The kitchen was silent except for the sound of Emily's strained breathing.
She stared nervously at the heavy cardboard box sitting on the floor.
"Margaret, maybe we should wait until someone else can move it," she suggested softly.
Margaret folded her arms.
"Nonsense."
Emily immediately recognized that tone.
It was the tone Margaret used whenever she had already made up her mind.
"You spend too much time making excuses."
Emily looked down.
Her back already hurt.
Her feet were swollen.
Even walking had become difficult during the final months of pregnancy.
Yet Margaret showed no concern.
Instead, she pointed toward the box.
"Pick it up."
Emily hesitated.
She knew lifting it was a bad idea.
But she also knew refusing would start another argument.
Slowly, she bent down and wrapped her arms around the box.
The moment she lifted it, pain shot through her lower back.
She winced.
The weight felt overwhelming.
Still, she tried to continue.
Step by step, she carried the box across the kitchen.
Her breathing became heavier.
Tears began forming in her eyes.
Every movement felt harder than the last.
Finally, she stopped.
"Please," she whispered.
"I need to sit down."
Margaret's face remained cold.
"Stop acting helpless and finish your chores."
The words felt cruel.
Emily wasn't pretending.
She wasn't being lazy.
She was genuinely struggling.
Yet Margaret refused to acknowledge it.
Emily tried taking another step.
Then another.
Suddenly, her hands slipped.
The box crashed onto the tile floor with a deafening bang.
The impact startled her.
A sharp pain shot through her body.
She immediately dropped to her knees.
A cry escaped her lips.
Her hands moved instinctively to her stomach.
Tears streamed down her face.
The pain terrified her.
For a moment, she feared something might be wrong with the baby.
But instead of helping, Margaret became angry.
"This is exactly what's wrong with your generation."
Emily looked up in disbelief.
She couldn't understand how anyone could be so heartless.
The woman standing before her wasn't acting like family.
She was acting like a stranger.
And unfortunately, things were about to get even worse.