I'm not worried about it.
32:06It wasn't a lie. I was already past the
32:10stage of being hurt by Simon's words. No
32:13matter how many shallow words he strung
32:16together, nothing resonated in my heart
32:18anymore.
32:19Oh, good. Simon smiled in relief and
32:23pllopped down heavily onto the sofa.
32:25Looking down at him, I quietly whispered
32:28in my heart. I wonder which one of us
32:31is. Actually, the useless one. That
32:34night, too, I kept the brown envelope
32:37buried at the bottom of my bag. On the
32:40surface, it looked like we had returned
32:42to being our usual married selves. But a
32:45definitive change had occurred inside
32:47me. Tomorrow, I will go to Attorney
32:49Thomas's office one more time, just to
32:52know exactly how much power I am about
32:55to hold. I returned to my office and
32:58quietly closed my eyes on the blanket I
33:00had laid out on the floor. The next
33:02afternoon, I visited attorney Thomas'
33:06law firm in Manhattan again. The day
33:08before, my head had been so full of the
33:11sheer size of the amount that I hardly
33:13understood the detailed explanations.
33:16In the conference room, not only
33:18attorney Thomas, but also a male tax
33:21accountant handling my uncle's company
33:23were present. I apologize for taking up
33:26your time so suddenly. When I bowed my
33:29head, the two men responded with gentle
33:32smiles.
33:34Not at all. In fact, your proactive
33:37attitude to fully grasp the situation is
33:40wonderful. Spread out on the table was a
33:42stack of documents, even more detailed
33:45than yesterday's. The tax accountant
33:48began to slowly explain each item one by
33:51one. The $1 billion figure was
33:53absolutely not. Cash that I could freely
33:56use starting tomorrow. A particularly
33:59large percentage of it was the stock of
34:01the logistics company my uncle had
34:03nurtured for years. The current
34:05executives will take over the day-to-day
34:07operations as the president. However, we
34:11will be asking you, Natalie, to make the
34:13ultimate decisions as the primary
34:15shareholder. You don't need to
34:17micromanage the business, but it means
34:20you hold the right and responsibility to
34:22determine the company's direction.
34:25Hearing that explanation made me sit up
34:27straighter. Furthermore, the commercial
34:29real estate properties in Manhattan and
34:31Boston each had existing loans and
34:34tenant leases. I was told there was a
34:36mountain of issues to consider, such as
34:39renovation plans for older buildings and
34:41handling tenant evictions.
34:44Just finalizing the assessed value of
34:46each asset was a massive undertaking.
34:49From there, we had to calculate the
34:51enormous estate taxes and decide which
34:54assets to use to pay them, including
34:57administrative procedures like
34:59transferring deeds. It was a journey
35:01that would take many months to complete.
35:03What lay before me was not a dreamlike
35:05pile of cash, but a complex bundle of
35:08rights tied to the real world. This is
35:11much easier to understand than just
35:13being told I have $1 billion starting
35:15tomorrow. When I shared my honest
35:18impression, attorney Thomas nodded
35:20deeply. Your instinct is correct. This
35:24is not just money. It is the very
35:27responsibility your uncle left behind.
35:30Responsibility.
35:31Hearing that word, I felt a weight drop
35:33from my chest. My uncle didn't just hand
35:37me a winning lottery ticket. If it were
35:39just magically acquired money, I
35:42wouldn't know how to handle it and would
35:43have been crushed by it. But if I faced
35:47them as real world challenges, I could
35:48make progress by consulting experts one
35:51by one. I spent nearly two hours
35:54listening to the explanations,
35:56asking questions about terms I didn't
35:58understand until I was satisfied. By the
36:02time I left the office, my legs were no
36:04longer trembling like they had been.
36:06Yesterday, that night, Simon came home
36:09just past 8:00 p.m. as usual. He ate the
36:13meatloaf I made from ground beef I
36:15bought on sale without complaining, as
36:17if to smooth over the tense atmosphere
36:20from the night before. He told funny
36:22stories about what happened at work
36:24today. While watching TV, Simon
36:27occasionally looked at my face and
36:29smiled as if just remembering to do so.
36:32Today's meatloaf is even better than
36:35usual. He genuinely thought I would
36:38easily be won over by such casual
36:41compliments. The old me would have felt
36:43secure in that superficial kindness and
36:46entrusted everything to him. He hasn't
36:48noticed at all how deeply hurt I am or
36:51with what cold eyes I'm now looking at
36:53this house. He thinks he earns more and
36:57knows more about the world. Therefore,
36:59he is completely convinced that as his
37:02wife, I ultimately have no choice but to
37:05follow him. The current me can clearly
37:08see that he is merely playing out a
37:09convenient piece for his own sake. After
37:13finishing the dishes and cleaning up
37:14dinner, I took the brown envelope out of
37:17my bag. There was no reason to hide it
37:20or hesitate any longer. Tonight, faced
37:24with this massive responsibility, I
37:26needed to see exactly what attitude my
37:28husband would take. That was my first
37:30decision. I sat down in front of Simon,
37:34who was laughing at the TV, and placed
37:36the envelope on the table. Simon, I need
37:39to talk to you for a minute. at my quiet
37:42voice. Simon reluctantly looked away
37:44from the screen. What is it? A
37:47continuation of yesterday. I already
37:51said I was sorry. That's not it. I
37:54untied the string on the envelope and
37:57pulled out several pages of documents.
38:00It's about my uncle's estate.
38:03Oh, right. He passed away. So, how much
38:07are you getting? Simon's tone was as
38:10casual as if I were getting a few
38:12hundred dollars of pocket money from a
38:14relative. Look at this. I pushed the
38:18first page of the estate inventory,
38:19which showed the full picture toward
38:22him. Simon, holding a glass of beer in
38:25one hand, lazily dropped his eyes to the
38:28document. At first, he was just skimming
38:31the text. However, the moment his eyes
38:35reached the total line at the very
38:36bottom, his movements unnaturally froze,
38:40he forgot to blink and stared intensely
38:42at that number. I could see the hand
38:45holding his glass trembling slightly.
38:48Hey, a few seconds later, Simon let out
38:52a horse voice. What is this? Aren't
38:56there two many zeros? I thought so at
38:59first, "Two?" I answered flatly with
39:02just the facts, intentionally keeping
39:05emotion out of it. Simon put his glass
39:08on the table and picked up the document
39:10with both hands. 1 10 100,000
39:15million. His action of counting the
39:18digits with his finger was the exact
39:19same thing I did at the law firm
39:21yesterday. 1 billion. When Simon read
39:25the number aloud, his voice cracked
39:28completely. You're kidding, right? Isn't
39:32this some kind of mistake? Attorney
39:35Thomas and the tax accountant calculated
39:37it. It's no mistake. But 1 billion, we
39:43could play around for the rest of our
39:44lives without working. His words were
39:46already oozing with raw, unfiltered
39:48greed. That's why I told you it's an
39:51estimate. It's mostly stock and real
39:53estate, so it doesn't just turn into
39:55cash immediately. Even so, it doesn't
39:58change the fact that there's this much
39:59in assets, right? Simon looked up from
40:02the document and stared a hole into my
40:04face. 1 billion. Are you inheriting all
40:07of this, Natalie? Yes. My uncle didn't
40:12have any children. Hearing those words,
40:14he left his mouth hanging open for a
40:17long time, unable to speak. There wasn't
40:20a single trace of his usual
40:22condescending composure in his eyes. All
40:25that was there was the pure shock and
40:28confusion of a human confronting a
40:29reality beyond his comprehension. Only
40:32the laughter from the reality show
40:34echoed emptily in the dead silent living
40:36room. I observed my husband's state
40:40calmly as if it were an event happening
40:41in a distant world. Just yesterday, this
40:46man had agreed with his mother when she
40:48called me useless. This was the man who
40:51scoffed at me even when I managed to
40:53earn a little extra. That husband was
40:56now completely speechless in front of
40:58the single piece of paper I had
41:00presented. How would his attitude change
41:02from here? And how distorted would his
41:05treatment of me become? This absurd
41:07number was bound to be a litmus test
41:10that exposed Simon's true character. I
41:12remained silent, quietly waiting for the
41:15next words my husband would utter. The
41:18morning after I showed him the document
41:20with the $1 billion figure, Simon's
41:22attitude had clearly changed. Usually,
41:26he wouldn't come out of the bedroom
41:28until I had finished preparing
41:30breakfast. But today, he was in the
41:33kitchen before I even woke up, awkwardly
41:35boiling water. Morning. I'll make the
41:39coffee this morning, Natalie. At this
41:41totally uncharacteristic display of
41:43consideration, I almost let out a sigh.
41:47Thank you. But I already have some iced
41:50tea chilled today. When I answered
41:53flatly, he let his eyes wander
41:55awkwardly. Oh. Oh, okay. Hey, don't push
42:00yourself. You can take a day off. You
42:02know, I know you can't just skip work,
42:06but maybe you don't need to work so hard
42:08on those little tasks anymore. His
42:11expectations for that money peaked
42:13through the edges of his words. Just
42:16yesterday, this was the husband who
42:18looked down on my job as tinkering with
42:21spreadsheets.
42:22Now, he was going so far as to suggest I
42:25didn't need to work at all. As I watched
42:28his back head out the door for work, I
42:30washed it down with a sip of cold iced
42:33tea. Is the power of money really enough
42:36to change a person's behavior so easily?
42:40During the day, I sat at my computer as
42:42usual and progressed through my
42:44outsourced accounting work. It might
42:46seem comical to continue doing tedious
42:49tasks when I might be getting $1
42:51billion.
42:52Even so, to me, it was precious money I
42:56had earned myself. I had no intention of
42:59relying on the power of someone else's
43:01money, my uncle's estate, and losing my
43:04own footing. In the evening, as I
43:07finished work and started prepping
43:09dinner, the doorbell rang. When I
43:12checked the monitor, Shirley was
43:14standing there. She was holding a fancy
43:16gift basket the likes of which I had
43:19never seen before. For a brief second, I
43:23considered pretending I wasn't home, but
43:25I quietly exhaled and opened the door.
43:28Oh, Natalie, I'm so sorry to bother you
43:31when you're busy. The moment I opened
43:34the door, surely called out to me with a
43:36massive smile on her face, she had done
43:40her makeup more carefully than usual and
43:42was wearing a nice blouse. What
43:45surprised me most was how she addressed
43:47me. Natalie, she never used such a
43:51polite, friendly tone with me before. It
43:54was always you or snapping my name. It's
43:57fine. Right here at the door is okay.
44:00This is a gift basket from an
44:02acquaintance. But you like fruit and
44:04cheese, right? Natalie surely held out.
