Emily barely held herself upright as she left the building of the cosmetics company in Chicago. The workday had drained her to the limit.

Endless product checks, new formulations, constant discussions with suppliers. All the responsibility lay on her shoulders, and it had long become routine. She trudged to the bus stop, mechanically counting the days left until payday.

Familiar thoughts swirled in her head: mortgage, bills, groceries, daughter, Alex. Emily sighed wearily. Her husband, once a strong, cheerful man, was now like a shadow of himself.

After he lost his job due to illness, the whole family rested on her shoulders. At first, she believed it was temporary, that he would cope, find some way to occupy himself, but year after year, nothing changed. She made it home, slowly climbed to her floor, and opened the door.

The apartment was quiet. Alex, as always, lay in the living room, staring at the TV. “Hi,” she tossed, taking off her coat.

“Yeah,” he replied, not even glancing at her. “A typical evening, always like this,” the woman thought. Emily set the kettle and pondered.

Once, Alex was completely different: hardworking, fun, full of energy. He started working early because he didn’t want to waste time on long studies. Right after high school, he went to trade school, trained as a driver, and got a job at the bus depot.

At first, he worked on city routes, but later got certified for interstate trips. He liked that job. Roads, changing landscapes, new cities, but his body couldn’t handle it.

Years of sedentary work, constant vibrations, poor nutrition, and chronic sleep deprivation led to the first alarming symptoms. At 38, he ended up in the hospital with severe back pain. Then came a heart crisis…

Doctors strongly recommended changing jobs. But Alex stubbornly resisted until it finally broke him. After several hospitalizations, he could no longer move normally without pain.

That’s when his mother, Theresa, who held a high position at the Social Security Administration, arranged his disability benefits. Emily accepted it as inevitable. She sincerely believed he was truly unable to work, since Alex complained he couldn’t sit, walk, or even stand for long without pain.

Since then, she took on all the cares. Theresa was a woman with a firm character. Her life had been devoted to caring for her son, and now she believed Emily should continue that mission.

“You’re not taking good care of Alex,” she said almost every chance she got. “He needs support, attention.” Emily didn’t argue, though inside she boiled.

Support? She works every day, pays the bills, provides food, medicine, mortgage, and Alex just complains about life. But for her mother-in-law, that wasn’t an argument. “You know how morally hard it is for him,” she reminded.

“At least cook something tasty more often, not your quick dinners.” Emily clenched her teeth, as if she had time for culinary masterpieces. After her mother-in-law arranged the disability for her husband, he completely gave up on everything…

He didn’t look for work, showed no interest in anything, just complained about his life. And her mother-in-law regularly repeated: “He’s disabled, you must support him, pity him. You’re his wife.” On the other hand, Emily noticed that Alex didn’t even try to exercise his muscles, didn’t do physical therapy, didn’t look for remote work options. All he did was go out once a day for a solitary walk as prescribed by the doctor for an hour and a half to two hours, then lie back on the couch and turn on the TV.

Emily had grown accustomed to living in survival mode. Day after day, she got up early, went to work. Then in the evening, she returned home, where endless chores awaited her…

Once, a few years ago, Daniel Johnson, her boss at the production, mentioned corporate vouchers for a wellness retreat that were offered once a year to the best employees. “Emily, you need to rest, you always have excellent results, take this opportunity for yourself,” he said, handing her a document with a list of available resorts. Emily glanced at the papers but immediately returned them.

Vacation was something distant and unreal for her. She couldn’t afford to relax when Alex waited at home, who couldn’t manage without her. But then she had another idea.

“Can I get this voucher for my husband?” she asked. Daniel Johnson raised his eyebrows in surprise but nodded. Emily explained that Alex had serious health problems, and the retreat would help him recover.

That’s how the tradition started. Almost every year, she asked to send not herself, but Alex to the retreat. He went for treatment, and Emily stayed working, as always.

Deep down, she hoped it would help him, that after such trips he would feel better, be able to find at least a small side job. But after each return, everything repeated. Alex grumpily declared that the retreat was a waste of time, that nothing helped him, and doctors just shrugged.

