She jumped in surprise and quickly wiped her tears, forcing a smile. “B-Babe! You’re home. Just a moment, I’ll finish this and then prepare your dinner—”
“Put that down,” I said hoarsely. I walked up and took the sponge from her hands. I held her hands, soaked in cold water and soap. “Why are you doing this? It’s already ten at night, Clara! You should be resting!”
“They don’t have time, babe… they said they have assignments,” she said softly, still trying to defend my sisters.
At that moment, something exploded inside me.
The Confrontation in the Living Room
I left Clara in the kitchen and walked back to the living room, my anger burning. I turned off the TV.
“Hey! Kuya, that show was good!” Stella complained.
“Valerie, Beatrice, Stella. Stand up,” I ordered coldly.
My voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a weight that made them uneasy.
Mama Susan noticed my expression. “Gabriel, what’s wrong with you? You’re just tired—”
“Stand up!” I shouted.
They quickly stood, fear written all over their faces.
I looked at them one by one. “Twenty-five, twenty-two, and nineteen years old. Did I raise you to be useless? Did I raise you to be princesses with no hands and feet?”
“Kuya… what did we do?” Beatrice asked nervously.
“What did you do?!” I pointed toward the kitchen. “My wife is eight months pregnant! She can barely walk, barely breathe! And you let her wash your dishes while you lie here watching TV and drinking milk tea that I paid for?!”
Silence fell over the room.
But Valerie rolled her eyes. “Kuya, we’re studying! And she volunteered to wash! Besides, she’s just staying here—she should contribute to housework!”
The Sentence That Broke Them
My eyes widened in disbelief.
“Just staying here?” I repeated coldly. “I bought this house before we moved in. And I put it under my wife’s and my name. She owns this house. You are the ones staying here.”
Valerie turned pale.
“Since you think my wife is just a servant,” I continued, “give me one good reason why I should let you stay here. Pack your things. Tomorrow morning, you’re leaving my house. And I’m cutting off all your allowances and credit cards. Learn how to support yourselves.”
Their jaws dropped.
“Kuya! You can’t do that!” Stella cried. “Where will we go?!”
“Outside. Somewhere there’s no pregnant woman washing your dishes,” I replied coldly.
A Mother’s Outburst
Amid their crying, Mama Susan suddenly stood up, furious. Instead of scolding them, she pointed at me.
“You have no shame, Gabriel!” she screamed. “You’re throwing out your own sisters over some damn dishes?! She’s just your wife! We are your real blood! It’s her job to serve us because you earn the money! If you throw them out, include me!”
I looked at my mother—the woman I devoted my life to.
Tears fell, not from sadness, but from deep disappointment.
“Ma…” I said, voice breaking. “I thought you treated Clara like family. I thought you loved your grandchild. You’d rather let my wife collapse from exhaustion just so your daughters don’t lift a finger?”
“She’s a burden! She took you away from us!” my mother shouted.
I wiped my tears. My heart turned cold.
“If that’s your decision, Ma… I won’t stop you. Tomorrow morning, take your things. You’re the ones who chose to separate yourselves from me.”
A New Beginning
They screamed, cried, and argued in the living room as I walked away. I returned to the kitchen, where Clara sat trembling and crying, afraid I might choose my family over her.
I knelt before her and held her—and our unborn child—tightly.
“Don’t be afraid, Clara,” I whispered. “No one will hurt you anymore. It’s just us now. Forgive me for letting them hurt you.”
The next morning, my mother and sisters left. They expected me to follow and beg them to come back. They thought I couldn’t cut them off.
They were wrong.
I blocked all their bank accounts and cards. They were forced to rent a small apartment. Valerie and Beatrice found jobs in fast food and a call center to survive and support Stella’s schooling, while Mama Susan had no choice but to live simply and cook for them every day.
A month later, Clara gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
I felt no regret.
Because I learned that “family” is not always defined by blood. Sometimes, true family is the one you choose to build and protect. And as a man, my first duty is to ensure that the woman who risks her life for our future is safe and respected.