44:08The heavy basket to me wrapped in the
44:10premium packaging of a high-end luxury
44:13grocery store. It clearly wasn't a
44:15regift. It was obvious she had gone out
44:18of her way to buy it at a boutique just
44:20to get on my good side. Thank you very
44:24much. But I couldn't possibly accept
44:26something so expensive. No. No, don't be
44:32silly. We're family. Shirley practically
44:35grabbed my hand and aggressively pushed
44:37the basket onto me. Simon must have
44:40definitely called his mother about the
44:42inheritance last night. Well, then I'll
44:45make some iced tea, so please come into
44:48the living room. I let Shirley inside
44:51and headed for the kitchen. While
44:54preparing the tea, I could hear
44:56Shirley's sickeningly sweet voice from
44:57behind. me. This apartment is a bit
45:01cramped after all, isn't it? Wouldn't it
45:04be nice to move into a highsecurity
45:06luxury condo? Hearing that, I almost let
45:09out a dry laugh. When I placed the glass
45:13of iced tea on the table, surely took an
45:16exaggerated sip. It must be so
45:19overwhelming being suddenly entrusted
45:21with such a huge sum of money. Cutting
45:24right to the chase, Shirley's eyes
45:26practically gleamed with greed, I
45:29intentionally kept my expression neutral
45:31and answered in a calm tone. We are
45:35still in the middle of the legal
45:36procedures. It's mostly real estate and
45:40company stock, so there's hardly any
45:41cash. Attorney Thomas also told me that
45:45a lot of it will be taken out for estate
45:47taxes. When I said that to keep her in
45:51check, Shirley frowned slightly.
45:53However, she quickly regained her fake
45:57gentle smile. Even so, what's left is
46:00still yours, right? But it's impossible
46:04for you to handle something so difficult
46:05all by yourself, Natalie. You should
46:08just leave it to Simon. That sentence
46:10came out so naturally that it surprised
46:13me. Leave what to him? When I asked her
46:16intentionally, surely stated it like it
46:19was the most obvious thing in the world.
46:22the management of course. Men are just
46:26more knowledgeable about those sorts of
46:27things. Right at that moment, I heard
46:31the front door open and Simon came home.
46:34It was only 6:30
46:36p.m. His returning home so much earlier
46:39than usual was proof that he knew his
46:42mother was coming over. I'm home. Oh,
46:46mom, you're here. As Simon walked into
46:49the living room acting completely
46:51oblivious, Shirley immediately spoke to
46:53him. I was just saying that you should
46:55be the one to manage the estate. Simon
46:58waved. Both his hands in a panic and
47:01shot a glance in my direction. Mom, stop
47:04it. We aren't at that stage yet. He made
47:08it look like he was defending me, but he
47:11wasn't denying his mother's actual
47:13proposal. I said nothing and quietly
47:15watched the farcicle play unfolding
47:18between the two of them. After Shirley
47:20went home, only Simon and I remained in
47:23the living room. The extravagant gift
47:26basket still sat on the table. Sorry my
47:30mom came over so suddenly. Simon spoke
47:33in an apologetic voice while taking off
47:35his tie. Yeah, this gift basket must
47:39have been really expensive, huh? As I
47:43stood up to put the basket away, Simon
47:46suddenly put on a serious face, but you
47:49know what my mom was saying earlier. I
47:52don't think she's entirely wrong. I
47:54stopped moving and turned to look into
47:56my husband's eyes about what I actually
48:00think it would be better if we figured
48:03this out together. Like asset management
48:05and tax strategies.
48:07Simon's eyes didn't reflect a husband's
48:10sense of responsibility, but rather an
48:12obsession with the wealth. You've never
48:16moved around such a massive amount of
48:17money before, Natalie. I was thinking I
48:21could act as the point of contact. I
48:23stared closely at the face of the man
48:26standing in front of me. It was only 2
48:29days ago. He was told by his mother,
48:32"You need to hurry up and divorce that
48:34useless woman." at that time. He didn't
48:38defend me but simply answered, "I'm not
48:40thinking about it right now." And today,
48:44the moment he learned the number $1
48:45billion, I suddenly became someone so
48:49important that I couldn't possibly
48:50manage things on my own. Thank you. I
48:54completely suppressed the cold disdain
48:55in my heart and answered, "But I have
48:57attorney Thomas and the tax accountant,
48:59so I'll be fine. I need to listen to
49:03their explanations and understand it
49:04properly myself first. When I flatly
49:08refused, a flash of dissatisfaction
49:10crossed Simon's face for a split.
49:13Second, oh, I see. Well, if you need
49:17anything, don't hesitate to ask. We're a
49:21married couple, so don't try to shoulder
49:23it all by yourself. I didn't answer, but
49:27instead carried the gift basket into the
49:28kitchen. Feeling my husband's gaze,
49:32piercing my back, I quietly let out a
49:34breath. In this house, my own worth
49:37never mattered to them from the very
49:39beginning. The first weekend arrived
49:41since I showed him the inventory with
49:44the $1 billion figure. On a normal
49:47Saturday, Simon wouldn't come out of the
49:49bedroom until close to noon. But that
49:52day, he was up past 8:00 a.m. sitting
49:55cheerfully on the living room sofa. He
49:58held his phone in his hand eagerly
50:01scrolling through the screen. When I
50:03finished hanging up the laundry and
50:05returned to the living room, Simon
50:07raised his voice happily. Natalie, come
50:10check this out. He turned the screen
50:12toward me. Displayed on it was an ad for
50:16a newly built luxury penthouse condo
50:18downtown. Even the biggest penthouse is
50:22only about $2 million
50:24compared to $1 billion. That's just
50:26pocket change. Simon's words were
50:29already heated, acting as if the money
50:31were already in his hands. You remember
50:35what attorney Thomas said, right? I
50:37replied with a slightly cold voice. The
50:41cash is only a tiny fraction. The vast
50:43majority is the company and real estate.
50:47We can't just easily conjure up millions
50:49of dollars in cash. I know that. But
50:53once the procedures are done, we'll be
50:55able to move some of it around, right?
50:59Simon brushed off my words and dropped
51:01his eyes back to his phone screen. For
51:04now, we can probably go ahead and pay
51:06off the rest of the mortgage on this
51:09apartment. It was such a casual tone. It
51:13was as light as suggesting we put this
51:15month's leftover grocery budget into
51:17savings. We still have about $200,000
51:21left on the mortgage, right? Once we
51:24stop having to make monthly payments,
51:26I'll be able to use my salary a lot more
51:28freely. I quietly look down at my
51:32husband sitting on the sofa. He uses his
51:35own salary freely for himself and uses
51:38my inheritance to end our mortgage. That
51:41seemed to be his plan for the family.
51:44Also about my mom's house. Simon
51:47continued talking while swiping on his
51:50screen. Her house is getting pretty old,
51:53too. The stairs are steep and it's
51:57freezing in the winter, right? So, I was
52:01thinking maybe we could buy my mom a new
52:03condo, too. I doubted my own ears. This
52:08was Shirley, who had just recently
52:11called me useless through the front
52:12door. The person who laughed at the
52:16meager income one earned working from
52:17home and even told him to divorce me
52:20immediately, buying a new condo worth
52:23hundreds of thousands of dollars for
52:25that person. The proposal was so
52:27disconnected from reality that I lost my
52:30words. If it's a highsecurity building,
52:33we'll feel a lot better too, right?
52:37Simon had a smug look on his face as if
52:39to say how brilliant his idea was. Hey,
52:43Simon. I made an effort to keep my voice
52:46calm as I asked my husband. Whose money
52:48are you planning to buy this with? Simon
52:51looked up from his phone with a puzzled
52:53expression. It was a look that showed he
52:56completely failed to understand the
52:58intent of my question. With the
53:00inherited money, obviously with the
53:03money I inherited. When I confirmed it
53:06once more, Simon furrowed his brows,
53:09looking slightly annoyed. We're married,
53:12so we should just discuss it and decide
53:14together. Do you mean as shared marital
53:17assets? Obviously,
53:20we're married. Your assets are the
53:23family's assets. Simon declared this
53:26proudly without a hint of shame. I felt
53:30a cold fire ignite deep in my chest.
53:33When I quit my corporate job and started
53:36working from home, making less money,
53:38Simon never tried to hide his I'm
53:41providing for you attitude. Even when I
53:43was up late working on spreadsheets, all
53:46the household chores were entirely my
53:49responsibility.
53:50When his mother called me useless, he
53:52didn't defend me by saying, "Because
53:55we're family. My small income was
53:57treated as my own personal incompetence,
54:00and I was looked down upon for it.
54:03And yet the moment he found out I was
54:06inheriting $1 billion, it suddenly
54:08became the family's assets in his mind.
54:12The word marriage was only utilized when
54:14it was convenient for him. Not a single
54:17title transfer has even been completed
54:19yet. I suppressed my emotions and
54:22presented only the facts. We don't even
54:25know exactly how much the estate taxes
54:28will be. There is absolutely no way we
54:30can talk about buying a condo right now.
54:34That's why I'm talking about our future
54:36plans. I don't want to count our
54:39chickens before they hatch. Please don't
54:42talk about how to spend the money until
54:44the experts finish their calculations.
54:47When I flatly refused, Simon clicked his
54:50tongue in dissatisfaction.
54:52What's your problem? I'm just trying to
54:56think about our family's future. Simon
54:58tossed his phone onto the table and
55:01leaned deep into the sofa. You've always
55:04been like that trying to end the
55:06conversation right away, Natalie. Just
55:09because you're getting some big money,
55:11don't think you can suddenly act all
55:13high and mighty. I wasn't acting high
55:16and mighty. I was just stating the
55:19obvious facts. The inheritance was left
55:22by my uncle. It did not belong to Simon
55:25or Shirley. That afternoon, I was alone
55:28in my office, rereading the documents
55:30attorney Thomas had given me the
55:33company's financial statements and
55:35copies of real estate deeds. There was a
55:38lot of difficult technical jargon, and
55:41as a layman, I couldn't understand even
55:43half of it. Still, I used a highlighter
55:46and tried my best to decode it little by
55:49little. The logistics company my uncle
55:52built has dozens of employees. I
55:54couldn't just easily sell the stock
55:57which the livelihoods of those people
55:59depended on just to buy a condo. If I
56:03didn't fully understand it myself, I
56:04would be swallowed whole by Simon and
56:07Shirley's greed. In the evening, when I
56:10went to the living room to get some tea,
56:13Simon was still looking at his phone on
56:14the sofa. As I opened the refrigerator,
56:17I heard Simon's voice from behind me.
56:20Hey, Natalie. You remember how I told
56:23you about grabbing drinks with my
56:25college buddies the other day? Several
56:28of Simon's friends had started their own
56:31companies or businesses.