He lay back on the couch, complained about life again, fully depended on her. But Emily continued to hope. One workday, Emily was called to Daniel Johnson…

He was in high spirits and immediately announced that there was a great opportunity for her—a business trip to New York City. Six months at one of the leading cosmetics factories, fully paid living, decent salary. And most importantly, Mia could come too, enrolling her in a local school.

Emily listened, but instead of joy, an anxious feeling grew in her. She knew it was a chance any specialist in her field dreamed of. New York—this was a level, new prospects, a chance to start another life.

But Alex immediately popped into her head. He couldn’t manage without her. He doesn’t work. He won’t even buy groceries himself. Who will take care of him? Who will monitor his medications? The answer was obvious. Emily firmly said no.

And immediately felt how heavy her soul became. She knew she was doing the right thing, but somehow it didn’t bring relief. She left the office and lingered by the window, looking at the gray, cloud-covered city.

Somewhere out there, far away, another world awaited, other opportunities. But that chance wasn’t for her. She had duties, family, responsibility.

She couldn’t abandon Alex; she simply had no right. But one day, Emily’s life turned upside down completely. She returned home in the middle of the day…

Emily had just taken off her coat when Alex peeked out from the room. “The delivery guy arrived, brought Mia’s headphones, waiting downstairs,” he said. Emily nodded mechanically, but Alex was already pulling on his jacket.

“I’ll go myself,” he tossed, went out the door, and headed to the elevator. Emily went to the kitchen. The sink was piled with dishes; her daughter hurried to school in the morning, Alex had lunch, but of course didn’t clean up after himself.

Emily took a sponge, turned on the faucet, but the pressure was too strong, and water splashes flew in all directions. A few drops hit the screen of Alex’s phone lying next to the sink. The sensor reacted, and at that moment, the phone vibrated.

A voice message from Theresa popped up. Emily wasn’t going to listen, but as she moved the phone aside, her wet fingers accidentally touched the screen, and the voice message from her mother-in-law played automatically. “Alex, I don’t understand, where are you rushing to? I don’t like this idea of yours with Isabella moving in with you at home.

I don’t like it, you understand? This will end badly for you. You’re on full support from your wife. That’s what you need to think about.”

Emily froze. “Isabella? What Isabella?” Her heart pounded in her chest, fingers froze over the soapy water. She slowly turned her head to the phone.

Two days ago was Alex’s birthday, and she gave him this new smartphone, and if she remembered correctly, Alex hadn’t set a password lock on it yet. Her hands trembled, but barely realizing what she was doing, she took the phone and opened the messenger. Emily scrolled the chat back and started listening to previous messages.

The first message was from Alex, recorded that morning. “Mom, Isabella is such a wonderful girl, I just fell in love with her. I want her to live with me.

I’ve already planned everything. Emily told me she refused the trip to New York, but I’ll do everything to convince her. I’ll say it’s our chance and her push for success in her career…

In short, she’ll even be grateful to me for insisting she think about herself, not always worry about me.” Emily sat on the stool, feeling her fingers go cold. The next message was from her mother-in-law.

“Alex, you know how much I dislike your little wife myself. But you must understand that if Emily finds out you brought a new woman into your apartment while she’s on the trip, it’ll be the end for you.” Next was Alex’s voice reply…

“Mom, why do you always make it worse? How will she find out? We don’t talk to the neighbors, neither I nor she. We’ll live quietly in the apartment. And the wife will send us decent bucks from New York.

Well, to us. To me, obviously. Actually, for me and Isabella.

Just some irony of fate.” Alex’s laughter sounded. Emily covered her mouth with her hand to not groan in horror.

And another voice message. This time from Theresa. “Are you an idiot? You can’t hide a needle in a haystack.

When Emily finds out, you’ll be left without a penny. Do you think they’ll renew your disability next year? Not sure I can pull it off. And then you’ll go look for work.

Emily thinks you’re really disabled, doesn’t understand that it’s thanks to me you live with those papers and don’t work.” Next message from Alex. “If she finds out, to hell with her.

