Chapter 118 Mother-in-law's Difficulties
"Mom, you want me to make you breakfast today, right?"
In the living room, Matilda smiled warmly, adopting the gracious demeanor of a flight attendant. Amelia sat ramrod straight on the sofa, radiating mother-in-law authority. "Yes. You figure it out."
"Well, let's start with beverages. Would you like coffee or milk?"
Amelia paused. "Coffee."
"And for your main course, would you prefer a sandwich, toast, or pan-seared steak?" When Amelia asked if that was all she knew how to make, Matilda shrugged. "Yep, that's my repertoire. It's what I eat every day. If you want something else, I honestly don't know how to make it."
"Make me a beef burger."
"Would you like cheese on that burger?" Matilda asked again. She needed everything crystal clear—no room for nitpicking later.
Amelia's patience was wearing thin. "I don't need cheese."
"Perfect. Got it. Anything else you'd like?" Matilda aimed to make her service so thorough that Amelia would have nowhere to find fault.
"No, that's all."
"Excellent! I'll get started right away. Just give me a few minutes."
Matilda headed to the kitchen and pulled out steak and bread. Anticipating Amelia's inevitable criticisms, she made herself a portion first. Better to face whatever came on a full stomach. The steak was already seasoned, so she just seared it quickly—no extra fussing needed. Then she sandwiched it between bread. That's basically a burger, right?
The kitchen had a coffee machine, and the instructions were straightforward enough. While she was working, her phone rang. Zoey.
"Matilda, where are you? I'm so bored here with nobody to hang out with."
"I'm at the Gonzaga family estate."
"The Gonzaga family? Which Gonzaga family?"
"The one where you first met Charles."
"What? How'd you end up there?"
"My mother-in-law made me move back."
"Is Charles there too? Are you guys living together?"
"Not really, but he comes back occasionally for meals."
"Oh my God, I'm coming back to Phoenix City. Booking a ticket right now!"
"Wait—" Before Matilda could finish, Zoey had already hung up. That impatient little firecracker. She'd probably come back only to not see Wentworth, and get despised by Amelia in the process—because Amelia hated everything and everyone connected to Matilda. Whatever. If Zoey wanted to come, let her come. Matilda was going to get criticized no matter what she did anyway.
After the coffee finished brewing, Matilda carried it out, only to have Cathy inform her that Amelia had gone back to bed for a nap. She should wait. When Amelia woke up, she'd need to make a fresh batch.
Matilda silently repeated to herself three times: 'This is my husband's mother.' Only then did she manage not to dump the food. She told Cathy, "Mom's really got her power moves down. What a waste she never became an empress."
"How dare you talk like that? Isn't it a daughter-in-law's duty to serve her mother-in-law?"
But this wasn't some feudal dynasty.
Matilda kept smiling. "Sure thing. Just call me when Mom wakes up."
Oh, she wants to sleep? Fine. Matilda would head back and blast some music. Let's see how Amelia sleeps through that.
She returned to the third floor and cranked the entertainment room's sound system to maximum volume. Come on. Let's hurt each other. No matter how well-built this manor was, how soundproof the windows, nothing could withstand this level of assault.
Sure enough, within minutes Cathy came pounding on the door, fuming. Matilda pretended not to hear, letting it blast for a full half hour. Downstairs on the second floor, Amelia was on the verge of a breakdown. She'd nearly called the police. Just as she was about to have Cathy make the call, the music abruptly stopped.
Matilda switched off the system, changed into workout clothes, and headed out for a run. The manor grounds were expansive, lined with tree-shaded paths—perfect for running.
She'd barely made it downstairs when Cathy called out, "Where are you going?"
"For a run. The environment here is so nice. I heard Wentworth used to run early mornings too, so I thought I'd give it a try."
"Why did you play that music so loud just now? Was that deliberate?"
"I have a habit of listening to music for half an hour after I wake up. Did it disturb Mom? The speakers in that room have amazing performance—I couldn't really figure out how to adjust them. If it bothered her, please apologize on my behalf. Oh, and if I get up early tomorrow, I'll need my music session then too."
Under Cathy's murderous glare, Matilda jogged out of the manor. Amelia had transferred away the chef and most of the household staff, but the security team remained. Someone opened the gate for her as she left. Whether she'd be allowed back in was another question. Best case scenario: Amelia would lock her out, and she could return to Sunshine Gardens.
After her run, Matilda returned at 8 AM, breathless and sweaty. Passing through the living room, she found Amelia already up—looking decidedly displeased.
Amelia had suffered through insomnia last night, which was precisely why she'd had Cathy wake Matilda so early. She normally never rose this early. Though she was already sixty, she maintained strong self-care habits, believing women absolutely needed quality sleep—ideally waking naturally. Between the poor sleep and the half-hour sonic assault, her complexion looked terrible.
Seeing Matilda drenched in sweat but radiating energy after her run only darkened Amelia's mood further.
"Where's my breakfast?"
Matilda kept smiling. "Mom, look at me—I'm dripping with sweat. How about I go shower first before cooking? Otherwise I'm afraid some might drip into the food." She wiped a hand across her forehead and flicked it dramatically, sweat droplets scattering like rain.
Amelia recoiled in disgust. "Fine, fine. Go wash up already."
"Will do, Mom. Oh, if you're not sleeping well, you should skip the coffee. For people with poor sleep, too much caffeine accelerates aging. As a doctor, I'd recommend you book a spa appointment for a good massage."
Amelia's lungs practically exploded with rage. But she'd always prided herself on emotional control, so she didn't kick Matilda out on the spot. If she did, that would be exactly what Matilda wanted. Think you can spar with me? You're still too green.
Amelia maintained her smile. "Thank you for the suggestion. Since you're covered in sweat, hurry upstairs and shower. Don't catch cold."
Matilda beamed. "Thanks for your concern! I'll go shower right now."
After her shower, Matilda collapsed into that glorious king-sized bed for the most satisfying nap. Only by being well-rested could she withstand Amelia's relentless waves of harassment. She had no intention of compromising or suffering in silence.
Though she'd never been married before, never witnessed how other mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law interacted, she knew one thing: endless concession wouldn't solve anything. She needed Amelia to understand she wasn't a pushover.
When she woke, it was already 1 PM. Time to head downstairs and find something to eat. However, when she reached the living room, she found Amelia seated with two other well-dressed, affluent-looking women.
Seeing Matilda descend, Amelia immediately beckoned her over. "Matty, we're about to play bridge and we're one person short. Perfect timing—come join us."