56:33Yeah, I heard a little bit about it. One
56:36of them is apparently expanding his
56:38business soon. He's looking for
56:40investors. I closed the refrigerator
56:44door and slowly turned to look at my
56:46husband. First the mortgage, then a
56:49condo, and now investing in a friend's
56:51startup in Simon's head. The money I
56:55inherited was being treated as if it
56:57were already sitting in his own wallet.
57:00His business model actually looks like
57:02it has a lot of potential. Simon's eyes
57:06sparkled and he began talking like a
57:08seasoned executive. Putting it into
57:11investments will grow the assets way
57:13better than just letting it sleep in a
57:15bank. If I get in on it as an investor,
57:18they might even bring me on as a board
57:21member. I felt like I was staring into
57:23the bottomless swamp of my husband's
57:26shallow greed. He wanted to buy a condo
57:28to win favor with his mother and he
57:31wanted to invest to gain superiority
57:33among his friends. He was trying to use
57:36my inheritance to acquire status and
57:38power for himself. And he was doing it
57:42entirely unconsciously without any
57:44malice. What my husband sought from me
57:48was not a relationship as an equal
57:49partner. It was merely the role of a
57:53convenient cash cow to make himself look
57:54bigger. Simon, I called my husband's
57:59name quietly but with a firm voice. I
58:02believe I said we are not discussing
58:05moving a single scent yet. At my cold
58:07voice, Simon looked slightly taken aback
58:10for a moment. Even so, he showed no
58:14intention of bending his stance. That's
58:16why I'm saying it's important to make
58:17plans early on. His absolute superiority
58:22complex of the husband guides the wife
58:24wouldn't crumble so easily. To correct
58:26this arrogant misunderstanding at its
58:28root, I needed to draw an even clearer
58:31boundary. My next move had to be shown
58:33not with words, but with concrete
58:36actions. I broke eye contact with my
58:39husband and walked back to my room
58:40without saying another word. After I
58:44firmly rejected Simon's proposals, the
58:46atmosphere in the house slowly began to
58:48change. Simon became blatantly sulky and
58:52started giving me the cold shoulder. The
58:55old me would have panicked, apologized
58:58immediately and agreed with whatever he
59:00said. But it's different now rather than
59:04walking on eggshells around him. I had a
59:06mountain of things I actually needed to
59:09do. On Wednesday, I visited attorney
59:12Thomas's law firm in the city again.
59:15This time, it was a meeting that
59:17included not only the tax accountant,
59:18but also an executive from the logistics
59:21company my uncle ran. It's a pleasure to
59:25meet you. I am Mr. Miller, the managing
59:28director. The seriousl looking man with
59:31graying hair bowed deeply to me. Your
59:34late uncle did so much for me when the
59:36company was struggling. I am so relieved
59:39to hear that you will be taking over the
59:41shares as his successor Natalie. I felt
59:44a bit nervous as I returned the
59:47greeting. I am still studying the
59:49technical aspects, but I want to cherish
59:51the company my uncle left behind. During
59:55the meeting, I received explanations
59:57about the company's performance and
59:59management policies. I made sure to ask
1:00:02questions right then and there about any
1:00:05technical terms I didn't understand.
1:00:07Excuse me, but this depreciation expense
1:00:10is different from the actual movement of
1:00:12cash. Correct? When I asked, Mr. Miller
1:00:16nodded happily. That is exactly right.
1:00:19It is an accounting expense that does
1:00:22not involve actual cash outflow. You
1:00:25really have a solid understanding of the
1:00:28basics of numbers, Natalie. Even knowing
1:00:30it was partly flattery, I felt a little
1:00:34proud. The bookkeeping work I had
1:00:36continued doing at home was definitely
1:00:38not a waste. It was the work that
1:00:41Shirley and Simon had mocked. But here,
1:00:45my knowledge and attitude were being
1:00:46properly validated as an individual. I
1:00:50felt my dignity, which had shrunk so
1:00:52small deep in my chest, slowly breathing
1:00:55life again. After finishing the two-hour
1:00:58meeting, a pleasant fatigue washed over
1:01:00my body. Attorney Thomas saw me out as I
1:01:04left. Natalie, let's take this one step
1:01:07at a time without rushing. Yes, thank
1:01:10you very much. I looked straight ahead
1:01:14and left the office. I returned home and
1:01:18immediately started prepping dinner.
1:01:20Simon came home past 8:00 p.m. and we
1:01:22sat around the dinner table in silence
1:01:26with only the sound of the TV echoing.
1:01:28Simon occasionally shot probing glances
1:01:31at me. It happened after dinner when I
1:01:34was organizing the company documents I
1:01:36received today. So, did you go to the
1:01:41lawyer's place again? Simon stood up
1:01:43from the sofa and approached me, peering
1:01:46down at what I was holding. Yes, I also
1:01:49met with someone from the company. When
1:01:51I answered, Simon reached his hand out
1:01:53like it was his natural right. Let me
1:01:57see that for a second. What kind of
1:01:59financial statement is it? I'll check it
1:02:03over for you. I quickly hid the
1:02:05documents with my hand and shot a
1:02:07freezing glare at my husband. No, it
1:02:11contains confidential company
1:02:12information, so I can't just easily show
1:02:16it to anyone other than myself, the
1:02:17shareholder. At my explicit refusal,
1:02:21Simon stopped his outstretched hand, his
1:02:23face turning red. What? I'm your
1:02:27husband. Are you saying you're keeping
1:02:29secrets even though we're married? I
1:02:32carefully placed the documents into a
1:02:34file folder and replied quietly. I need
1:02:38to understand it first and hear the
1:02:39explanations from the experts.
1:02:42Then the judgment as a shareholder is
1:02:44something I will make myself. Simon
1:02:47clicked his tongue and scratched his
1:02:48hair in irritation. What the hell is
1:02:52that? I'm offering to help you just
1:02:55because you got some big money. Do you
1:02:58think you're suddenly so important? This
1:03:00is definitely weird. Lately, you haven't
1:03:04been listening to a word I say. Simon's
1:03:07words were filled with the frustration
1:03:09of not being able to control me. He
1:03:12didn't want me to get smarter. He was
1:03:14waiting for me to come crying to him
1:03:16without understanding anything. Keeping
1:03:18me under his control like that was
1:03:19exactly the type of marriage he desired.
1:03:23I'm just trying to fulfill my
1:03:24responsibilities.
1:03:26When I told him that flatly, Simon stood
1:03:29up silently and locked himself in the
1:03:31bedroom. Left alone in the living room.
1:03:35I quietly stroked the cover of the file
1:03:36folder. I only realized now how abnormal
1:03:41the time I spent suppressing myself to
1:03:42match him truly was. A few days later in
1:03:46the morning, my smartphone rang while I
1:03:48was in my office. When I looked at the
1:03:52screen, it was a call from attorney
1:03:53Thomas's law firm. Hello, this is
1:03:57Natalie. Natalie, I am so sorry to
1:04:00bother you while you are working. It's
1:04:02attorney Thomas. Attorney Thomas's voice
1:04:05was calm, but I could hear a hint of
1:04:08confusion mixed in. Is everything all
1:04:10right? Actually, there is one thing I
1:04:14would like to confirm with you. Attorney
1:04:16Thomas paused for a beat before quietly
1:04:19getting to the point. Just a moment ago,
1:04:22we received a call at our office from a
1:04:25woman named Shirley. I gasped. Shirley
1:04:28had called the law firm directly. My
1:04:32mother-in-law did. Yes. She identified
1:04:35herself as Simon's mother. I gripped the
1:04:39pen I was holding tightly, feeling a
1:04:40terrible sense of dread. And what was
1:04:44the nature of her business? She stated
1:04:46that since it involves her son's wife,
1:04:49she wanted the future financial status
1:04:51to be shared with her son as well. I
1:04:55felt my mind go completely blank. That
1:04:58essentially meant she was demanding a
1:05:00full report on how much I was inheriting
1:05:02and how I was spending it. Without a
1:05:05single word of consultation with me, she
1:05:07had gone behind my back and contacted my
1:05:10lawyer on her own. Of course, attorney
1:05:13Thomas continued immediately. We cannot
1:05:17provide any information to a third party
1:05:19whatsoever without your explicit
1:05:21consent. I firmly refuse her request on
1:05:24those grounds.
1:05:27However, I felt I should report this to
1:05:28you just to be safe. Natalie, thank you.
1:05:32I'm so glad you turned her away. I
1:05:35managed to squeeze my voice out. I will
1:05:38also speak to my mother-in-law and tell
1:05:39her not to overstep her bounds again.
1:05:43Understood. Please feel free to consult
1:05:45us anytime if anything comes up. After
1:05:49hanging up the phone, I couldn't move
1:05:51from that spot for a while. Before
1:05:53anger, a deep despair washed over me.
1:05:56The problem was how Shirley found out
1:05:59the contact information for the law
1:06:00firm. I had never once told Shirley the
1:06:04name of the law firm. The only person
1:06:06who knew was Simon. When I showed Simon
1:06:10the estate inventory the other day, I
1:06:12had left a business card with it. Simon
1:06:15had given his own mother the contact
1:06:17information. While acting high and
1:06:20mighty, telling me to leave it to him
1:06:22because we're married. behind my back.
1:06:24He conspired with his mother to control
1:06:26my assets. A mother who spat divorced
1:06:30that useless woman and a son who agreed
1:06:32with her by saying, "I'm not thinking
1:06:34about it right now." To them, I was
1:06:37never anything more than a convenient
1:06:39pawn. No matter how far I went, even
1:06:43with $1 billion in the picture, the
1:06:45rules of this house hadn't changed at
1:06:48all. the invisible rule that the wife
1:06:50must silently obey. Whatever the husband
1:06:53and mother-in-law say, I darkened my
1:06:55smartphone screen and stood up quietly.
1:06:59The time for staying quiet to avoid
1:07:01making waves was over. When Simon came
1:07:04home, I had to confront him clearly
1:07:06tonight. It was past 8:30 p.m. When I
1:07:09heard the sound of the front door
1:07:11opening, "I'm home." I didn't answer.
1:07:15Simon's carefree sounding voice.
1:07:18Normally, this is the time I would be
1:07:20reheating dinner in the kitchen to
1:07:22welcome him, but tonight I had
1:07:24absolutely no desire to play the
1:07:27submissive wife. I sat at the living
1:07:29room table and waited for him to walk
1:07:32in. Huh? Natalie, where's dinner? Simon
1:07:37walked into the living room and gave a
1:07:39puzzled look when he realized the
1:07:41kitchen was dark. Before we eat, there's
1:07:44something I want to ask you. What is it?
1:07:48So formal. I came home tired. So can we
1:07:52do this later? Did you give attorney
1:07:54Thomas's business card, too? Surely.
1:07:57When I cut him off and struck right at
1:07:59the core, the smug, carefree look
1:08:02completely vanished from Simon's face.