I’ll sue her for half the apartment, and then file for alimony too. I’m disabled after all. Let her work more to support the daughter and me with Isabella.”

Alex’s voice was confident, calm, as if it wasn’t his family’s fate, but a regular work plan. The last message was the one that started it all. Emily leaned back, feeling the ground slip from under her feet.

Everything she believed in collapsed in a few minutes. She left the kitchen, not noticing how her hands shook. Her whole life turned into a complete lie in one instant.

She thought Alex couldn’t work. But he just didn’t want to. She thought he was grateful for her support…

But he wanted to get rid of her, leaving her with debts, sucking the last money out of her. She believed she had a family. But in reality, she was just a cash cow for them.

Her chest tightened, and in the next moment, she sharply grabbed the phone and ran out of the apartment. Descending the stairs, she found Daniel Johnson’s number in the call list and pressed call with trembling fingers. “Emily, something happened…”

His voice was concerned. She took a deep breath. “I agree,” she exhaled.

“I’m going to New York.” “Glad to hear,” he replied without extra questions. “We’ll process the documents tomorrow.”

Emily hung up and felt something changing inside. She wouldn’t sacrifice herself anymore. New York became her new home.

Work at the cosmetics company inspired her, prospects opened one after another. Her daughter Mia quickly adapted to the local school, found friends, enjoyed life. And Daniel Johnson was nearby.

He always treated her well. But now, working together, she saw in him not just a boss, but a person who understood her. Calm, reliable.

Two months after her move, he proposed to her. But one matter remained unfinished. Emily filed for divorce through a lawyer.

Alex, as expected, started resisting, demanding his share of the apartment, claiming he was disabled and couldn’t be left without housing. But his confidence vanished when the lawyer politely informed that in case of a court trial, the legality of his disability would have to be questioned. Alex still tried to resist, but Theresa understood everything sooner.

She knew that if it came to investigation, it could end very badly for both of them. “Sign it if you don’t want us both to end up in jail,” she ordered her son, gritting her teeth. So he lost the chance for an easy life at someone else’s expense.

The court process ended not in Alex’s favor. Emily’s lawyer presented evidence that all mortgage payments over the years were made by her alone. The court ordered Alex to pay off the remaining debt, since he was claiming his share in the apartment…

When the apartment was put up for sale, Alex hoped until the last that after dividing the money, he’d have something left for a new life. But when all calculations were done, it turned out that almost his entire share went to paying the bank debt. Emily went back to New York.

And he was left with nothing. Alex didn’t understand how it happened. Just recently, he had a warm home, a wife who cared for him.

Confidence in tomorrow. And now he stood at his mother’s door, holding a pitiful suitcase with things. Theresa opened, looked down at him, then silently turned and went deeper into the apartment.

“Mom, I have nowhere to live,” he muttered, following inside. “That’s your problem,” she cut off, turning on the TV. “I thought you’d help.”

“I’ve already helped you.” Her voice was cold, almost alien. And you ruined everything.

Alex slowly sank into a chair, clutching his head. His ears rang. Once he was the main man in his mother’s life, her pride, her hope.

She helped him arrange life, build plans, achieve his own. And now he became a burden even to her. No job, no money…

He got a job on a construction site, took on heavy physical labor that he once despised. Now his health really deteriorated, back pains became unbearable. But he couldn’t stop, or he’d simply starve.

In the evenings, he returned to the tiny room in his mother’s apartment. She didn’t even leave him dinner. They hardly talked…

He was no longer her pride. Meanwhile, Emily lived a truly new life. When she moved to New York again, she was still depressed.

But with each day, she felt the past letting go…

For the first time in many years, she didn’t need to care for someone who didn’t appreciate it. Daniel was nearby.

Reserved, attentive, reliable. He didn’t pressure, didn’t rush her, just was there. He invited her for walks in the evening city.

Showed cozy streets, cafes where they served hot chocolate with vanilla.

With him, it was unusually easy. Before, she didn’t believe in miracles, didn’t believe you could start over.

But now, looking into his eyes, she knew she had finally made the right choice.