My Alleged Husband

Chapter 962: Chapter 855: Adding Insult to Injury

”Child, I never intended to add to your burdens during your most difficult times. As your father, you should know the greatest wish of a father is to protect his child. How could I possibly bear to see you suffer these harms? But why did I do all this? Time and again, I’ve forced myself to take one step after another to get to where I am now. All I wanted was to live a peaceful life. And what about you? Since I came back to this home, I’ve endured so much ridicule and sarcasm—more than anyone, you know this. When you watched me endure all that mocking and taunting, did your heart, as my son, not ache even a little?”

”Though all of it was my own doing, my own mistakes for which I should pay the price, this price went on for one day, two days, three days—I don’t even know for how many days I’ve been paying it. I don’t even know how much I’ve already endured. Step by step, I’ve been holding myself together. All I’ve wanted was to show you my resolve, my sincere determination to stay by your side. I’ve wanted so wholeheartedly for you to be happy. Time and again, I’ve locked myself away, just so you could see my most perfect side. Time and again, I’ve tried to ensure you all have the happiest, most blissful life, but each time I’ve only ended up making things worse.”

”For all the harm I’ve caused you, as a father, there’s truly nothing I can do in this lifetime to make up for it. But I hope you understand: as a father, no matter what, I would never truly want to hurt my own child. I could never bear seeing my child harmed while pretending to keep a cheerful face. If I acted that way, would I even deserve to be called your father? I am a person, a father, and a son. I must consider different problems, different outcomes from different perspectives. I must look farther ahead than anyone else. Perhaps our departure now might bring you a more peaceful life, allowing you to return to the state you were in before we came back—the kind of state where you might feel more at ease.”

”We ourselves clearly understand what kind of mindset we carry. We know better than anyone the extent of the pain we’ve brought upon you. Do you know this? Every time I’ve felt such deep anguish in my heart, I desperately wished for happiness, longed for joy. Because time and again, I’ve brought harm to my own son—nothing but harm. In your heart, you believe I’m unworthy of being your father. But do you know, I also hope for forgiveness from my own son? Over the years, we’ve longed time and again to return to this home. We finally got what we wished for, only to face this kind of ending. None of us wanted this outcome—not one. This kind of ending makes each of us feel defeated. All we wanted was just a stable life, to live more easily. Yet this is the outcome we’re left with.”

”Child, no matter where your mother and I end up, just make sure to take good care of your grandfather, your wife, and your child. Carry on the responsibilities that a father should. That would be my greatest solace. I have no way of abandoning your mother. If your mother chooses to leave on her own, how could I, as her husband, possibly leave her behind? If you were in my position, you wouldn’t be able to do it either. I believe you deeply care for your wife, just as I care for your mother—that feeling, you ought to understand.”

”You’re right; I do understand that feeling. But I never said I wanted my mother to leave this home. Why is it that every time you make a decision, you never ask how I feel, never ask for my input?

”Is it because, in your hearts, you believe every decision you make is right, while every decision I make is wrong? So in your eyes, you’ve already completely excluded me—as if I’m an outsider. When you make choices, you don’t even consider consulting my opinion. Then what am I in this family? Am I still part of this family? If I am truly family, then I should have the right to speak—have the right to decide who stays and who leaves this home!

”I don’t understand what kind of reason has made you so utterly heartless as to choose to leave again after all this. For today’s matter, I don’t blame anyone. Because I know—if my wife was destined to face this calamity, even if you hadn’t come back, she might still have ended up like this, becoming mad and depressed. I don’t blame anyone; I can only blame myself as a husband for neglecting her, for failing to give her enough care and love, which caused her to become like this. All the responsibility should fall on me, not on my parents. You have neither the reason nor the qualification to bear this burden on my behalf as her husband. She is my wife—she is only your daughter-in-law.”

”I feel I’ve already said everything there is to say. You should understand my meaning by now. Stop repeatedly opposing me, stop trying to test the limits of my patience. I’m not that tolerant. Everyone’s patience has boundaries—you, more than anyone else, should know that repeatedly challenging someone’s limits never leads to good outcomes. It only makes things more awkward between us. When you act, think things through more thoroughly—even just a little. It would make me happier, more relieved. I don’t need my parents to give me significant help; what I need is for my parents to treat me with genuine sincerity, to truly care for this family and willingly let go of some of their stubborn obsessions.”

”If a person doesn’t confront their own struggles, living might feel exhausting. But if someone clings too deeply to their obsessions, do they truly feel any less tired while living? Step by step, constantly pushing themselves to the brink—just hoping to feel happiness and joy, almost driving themselves crazy in the process. Do you think that kind of life is meaningful?”

”I don’t want either of my parents to leave this home. If you truly love me, then don’t make things worse for me. Right now, during my most difficult and challenging moment, I beg you to stay—not for anything else, but just to let me feel a bit more at ease. Can you do that? Don’t force me to worry about you, to constantly think about how to protect you. That kind of burden is truly draining for me. Give me a little freedom; give me a little space—even just a bit of protection, even just a bit of security, can you?

”I am a child who lacks a sense of security. So long as you can stay here, I won’t ask for anything else...”