1:08:05It was the business card I had left with
1:08:07the estate inventory when I showed it to
1:08:09him the other day. I had been naive to
1:08:13think he would just hold on to it
1:08:14responsibly. As if trying to escape my
1:08:18sharp gaze, he looked away slightly. I
1:08:21gave it to her. But what about it? Why
1:08:24did you give it to her without saying a
1:08:26single word to me? Because my mom is
1:08:29worried, too. Simon shot back as if it
1:08:32were the most natural thing in the
1:08:34world. She heard you were getting all
1:08:36this money and she was worried you might
1:08:37get scammed by some bad people. It's
1:08:41completely normal to be worried as a
1:08:43family. I stared silently at my
1:08:46husband's face for a while. In his eyes,
1:08:49there was a selfish conviction that he
1:08:52had done the right thing. Does being
1:08:54worried give someone the right to make
1:08:57decisions for me? When I asked coldly,
1:09:00Simon raised his voice in irritation. No
1:09:04one ever said that. My mom isn't trying
1:09:06to decide anything. Yes, she is. Shirley
1:09:12called Attorney Thomas's office directly
1:09:14today. What? Simon's eyes went wide in
1:09:19surprise. It seemed he hadn't been
1:09:22informed that she actually made the
1:09:24call. Without even asking me, she
1:09:26demanded that my financial information
1:09:29be shared with you. Simon choked on his
1:09:32words for a brief second. His own mother
1:09:35had taken it upon herself to call my
1:09:37lawyer and try to extract my financial
1:09:40information. Objectively speaking, it
1:09:43was a clear overstepping of boundaries
1:09:45and highly inappropriate behavior. But a
1:09:48few seconds later, he found the magic
1:09:51words to defend his mother. My mom just
1:09:54wanted to make sure I had a good grasp
1:09:56of the situation, too. She didn't mean
1:09:59any harm.
1:10:00She didn't mean any harm. There were
1:10:03those words again. It was the convenient
1:10:06get out of jail free card that had bound
1:10:08me ever since we got married. When
1:10:11Shirley looked down on my job and
1:10:13laughed at me for tinkering with
1:10:15spreadsheets when she excessively
1:10:18meddled in our lives and constantly
1:10:19rewrote our weekend plans. Simon always
1:10:23said she doesn't mean any harm to
1:10:25justify his mother's rude behavior. Mom
1:10:29doesn't mean any harm. Mom is just
1:10:32worried because mom is family. Until
1:10:36now, desperate not to cause trouble. I
1:10:38had accepted those words. If I just
1:10:41bottled up my emotions and endured it a
1:10:43little, Simon would look relieved. That
1:10:47was how the peace in this house was
1:10:48maintained. But who exactly was that
1:10:52peace for? It was just him sacrificing
1:10:54me so he could avoid the hassle of
1:10:57dealing with his mother. If there's no
1:10:59malice, does that mean she can just call
1:11:02my lawyer without my consent? I'm
1:11:04telling you, it was just a poor choice
1:11:07of words. Don't get so hysterical over
1:11:10it. It's not an issue of how she phrased
1:11:13it. The problem is that she thinks she
1:11:16has the right to treat my assets like
1:11:18they're her own. When I refused to back
1:11:21down an inch and argued logically,
1:11:23Simon's face flushed red with anger.
1:11:26Whenever he was about to lose an
1:11:27argument, it was his bad habit to change
1:11:30the subject and yell. What the hell is
1:11:33with that tone? Just because you got
1:11:36some money, don't suddenly start playing
1:11:38the victim. I'm not playing the victim.
1:11:42I'm just stating the facts. No, you've
1:11:47been acting completely crazy lately,
1:11:49treating me and my mom like we're the
1:11:52enemy. Simon slammed the table hard and
1:11:55stood up, looking down at me. We are a
1:11:58married couple, so managing it together
1:12:00without keeping secrets is the normal
1:12:03thing to do. My mom only said that
1:12:05because she was thinking about our
1:12:06future. You've always looked at the
1:12:09warmth of our family with such a cynical
1:12:10attitude. That's why you still haven't
1:12:13fit into this house after all this time.
1:12:15As these words flew out of his mouth one
1:12:18after another, I moved entirely past
1:12:20anger. He was just weaponizing a
1:12:24patronizing version of family love to
1:12:26manipulate me into doing what he wanted.
1:12:29When I stayed quiet, Simon seemed to
1:12:32mistakenly believe he had won the
1:12:34argument. If you get it, then don't ever
1:12:37speak badly about my mom again. Call her
1:12:40tomorrow and apologize for making her
1:12:43misunderstand.
1:12:45I took a deep quiet breath and then I
1:12:48clearly realized it. Even if I inherited
1:12:51an absurd amount like $1 billion and
1:12:53even if I desperately tried to think for
1:12:55myself by talking to experts, the rules
1:12:58of this house had never changed. The
1:13:01husband is the most important and the
1:13:03mother-in-law is second. As the wife, I
1:13:07was merely an entity meant to silently
1:13:09obey them and serve the family. What was
1:13:12mine was theirs, and I had no right to
1:13:14choose or decide anything for myself. I
1:13:18had harbored a faint hope that having
1:13:20money might make them respect me as a
1:13:22human being. That hope was completely
1:13:25shattered. They didn't just want my
1:13:28money. They were trying to thoroughly
1:13:30trample on my own dignity to preserve
1:13:33their own superiority.
1:13:35What's wrong? Cat out your tongue. Do
1:13:38you understand now? Simon asked me from
1:13:41his high horse. I stood up quietly
1:13:44facing him now. The figure of my husband
1:13:46that used to look so large suddenly
1:13:49seemed incredibly small. There was no
1:13:52point in continuing this dialogue with
1:13:54this man any longer. I'm not
1:13:57apologizing.
1:13:58Huh? I haven't done anything wrong. So,
1:14:03I will absolutely never apologize to
1:14:05Shirley or to you. When I declared that
1:14:09firmly, Simon looked at me as if he were
1:14:11looking at something unbelievable.
1:14:14He probably never expected the wife who
1:14:16always did as she was told to actually
1:14:18rebel. You need to cut the crap. You're
1:14:22the one who needs to cut the crap. I
1:14:25left him with just those words and
1:14:27headed to my office from behind. Me? I
1:14:30could hear Simon's frustrated yelling,
1:14:32but I didn't look back. Never again.
1:14:36Would I bend myself for his excuse of
1:14:38she didn't mean any harm? I had to start
1:14:41preparing to end this house and this
1:14:43controlling relationship. The moment I
1:14:46closed the door in the dark room, I
1:14:48harbored a despair clearer than any I
1:14:50had ever felt before. It was a few days
1:14:53after that decisive argument. The air in
1:14:56the house was freezing and I only had
1:14:59the bare minimum conversations with
1:15:00Simon. He seemed to be waiting for me to
1:15:04apologize, but I was completely absorbed
1:15:06in my work and reviewing the estate
1:15:09inventory.
1:15:10On Friday of that week, I visited
1:15:13attorney Thomas' law firm again. It was
1:15:16to sign several confirmation documents
1:15:19regarding the private company shares.
1:15:21Sitting across from attorney Thomas in
1:15:23the conference room, I verified the
1:15:26contents of the documents one by one.
1:15:28You are studying very diligently,
1:15:31Natalie. No, there is still so much I
1:15:34don't understand. Everyone starts out
1:15:38that way. The important thing is your
1:15:40attitude of not leaving things you don't
1:15:43understand unresolved.
1:15:45Attorney Thomas smiled, took the
1:15:47documents, and closed the file. Then he
1:15:50walked over to a cabinet and took out a
1:15:53small wooden box. Actually, I have
1:15:56something your uncle asked me to hold on
1:15:58to for you, Natalie. Attorney Thomas
1:16:01opened the box, pulled out a white
1:16:04envelope, and handed it to me. Separate
1:16:07from the administrative will, this is a
1:16:10personal letter he left for you. A
1:16:12letter for me? Yes. He asked me to give
1:16:16it to you once I had conveyed the full
1:16:18scope of the estate and things had
1:16:20settled down. Written on the envelope I
1:16:23received was my name and my uncle's
1:16:25familiar bold handwriting. Feeling my
1:16:28chest grow warm, I bowed my head deeply
1:16:31and left the office. Not feeling like
1:16:34going straight home, I walked into a
1:16:36quiet coffee shop near the station. On a
1:16:39weekday afternoon, the shop had few
1:16:42customers and soft jazz was playing in
1:16:44the background. I ordered a hot tea and
1:16:48gently opened the seal of the envelope
1:16:50in a corner booth. Inside were three
1:16:53sheets of stationery. My uncle's
1:16:56slightly heavy-pressed handwriting was
1:16:57lined up densely across them. The moment
1:17:01I read the first sentence, I couldn't
1:17:03help but let out a small chuckle.
1:17:06Natalie, you have always said whatever
1:17:09is fine. Way too much. It was something
1:17:12my uncle had told me countless times
1:17:14since I was a child. It happened when I
1:17:18went to visit my uncle's house during
1:17:19summer vacation. Whether he asked what I
1:17:22wanted to eat or where I wanted to go, I
1:17:24always gauged the adults reactions and
1:17:26answered, "Anything is fine or if
1:17:28whatever is fine." It was so I could be
1:17:31a good low-maintenance kid who didn't
1:17:32trouble adults with my selfishness.
1:17:36But only my uncle would often furrow his
1:17:38brow when he saw me do that. Being able
1:17:42to accommodate others is your strong
1:17:43suit. The words in the letter continued
1:17:47as if replaying my uncle's warm voice,
1:17:50but if you keep accommodating everyone
1:17:52else, you'll eventually lose sight of
1:17:54what you actually chose for yourself.
1:17:57Reading that line, the smile vanished
1:17:59from my face. I felt as if he had looked
1:18:03right through my current situation
1:18:05because ever since I got married, I had
1:18:08become exactly the kind of person my
1:18:10uncle described. Not wanting to ruin
1:18:13Simon's mood and not wanting to make
1:18:15waves with Shirley, I swallowed my own
1:18:19opinions and constantly adapted to
1:18:21whatever the other person said. I quit
1:18:23my job and moved to this town, settling
1:18:26close to my in-laws. Even though I was
1:18:29hesitant, I accepted it because it was
1:18:31what Simon wanted. I had convinced
1:18:34myself that this was my strong suit to
1:18:37protect my family's peace. But in
1:18:40reality, I was just running away from
1:18:42conflict. As a result of constantly
1:18:45abandoning my right to choose, I had
1:18:48just become a convenient, useless tool.
1:18:51I took a sip of tea and moved my
1:18:54slightly teary eyes to the second page.
1:18:56written there were my uncle's thoughts
1:18:59on the estate I was inheriting leaving
1:19:01you this much money will likely surprise
1:19:04and confuse you the procedures for the
1:19:07company and real estate are complex and
1:19:10you might want to run away but money
1:19:12doesn't always make a person free if you
1:19:16don't have the habit of making decisions
1:19:17for yourself the larger the amount the
1:19:20more those around you will try to decide
1:19:23for you I gasped The faces of Simon and
1:19:27Shirley popped clearly into my mind. The
1:19:30moment they learned the figure of $1
1:19:31billion, they naturally tried to manage
1:19:35my assets. Buying a condo, paying off
1:19:38the mortgage, investing in a friend's
1:19:41business. If I hadn't said anything,
1:19:43they would have gladly tried to decide
1:19:46everything in my place because they
1:19:48looked down on my ability to make
1:19:50decisions and believed that them taking
1:19:52control was the right thing to do. Simon
1:19:55had said. I just wanted to make sure I
1:19:58had a good grasp of the situation, too.
1:20:00That wasn't consideration. It was panic
1:20:03over losing control. When you don't
1:20:07understand, asked the experts. On the
1:20:10final page of the letter, those words
1:20:11were written with slightly stronger pen
1:20:14pressure. Listening to other people's
1:20:17opinions is important, but you must not
1:20:20be swept away by them. Leaving something
1:20:24to someone and letting someone decide
1:20:25for you are two different things. Even
1:20:28so, in the end, make the choice
1:20:30yourself. You must take responsibility
1:20:33for your own life. Natalie, I believe
1:20:37you can do this. When I finished reading
1:20:39the final line, large drops of tears
1:20:42spilled from my eyes. I quickly grabbed
1:20:45a handkerchief and pressed it to my
1:20:48eyes, careful not to get the stationary
1:20:50wet. My uncle had been watching over me
1:20:52this whole time. He worried more than
1:20:55anyone about my habit of laughing things
1:20:57off and hiding my own opinions. That's
1:21:00exactly why he left me these most
1:21:03important words alongside this massive
1:21:04fortune. The time I spent as a yes man
1:21:08to Simon and surely wasn't a waste. It
1:21:11was the time I needed to learn their
1:21:13true colors. Holding the letter, I cried
1:21:16quietly for a while. They weren't tears
1:21:20of sadness. They were tears of relief,
1:21:23as if the invisible chains binding me
1:21:26were slowly melting away. I felt like I
1:21:29had been handed something much heavier
1:21:31than $1 billion. It was the resolve to
1:21:34stand on my own two feet and live by my
1:21:37own will. I will never say whatever is
1:21:40fine ever again. I won't surrender the
1:21:44right to decide my own life to anyone
1:21:45else. I wiped my tears. carefully folded
1:21:50the letter and put it back in the
1:21:51envelope. Then I tucked it safely into
1:21:55the bottom of my purse. When I stepped
1:21:58outside, the evening breeze brushed
1:22:00pleasantly against my cheeks. The 1
1:22:03billion figure, which had felt so heavy
1:22:06before, now looked like something else.
1:22:08It wasn't something to bind me, but a
1:22:12powerful shield for me to stand on my
1:22:13own feet. when I get home. Simon's sour
1:22:17face and intimidating words will be
1:22:19waiting for me again. But I wasn't
1:22:22scared anymore. I am just going to do
1:22:25what I have to do to take my own life
1:22:27back. My steps heading toward the
1:22:30station were much lighter and more
1:22:32certain than when I left attorney
1:22:33Thomas's office a few days ago. Ever.
1:22:37Since I read my uncle's letter that day,
1:22:39something inside me changed
1:22:41definitively.
1:22:43Simon's sour attitude and blatant silent
1:22:45treatment no longer disturbed my heart.
1:22:48The old me would have gotten anxious
1:22:50just from hearing him sigh and
1:22:52immediately second-guessed my own
1:22:54actions. But now I just felt his
1:22:58childish intimidation as background
1:22:59noise. It was mid July and the intense
1:23:03summer heat continued day after day. The
1:23:06procedures regarding my uncle's estate
1:23:09were moving forward little by little. I
1:23:12spent my days communicating with
1:23:14attorney Thomas and the others about
1:23:16evaluating the private stock and
1:23:17clarifying real estate rights. As the
1:23:21time I spent in my room staring at
1:23:22difficult documents increased, Simon
1:23:25seemed to be growing anxious. Realizing
1:23:28that I wouldn't fold under his hardline
1:23:31attitude, he changed his tactics one
1:23:33night. It was when I was drinking tea in
1:23:36the living room after cleaning up
1:23:37dinner. Natalie, you look pretty busy
1:23:40with all those estate procedures. Simon
1:23:43stood up from the sofa, sat in the seat
1:23:46across from me, and spoke in a soft
1:23:48voice. Yeah, but it's moving along
1:23:51little by little. I'm making progress
1:23:53while having the experts teach me. When
1:23:57I answered flatly, Simon flashed a
1:23:59gentle smile like an understanding
1:24:01husband. About that, I think I should be
1:24:05the point of contact after all. It was
1:24:08exactly as I predicted. Since his
1:24:11aggressive approach of using Shirley to
1:24:14corner me failed, he decided to play the
1:24:16role of the sweet husband next. You've
1:24:19always been bad at negotiations and
1:24:21stuff like that. Natalie, listening to
1:24:24complicated talk from tax accountants
1:24:26and lawyers must be exhausting. So, let
1:24:29me step in. The old me might have taken
1:24:31those words at face. Value. I would have
1:24:35believed he was a reliable husband
1:24:36offering to do the things I was bad at,
1:24:39said please do and chosen the easy way
1:24:42out by handing everything over. But the
1:24:45current me could clearly see that he was
1:24:47trying to steal my opportunity to think
1:24:50for myself. Thank you. But I'm going to
1:24:53do it myself. I put my glass on the
1:24:57table, looked him in the eye, and
1:24:58answered firmly. It's meaningless if I
1:25:02don't hear what the experts have to say
1:25:03directly. And this is my responsibility.
1:25:07At my explicit refusal, the manufactured
1:25:10kindness vanished from Simon's face.
1:25:13Why? I'm saying this to try and reduce
1:25:16your burden. Simon's tone gradually
1:25:19reverted to his usual intimidating one.
1:25:22It's not a burden. It's what I have to
1:25:25do. Look, there's no way someone like
1:25:29you who only does freelance bookkeeping
1:25:31at home can understand things like real
1:25:34estate valuations.
1:25:36Ultimately, his condescending view of me
1:25:38hadn't changed at all. To him, I had to
1:25:41remain the incompetent wife who couldn't
1:25:43understand how society works. I don't
1:25:47understand it. So, that's why I'm having
1:25:48it explained to me properly. And even
1:25:52then, I'm the one who will make the
1:25:54final decision. When I refused to back
1:25:57down an inch, Simon finally raised his
1:26:00voice. You need to cut the crap. His
1:26:04yelling echoed through the living room.
1:26:06He slammed the table and glared at me.
1:26:10We're married. Do you really trust me
1:26:12that little trust? Using that word as a
1:26:17weapon, he was trying to plant guilt in
1:26:19me. He was trying to corner me
1:26:22emotionally by making it seem like a
1:26:24wife who doubts her husband is in the
1:26:26wrong. I couldn't help but let out a
1:26:28small sigh. You have it backward. When I
1:26:32spoke quietly, Simon closed his mouth,
1:26:34caught off guard. Backward? What do you
1:26:39mean? Because I trusted you. I left too
1:26:42many decisions up to you until now. What
1:26:46the hell is that? That makes no sense.
1:26:49our weekend plans, where we live, our
1:26:53relationship with Shirley, how we spend
1:26:54our money. I voiced the facts. I had
1:26:58been turning a blind eye to one by one.
1:27:01If I said whatever is fine, you would
1:27:04happily decide for us. I thought
1:27:06avoiding conflict and yielding to you
1:27:09was what marital trust looked like. But
1:27:11I was wrong. I was just running away
1:27:15from choosing for myself and taking
1:27:16responsibility.
1:27:18Simon fell silent with a confused look,
1:27:21unable to grasp the true intent of my
1:27:23words. From now on, I want to separate
1:27:28trusting you from making my own
1:27:29decisions. You are my husband, but you
1:27:33do not have the right to make decisions
1:27:34about my assets for me. When I drew a
1:27:38clear boundary, the anger drained from
1:27:40Simon's face. What took its place was an
1:27:43incredibly flustered, clinging
1:27:45expression. Simon stumbled back to the
1:27:48sofa and collapsed heavily into it. Then
1:27:52he buried his face in his hands,
1:27:53hanging, his head low. His intense anger
1:27:57subsided, and an indescribable emptiness
1:27:59seemed to envelop him. Only the faint
1:28:02hum of the AC flowed through the living
1:28:04room. Without rushing him, I waited
1:28:07quietly for what he would say next. I
1:28:09felt that the root of his obsession was
1:28:12something else entirely, not just
1:28:14wanting the money.
1:28:16About 3 minutes of heavy silence passed.
1:28:19Eventually, Simon slowly lowered the
1:28:22hands covering his face. "I'm scared,"
1:28:26the voice that suddenly came. Out was
1:28:29incredibly weak and horse. Scared of
1:28:31what? When I asked, he stared at the
1:28:35floor and muttered softly. "If you have
1:28:38that kind of money," he cut off his
1:28:41words there and bit his lip tightly. It
1:28:44was a terrified expression. He had never
1:28:46shown me before. Simon had always
1:28:49believed he was superior because he
1:28:51earned more and knew how the real world
1:28:53worked. He had secretly used my low
1:28:57income as a source of comfort because a
1:29:00wife who couldn't support herself
1:29:02financially could never defy him. He was
1:29:04confident that he would never lose his
1:29:07place. Even if his mother called me
1:29:08useless, looking down on me allowed him
1:29:11to maintain absolute dominance and
1:29:14security in this house. But now I am
1:29:16about to inherit an absurd fortune of $1
1:29:20billion.
1:29:21I am speaking as an equal with experts
1:29:24and beginning to make decisions of my
1:29:25own valition. The economic power and
1:29:29superiority he used as a foundation to
1:29:31control me had completely reversed.
1:29:34Simon continued in a shaking small
1:29:37voice. I feel like you won't need me
1:29:39anymore. That single sentence dropped
1:29:42heavily into the silent living room. The
1:29:44true identity of the arrogant husband
1:29:47trying to manipulate me was just fear.
1:29:50The fear of no longer being needed. It
1:29:53was the pathetic true confession of a
1:29:55man who could only prove his own worth
1:29:58by looking down on someone weaker. I
1:30:00couldn't offer him words of sympathy or
1:30:03comfort him with sweet lies because the
1:30:05thing he feared was already becoming a
1:30:08reality. Now that I had completely
1:30:11rejected his control disguised as
1:30:14protection, there was nothing left to
1:30:15hold our marriage together. Those words
1:30:19tumbling out of Simon's mouth were
1:30:20completely unexpected. To me, I had
1:30:24begun to assume that what he really
1:30:25wanted was the $1 billion
1:30:28inheritance itself.
1:30:29to make his life easier, to look good
1:30:31for his mother, to gain superiority
1:30:34among his friends. I thought he just
1:30:36wanted to use me as a convenient funding
1:30:39source for all that. But it wasn't just
1:30:41that. Hearing his terrified, trembling
1:30:45voice, the scattered puzzle pieces in my
1:30:47mind finally connected. He had always
1:30:50been leaning on the fact that he was the
1:30:52primary bread winner, that he knew the
1:30:56harsh realities of the real world and
1:30:57that he was superior.
1:31:00Therefore, he held all the
1:31:02decision-making power. And as his wife,
1:31:05Natalie just silently followed along, he
1:31:08was completely comfortable in that
1:31:10hierarchical marriage. That was his
1:31:12identity, the entirety of his fragile
1:31:14pride. as a husband. By looking down on
1:31:18me, he maintained absolute dominance and
1:31:20found comfort in this house. But now I
1:31:24am about to inherit a staggering $1
1:31:26billion
1:31:27fortune. I am dealing with experts as an
1:31:30equal and beginning to initiate things
1:31:33on my own. The economic power and
1:31:36superiority he used to justify
1:31:37controlling me have been entirely
1:31:40flipped. He can no longer control me
1:31:42under the guise of looking down on and
1:31:45protecting a weaker being. That terror
1:31:47was the link to all of his bizarre
1:31:50behavior since the day he learned of the
1:31:511 billion dollar figure. I look down at
1:31:55my husband who sat motionless with his
1:31:57face buried in his hands. If I make my
1:32:00own choices, does that mean you won't be
1:32:01needed by me anymore? Simon. At my quiet
1:32:05question, Simon shook his head slightly
1:32:07without uncovering his face.
1:32:11No, but then why do you hate it when I
1:32:14decide things for myself? My husband
1:32:17couldn't answer. If he put his true
1:32:20feelings into words, he would be
1:32:22completely admitting to his own
1:32:24shallowess. It was the moment the four
1:32:27the family excuse he had always touted
1:32:29was exposed as a blatant lie. In the
1:32:33silent living room, I stared at my glass
1:32:35of iced tea, watching his pathetic
1:32:38display. A truth I had to admit about
1:32:40myself also floated to the surface.
1:32:43Simon's arrogance wasn't the only thing
1:32:45that created this twisted relationship.
1:32:47I think I was at fault, too. When I said
1:32:50that unexpectedly, Simon's head snapped
1:32:53up. He probably expected me to keep
1:32:56throwing accusations at him. He stared
1:32:59at me as if looking at something
1:33:01unbelievable. Whenever something
1:33:04unpleasant happened, I said, "It's fine.
1:33:06Way too much." I slowly looked back on
1:33:10the past few years of our marriage. When
1:33:12you were suddenly transferred, I really
1:33:15didn't want to quit my corporate job,
1:33:18but I convinced myself it was a wife's
1:33:20duty to support you in a new town, and I
1:33:22swallowed my own desires.
1:33:25Simon said nothing and listened silently
1:33:28to my words. When Shirley showed up
1:33:31unannounced and complained about the
1:33:33inside of our fridge and when she mocked
1:33:35my work from home job as tinkering with
1:33:37spreadsheets, I was actually so
1:33:40frustrated. I wanted to scream back at
1:33:42her. But I knew you'd be stuck in the
1:33:45middle and hate it. So I just smiled and
1:33:47let it go. The specific memories of my
1:33:51compromises spilled from my lips one by
1:33:53one. It was the same with our weekend
1:33:56plans. Even on days I wanted to rest if
1:33:59you told me to go shopping with. Surely
1:34:02I forced a smile and went along. When we
1:34:05were short on cash and I was doing
1:34:07bookkeeping until midnight, you never
1:34:09tried to reduce your own spending money.
1:34:13I hated arguing. I was terrified of
1:34:15making waves, so I just kept giving into
1:34:18you. Simon's eyes wavered slightly.
1:34:21Perhaps he finally realized that I
1:34:24wasn't just a brainless, obedient wife,
1:34:26but that I had been fully aware and
1:34:29enduring it all. I thought that was
1:34:31peace, I said quietly, as if
1:34:34reprimanding myself. If I killed my own
1:34:38opinions and propped you up, this house
1:34:40would run smoothly. I tried to convince
1:34:43myself that this was the smart way for a
1:34:45wife to live and that it meant
1:34:48protecting the family. That is exactly
1:34:50why. No matter how coldly surely treated
1:34:53me, my top priority was never making
1:34:55waves. But I was wrong. It wasn't
1:35:00peaceful. I was just slowly
1:35:01disappearing. Those words seemed to
1:35:05pierce straight through Simon's chest.
1:35:07The peace he sought was nothing but an
1:35:10illusion built on my self-rerasure. He
1:35:12could only feel secure by completely
1:35:15ignoring my feelings and dignity as an
1:35:17individual. and I too had abandoned
1:35:21thinking for myself, running away from
1:35:23responsibility by playing a supporting
1:35:26character in someone else's life. The
1:35:28conversation I heard at the front door
1:35:31that evening echoed in my ears once
1:35:33more. Shirley's words, "Hurry up and
1:35:36divorce that useless woman." My
1:35:39husband's voice, "I'm not thinking about
1:35:41it right now." He didn't refuse to
1:35:44defend me back then just because he was
1:35:47indecisive.
1:35:48It was because siding with his mother
1:35:50and continually looking down on me was
1:35:52the most comfortable position for him to
1:35:54be in. If that $1 billion
1:35:57hadn't suddenly appeared, I probably
1:35:59would have gone my whole life without
1:36:01realizing I was fading away. My uncle
1:36:04definitely saw right through that.
1:36:07That's exactly why he left me that
1:36:09letter. Money doesn't always make a
1:36:12person free. If you don't have the habit
1:36:15of making decisions for yourself, the
1:36:17larger the amount, the more those around
1:36:20you will try to decide for you. In the
1:36:22end, make the choice yourself. My
1:36:26uncle's words sank deeply into my heart
1:36:28once again. I no longer need a fake
1:36:32piece obtained by erasing myself, no
1:36:34matter how tedious or hurtful it gets. I
1:36:38want to stand on my own two feet and
1:36:39choose my own life. I clearly understood
1:36:43that this was what fulfilling the
1:36:44responsibility my uncle left me truly
1:36:47meant. Natalie, I Simon opened his mouth
1:36:51as if trying to gloss over things, but
1:36:55he probably knew better than anyone that
1:36:57would ever came out would only sound
1:36:59like an empty excuse. Ultimately, he
1:37:02swallowed his words and closed his mouth
1:37:05tightly once more. I didn't feel like
1:37:07pressing him any further. The anger and
1:37:11sadness had already completely passed.
1:37:14All that remained was a quiet
1:37:16resignation toward a relationship that
1:37:18was already over. What you wanted wasn't
1:37:21an equal wife to support you. You just
1:37:24wanted a convenient subject to rule
1:37:26over. Someone who would look up to you
1:37:28and silently obey whatever you decided.
1:37:32Simon said nothing. No, he couldn't say
1:37:35anything because I had completely seen
1:37:39through his ugliest weakness and shoved
1:37:40it in his face. No, no matter what
1:37:44logical arguments he tried to wield now,
1:37:46no matter how much he faked his family
1:37:49love, it would never reach my heart
1:37:50again. That fact plunged him into a deep
1:37:54silence. I picked up the glass from the
1:37:57table and headed to the kitchen. The
1:38:00presence of my husband I felt behind me
1:38:02was no longer the large
1:38:04intimidating force it once was. All that
1:38:07was there was a pathetic man who had
1:38:09lost his safe hiding place known as of a
1:38:11wife. Terrified by his own true
1:38:14reflection.
1:38:15Our marriage completely lost all meaning
1:38:17that night. I placed the glass in the
1:38:21kitchen sink and quietly let the water
1:38:22run. The sound of the flowing water felt
1:38:26like it was washing away the marriage we
1:38:27had built on lies. Starting tomorrow, I
1:38:30had to begin making concrete
1:38:32preparations for separation and divorce.
1:38:35The real battle to take back my life
1:38:37starts here. It was early August, 2
1:38:41weeks after that decisive argument. The
1:38:44air in the house was freezing and I
1:38:46barely spoke to Simon. He seemed to be
1:38:49waiting for me to apologize, but I was
1:38:52fully absorbed in my work and confirming
1:38:54the estate inventory. Between work
1:38:57sessions, I was secretly preparing to
1:38:59move out. Knowing the inheritance
1:39:02procedures would take time, I consulted
1:39:04with attorney Thomas and decided to rent
1:39:07a short-term apartment in the city. My
1:39:10current savings were more than enough to
1:39:12cover my immediate living expenses and
1:39:14the move. I hadn't touched a single
1:39:18scent of the $1 billion yet, but a solid
1:39:20confidence was already budding in my
1:39:23heart. On a Saturday afternoon, while
1:39:25Simon was lazily watching TV in the
1:39:28living room, I dragged my packed
1:39:30suitcase out of the bedroom. At the
1:39:32clattering sound of the wheels, Simon
1:39:35took his eyes off the TV. Hey, what is
1:39:38that? Are you going somewhere? As my
1:39:42husband stood up in surprise, I quietly
1:39:44placed a stack of legal papers on the
1:39:47living room table. These are the divorce
1:39:50settlement papers. I've already signed
1:39:53everything on my end, so you just need
1:39:55to sign them and submit them. Simon
1:39:58looked back and forth between the papers
1:40:00and me as if seeing something
1:40:03unbelievable.
1:40:04Are you seriously saying this? Yes, I'm
1:40:09serious. I'm going to be busy with the
1:40:11estate procedures and there's no point
1:40:14in me living in this house anymore. When
1:40:16I announced it flatly, Simon's face
1:40:19turned bright red and he yelled, "Don't
1:40:22be so selfish. I will never sign those
1:40:26papers. You don't have to. I'll just
1:40:29establish a record of separation and
1:40:31take it to mediation or court if I have
1:40:34to. Just because you got some money,
1:40:36don't get so cocky." Faced with my
1:40:40ruthlessly calm demeanor, Simon seemed
1:40:42to fall into a complete panic. Deep
1:40:46down, he still hadn't believed I would
1:40:48actually leave the house. Simon pulled
1:40:51out his phone and started making a call
1:40:53with trembling. Hands. Mom, it's me. You
1:40:59need to come over right now. Natalie
1:41:01saying she's moving out. I let out a
1:41:05small sigh. Right up until the very end,
1:41:08he couldn't solve anything without
1:41:10relying on his mother. Still, I figured
1:41:13it was a good opportunity to settle
1:41:16things directly with Shirley before I
1:41:17left. Less than 10. Minutes later, I
1:41:21heard the front door violently swing
1:41:23open. Natalie, what is the meaning of
1:41:27this? Shirley tumbled into the living
1:41:30room, her face pale without even taking
1:41:33her shoes off properly. Her eyes
1:41:35immediately locked onto my suitcase and
1:41:38the divorce papers sitting on the table.
1:41:40I heard from Simon on the phone. Are you
1:41:44seriously leaving the house? Yes, I've
1:41:47already made my decision. When I
1:41:50answered quietly, Shirley let out a
1:41:52half-crazed shriek. I won't allow such a
1:41:56thing. This was the same person who used
1:41:59to say divorce that useless woman right
1:42:02now. Now she was acting like a tragic
1:42:05heroine. Desperately trying to stop me.
1:42:08Marriage is about supporting each other
1:42:10through thick and thin. You don't just
1:42:13easily say divorce over a little
1:42:16misunderstanding.
1:42:18Are you planning to abandon Simon and
1:42:19me? Her blatant 180° turn made me feel a
1:42:24deep exhaustion rather than anger. what
1:42:27she meant by supporting was synonymous
1:42:29with not letting go of a daughter-in-law
1:42:32who held $1 billion.
1:42:34I let go of the handle of my suitcase
1:42:36and looked straight into Shirley's eyes.
1:42:40Shirley, what marriage is about
1:42:44supporting each other? Did you really
1:42:46believe that before I inherited the
1:42:49money? At my quiet question, Shirley's
1:42:52face twitched and froze. Well, of of
1:42:56course I did. We're family. That's
1:42:59funny. I finally voiced the words I had
1:43:03kept locked deep in my chest. I was
1:43:06useless just a little while ago, wasn't
1:43:09I? The moment she heard those words,
1:43:11Shirley gasped and Simon's face went
1:43:14pale. They both realized for the first
1:43:17time that I had heard their conversation
1:43:19at the front door that day. She's almost
1:43:2240 years old and all she does is tinker
1:43:26with spreadsheets at home. She doesn't
1:43:28have kids. She hardly brings any real
1:43:32money into the house. I repeated her
1:43:35words from that day verbatim. You said
1:43:38very clearly, "You need to hurry up and
1:43:40divorce that useless woman. Didn't you?"
1:43:44Shirley's mouth opened and closed like a
1:43:46goldfish. T that was just a figure of
1:43:50speech. I was a little irritated at the
1:43:52time. As my mother-in-law scrambled for
1:43:56excuses, I looked down at her coldly.
1:43:59Does the meaning of words change for $1
1:44:02billion? When I cut in sharply, surely
1:44:05was completely at a loss. Four words.
1:44:08Her face turned bright red as her eyes
1:44:10darted around her mouth moving
1:44:13desperately trying to find a comeback.
1:44:16It was the moment her malice was
1:44:18rendered completely powerless in the
1:44:20face of the reality of massive wealth.
1:44:22Don't screw with me. Are you going to
1:44:25abandon your family just because you got
1:44:27your hands on all that money? The bond
1:44:30of marriage isn't something you can buy.
1:44:32Do you know how much Simon has provided
1:44:34for you all this time? You ungrateful
1:44:37brat. Do you even have a human heart?
1:44:41Shirley's words became incoherent.
1:44:43Laying bare only her raw malice as she
1:44:45tried to hurt me. I didn't even feel
1:44:48like arguing back. I just stared at her
1:44:51with pity. It happened then. Mom, that's
1:44:55enough. Simon, who had been silent the
1:44:58whole time, finally opened his heavy
1:45:01mouth. I thought he was going to defend
1:45:04his mother again by saying, "She didn't
1:45:06mean any harm." It was the same old
1:45:09phrase. The catchphrase used to force me
1:45:12to endure things to avoid conflict. But
1:45:16this time, the words that followed were
1:45:18different. That's enough. Don't say
1:45:22anything else to Natalie. I opened my
1:45:24eyes slightly and stared at my husband.
1:45:28Simon didn't defend his mother. He
1:45:30clearly told her to stop attacking me.
1:45:34Shirley looked at her own son with eyes
1:45:35that couldn't believe what they were
1:45:37seeing. Simon, why on earth? We were the
1:45:42ones in the wrong so please just stop. A
1:45:47deep despair like he had given up on
1:45:50everything was etched into Simon's face.
1:45:53He stopped his mother's verbal abuse and
1:45:56for the first time drew a clear
1:45:57boundary. This was the husbandly figure
1:46:01I had wanted from him for the several
1:46:02years since we got married to step
1:46:06between his mother and me and protect me
1:46:08as a husband. But it was far too late.
1:46:11The love I had for him and our bond as a
1:46:13married couple had already grown
1:46:15completely cold and shattered into
1:46:17pieces. If I had heard these words at
1:46:19the front door that day, maybe the
1:46:22future would have changed a little.
1:46:24Thank you, Simon. I said it with genuine
1:46:28gratitude. That's the first time you've
1:46:30ever drawn a line between me and
1:46:33Shirley. Simon's face contorted and he
1:46:36looked back at me as if he were about to
1:46:38cry. I made sure to burn that face into
1:46:41my memory so I would remember the
1:46:43boundary he drew for me at the very end.
1:46:46But even so, I wouldn't use it as a
1:46:49reason to continue this twisted
1:46:50marriage. Goodbye. I left them with just
1:46:55those words and placed my apartment key
1:46:57on the table. I pulled my suitcase
1:47:00toward the door and no one chased after
1:47:02my back. When I opened the front door
1:47:06and stepped outside, the intense August
1:47:08sun and heat enveloped me. The hum of
1:47:10the summer heat felt almost deafening,
1:47:13but the sound of my suitcase wheels
1:47:16rolling across the asphalt felt
1:47:17incredibly soothing to me now. I was now
1:47:21shouldering the heavy burden of $1
1:47:22billion, but my heart felt lighter than
1:47:25ever. Before the summer sky I looked up
1:47:28at was endlessly blue, high, and clear.
1:47:32I will never bend myself to appease
1:47:34someone else's mood ever again. It was
1:47:37the first step toward walking on my own
1:47:40two feet. I had finally been able to
1:47:42take it. After leaving the house, my new
1:47:46life progressed at an unbelievable
1:47:48speed. Using the short-term apartment in
1:47:50the city as my base, I commuted to
1:47:52attorney. Thomas's office and my uncle's
1:47:55company almost every day. The process of
1:47:59inheriting a $1 billion estate was much
1:48:01more complex and grueling than I had
1:48:03imagined how to evaluate and transfer
1:48:06the company's shares. Should I keep the
1:48:10older real estate properties in
1:48:11Manhattan and Boston or sell the land to
1:48:13cover the tax payments mountains of
1:48:17paperwork in a constant barrage of
1:48:18technical jargon I had never seen before
1:48:21gave me endless headaches in meetings. I
1:48:24said I don't understand countless times.
1:48:28But it wasn't like the old me. Just
1:48:31because I didn't understand didn't mean
1:48:33I was going to pawn it all off on
1:48:35someone else like Simon or Shirley
1:48:37would. They were words used to get the
1:48:40experts to explain the parts one didn't
1:48:42get until I was satisfied. I asked the
1:48:45tax accountant about how the tax system
1:48:48worked and I pressed the company
1:48:49executives on their current business
1:48:52challenges.
1:48:53Sometimes I even sought the opinion of a
1:48:55third party real estate appraiser that
1:48:58attorney Thomas introduced me to. After
1:49:00hearing various people's opinions, I
1:49:03made sure to make the final decisions
1:49:05myself regarding the logistics company
1:49:08my uncle left behind. I didn't take the
1:49:10seat of president. I had no experience
1:49:14in the logistics industry nor the
1:49:16management knowledge to led dozens of
1:49:18employees. That is exactly why I decided
1:49:21to leave the actual
1:49:23operations to Mr. Miller and the other
1:49:25executives who knew the business inside
1:49:28and out, as the owner of the company, I
1:49:30hold the ultimate responsibility.
1:49:33But I want to leave the actual
1:49:35management to all of you, the
1:49:37professionals. When I told them that,
1:49:40Mr. Miller showed a relieved yet
1:49:42determined expression. Owning something
1:49:45and being able to do everything yourself
1:49:47are two different things. Knowing your
1:49:49limits, delegating to the right people,
1:49:51and accepting
1:49:53responsibility.
1:49:54I slowly learned that this too is an
1:49:57important part of deciding for yourself.
1:50:00Meanwhile, discussions regarding my
1:50:02divorce from Simon were also progressing
1:50:05through my lawyer. At first, Simon tried
1:50:08to act tough and swore he'd never sign
1:50:11the papers, but me moving out seemed to
1:50:13force reality upon him. When he realized
1:50:17I was seriously preparing to take it to
1:50:18court, he gradually lost the will to
1:50:21resist. Shirley also apparently tried to
1:50:24force her way into my apartment a few
1:50:27times. However, because attorney Thomas
1:50:30issued strict warnings as my
1:50:32representative, I never had to see her
1:50:34face to face. As for the division of
1:50:38assets, since the estate I inherited is
1:50:40considered separate property, Simon
1:50:42wouldn't get a single scent of it. It
1:50:45simply ended with us. Dividing the
1:50:47meager savings we held jointly and the
1:50:49equity in the apartment. Compared to the
1:50:51absurd sum of $1 billion, it was truly a
1:50:54microscopic amount. Late October, when
1:50:57the signs of autumn began to deepen, the
1:50:59divorce papers were accepted by the
1:51:02court, and Simon and I legally became
1:51:04complete strangers. That afternoon, I
1:51:08had promised to meet Simon at a coffee
1:51:09shop near the station. It was to make
1:51:13the final administrative confirmations
1:51:15such as changing the billing info for
1:51:17some utilities that were in his name.
1:51:20Sitting in a booth at the back of the
1:51:22coffee shop, Simon looked much older
1:51:24than he had a few months ago. His suit,
1:51:28which was normally well-kept, was
1:51:30wrinkled, and he had dark circles under
1:51:31his eyes. When I sat in the seat across
1:51:35from him, he gave a weak nod. Sorry for
1:51:39making you come all the way out here.
1:51:42No, it's fine. This is really the last
1:51:46of the paperwork. We mechanically went
1:51:48through the documents. There was nothing
1:51:52left tying us together and I didn't even
1:51:54feel anger or hatred bubbling up. Just
1:51:57as we finished confirming everything and
1:51:59I was about to stand up, it happened.
1:52:02Hey, Natalie. Simon stopped me,
1:52:05squeezing the words out of his throat.
1:52:08What is it?" He wrapped both hands
1:52:11around his coffee cup on the table and
1:52:12muttered, "If you hadn't inherited all
1:52:15that money, if there was no money, would
1:52:17we not have gotten divorced?" His voice
1:52:20had a terribly pathetic ring to it,
1:52:22caught somewhere between regret and
1:52:25lingering attachment. I stayed in my
1:52:27seat and thought for a moment. If my
1:52:31uncle hadn't left me $1 billion and I
1:52:33had just stayed a work from home
1:52:35freelancer, "You're right. We probably
1:52:39wouldn't have gotten divorced." When I
1:52:42answered honestly, Simon's face
1:52:44contorted in pain. "Money really does
1:52:47ruin people, huh? I guess if you have
1:52:49money, you don't need a useless husband
1:52:52like me anymore." He laughed
1:52:54self-deprecatingly, trying to blame his
1:52:57own misery on the money. Until the very
1:53:00end, he refused to face his own
1:53:03weaknesses.
1:53:04You're wrong, Simon. At my quiet voice,
1:53:08he looked up. The money didn't cause our
1:53:11divorce. Then what did the fact the
1:53:15second you got that money? You changed
1:53:19the money just made me see the things I
1:53:20had been trying not to look at.
1:53:24When I stated it clearly, Simon gasped.
1:53:27Your arrogance and Shirley's malice,
1:53:30which I pretended not to see, and my own
1:53:33endurance and dignity as a human being,
1:53:35which you pretended not to see. The
1:53:38money acted like a bright spotlight. And
1:53:41because of it, all the shadows that were
1:53:43hiding were brought into sharp focus.
1:53:46That's all it was. Simon powerlessly
1:53:49dropped his gaze. He probably had no
1:53:53arguments or excuses left. Deep down, I
1:53:56think he knew that what I was saying was
1:53:59right. Well, then take care of yourself.
1:54:02I bowed my head slightly, picked up the
1:54:05check, and stood up. He tried to say
1:54:08something at the very end, moving his
1:54:10lips, but before it became a voice, I
1:54:12turned my back to him. When I opened the
1:54:16coffee shop door and stepped outside,
1:54:18the cool autumn wind brushed against my
1:54:21cheeks. The leaves were beginning to
1:54:23change colors and the city was preparing
1:54:26to welcome a new season. I took a deep
1:54:29breath and looked up at the sky. It was
1:54:32truly over now. My life of adapting to
1:54:35him and tiptoeing around his moods
1:54:38completely dropped its curtains today.
1:54:40The smartphone in my hand vibrated,
1:54:43notifying me of a message from attorney
1:54:45Thomas. The paperwork has been completed
1:54:49successfully. I look forward to our
1:54:51meeting tomorrow. I stared at the
1:54:54screen, looked straight ahead, and began
1:54:56walking. I think this is what it means
1:55:00to hold a $1 billion fortune. No one is
1:55:03going to live my life for me, and no one
1:55:06is going to take responsibility for my
1:55:08decisions. I realized for the first time
1:55:11that embracing that weight is what true
1:55:13freedom is. Exactly one year has passed
1:55:17since my divorce from Simon was
1:55:18finalized. I am currently sitting around
1:55:21a table with several experts in a rented
1:55:24boardroom in Boston. We are here to
1:55:26discuss the future management strategy
1:55:29for one of the real estate properties I
1:55:31took over from my uncle. On the agenda
1:55:34is an old commercial building located
1:55:36near downtown. It is 40 years old and
1:55:40waves of deterioration are creeping in
1:55:43everywhere. Should we spend a massive
1:55:45amount of money to do a large scale
1:55:48renovation or should we ask the current
1:55:50tenants to vacate and sell the property
1:55:52as is? The representative from the
1:55:54property management company continued
1:55:56his explanation while flipping through a
1:55:59thick stack of documents. This is the
1:56:02projected yield over the next 10 years
1:56:04if we renovate. On the other hand, the
1:56:08next page shows the asset value if we
1:56:10sell it in its current state. The words
1:56:13flying out of the representative's mouth
1:56:15were nothing but technical numbers and
1:56:17unfamiliar jargon. The old me would have
1:56:20gotten a headache 10 minutes in and
1:56:23given up on thinking entirely. I would
1:56:25have just flashed a fake smile and said,
1:56:28"I'll leave it to all of you experts."
1:56:30But I was different today. "Excuse me,
1:56:34could you wait a moment?" I interrupted
1:56:36the representative as he continued his
1:56:39explanation, keeping the documents open
1:56:41in front of me. "Could you go back one
1:56:44page?" I pointed to a section I had
1:56:47marked with a sticky note and looked
1:56:49straight into the representative's eyes.
1:56:52"Could you explain the calculation for
1:56:54this yield in detail one more time
1:56:57prompted by my question. The
1:56:58representative
1:57:00straightened his posture slightly and
1:57:01carefully reexplained it from the
1:57:04beginning. I nodded along repeatedly
1:57:07asking questions about the parts one
1:57:08didn't understand. An hour later, when I
1:57:12was finally satisfied with all the
1:57:14explanations, I put my pen down. I
1:57:17understand the situation perfectly now.
1:57:20Thank you very much. So, should we
1:57:23proceed with the renovation plan? The
1:57:26representative asked expectantly, but I
1:57:28quietly shook my head. No, I don't think
1:57:32we should decide yet. It's too dangerous
1:57:35to rush a conclusion at this stage when
1:57:38the surrounding redevelopment plans are
1:57:39still unclear. Please give me another 6
1:57:43months to observe the tenants situation
1:57:45and the market trends before making a
1:57:48decision. When I passed judgment in my
1:57:50own words, the representative, nodded
1:57:53deeply, convinced it happened after the
1:57:56meeting ended. As I was packing the
1:57:58documents into my bag, "You are really
1:58:01dedicated to learning, Natalie." The
1:58:05representative spoke to me in a light
1:58:07conversational tone. "It must have been
1:58:09a struggle in the beginning with all the
1:58:12technical jargon. Yes, every day is
1:58:16still a learning experience. When it
1:58:18comes to making decisions about such
1:58:21large assets, do you also consult with
1:58:23your family? The representative probably
1:58:26meant nothing by the question, but those
1:58:29words made me recall for just a split.
1:58:32Second, that summer evening over a year
1:58:34ago, the cold front door, Shirley's
1:58:38voice echoing, divorce that useless
1:58:40woman right now. The indecisive voice of
1:58:44my ex-husband Simon answering I'm not
1:58:47thinking about it right now. The me from
1:58:50that day might have convinced myself
1:58:52that I couldn't decide anything without
1:58:54asking my husband. Terrified of him
1:58:57getting in a bad mood. I lived my life
1:59:00surrendering all decision-making power
1:59:01to him. But the current me no longer has
1:59:05an arrogant family trying to make my
1:59:06decisions for me. I put all the
1:59:10documents into my bag and zipped it up
1:59:11securely. I do consult with all of you
1:59:15experts like this. Yes, but the one who
1:59:19makes the final decision is me. When I
1:59:22smiled and answered firmly, the
1:59:24representative nodded normally.
1:59:26Understood. We will continue to support
1:59:30you fully. That was all it was. the fact
1:59:34that I make my own decisions was not
1:59:36denied by anyone but accepted as
1:59:38completely normal. That quiet exchange
1:59:41felt incredibly comforting to me. When I
1:59:44stepped outside the building where the
1:59:46boardroom was, the cold autumn wind
1:59:48fluttered the hem of my coat. Fallen
1:59:51leaves rolled across the sidewalk with a
1:59:53dry rustling sound. Just because I
1:59:57inherited an absurd $1 billion fortune
1:59:59doesn't mean I suddenly became a genius.
2:00:03There are still plenty of things I don't
2:00:04understand. I might even make the wrong
2:00:08judgment and end up regretting it. Even
2:00:11so, I am finally starting to understand
2:00:14the meaning of that letter my uncle left
2:00:15for me. Having money and being free are
2:00:19not the same thing. No matter how much
2:00:22money you have, if you leave your
2:00:24decisions to someone else, it's the
2:00:26exact same as being someone's slave.
2:00:30Being able to entrust practical tasks to
2:00:32someone and having someone decide your
2:00:34life for you are also two different
2:00:36things. And above all being loved by
2:00:40your family and living exactly the way
2:00:41your family wants you to are absolutely
2:00:44not the same thing. I will never again
2:00:47say whatever is fine just to avoid being
2:00:50disliked by someone. I will take
2:00:52responsibility for my choices and walk
2:00:55through this world on my own two feet. I
2:00:58believe that resolve itself is the
2:01:00greatest inheritance my uncle wanted to
2:01:02leave me. While walking toward the
2:01:05subway station, my smartphone vibrated
2:01:07in my coat pocket. When I looked at the
2:01:11screen, a message had arrived from my
2:01:13mom back home. How about lunch this
2:01:16Sunday? I stopped walking and opened my
2:01:19calendar app. The old me would have
2:01:23replied immediately without even
2:01:24considering my own schedule. whatever is
2:01:28fine would have typed. Even with my
2:01:31parents, I had always played the good
2:01:33girl who never made waves. But it's
2:01:36different now. I stared at my calendar
2:01:39and thought for a moment. I have a
2:01:42string of meetings with the company this
2:01:44week and I'm pretty exhausted. I felt
2:01:47like staying home alone on Sunday and
2:01:49resting without seeing anyone. But my
2:01:52Saturday afternoon was open and I did
2:01:54want to see my parents. I tapped the
2:01:58message input field and typed out my
2:02:00honest feelings. I want to rest at home
2:02:02on Sunday. Let's meet on Saturday
2:02:05instead. A few seconds after I pressed
2:02:09send, a reply came back from my mom
2:02:11right away. Got it. Let's do Saturday
2:02:14then. I looked at the screen and smiled
2:02:17slightly. Even if I communicated what I
2:02:21wanted, my mom didn't get mad and our
2:02:23family bond didn't break. Wow. It really
2:02:27was this simple all along. I put my
2:02:30phone away in my pocket and started
2:02:32walking toward the station again. It
2:02:34wasn't a major decision. It was just a
2:02:37trivial everyday exchange that had
2:02:39absolutely nothing to do with a massive
2:02:41$1 billion estate. Even so, I felt a
2:02:45certain warmth and satisfaction deep in
2:02:48my chest. I think true freedom probably
2:02:50starts from small things like this.
2:02:54Without feeling constrained by anyone, I
2:02:56will choose by my own will and walk on
2:02:59my own two feet under the clear blue
2:03:02autumn sky. My stride was much wider and
2:03:06more powerful than it used to be.

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