I met Ethan through a blind date set up by friends. We dated for a few months and then had a whirlwind wedding.

This year marked our first Christmas together as a married couple.

Before getting married, we agreed to alternate holidays with our families. This year was supposed to be with my parents, next year with his.

After we hit the highway, Ethan was driving and told me to get some rest.

Next thing I knew, I opened my eyes, and the car had turned around and was heading onto a completely different freeway.

...

Waking up in the car, I saw a sign ahead.

【Rockbridge: 50 miles】

Rockbridge?

That wasn't anywhere near my parents' place.

I snapped awake instantly and turned to Ethan in the driver's seat.

"Where are we going?"

He looked a bit uncomfortable, but the car sped up slightly.

"Honey, my mom just called. Maybe we could go to my place first this year?"

Suppressing my anger, I asked, "Is there some emergency at your parents' place that requires us to rush back today?"

He stammered, unable to give a straight answer, just silently pressing the gas pedal a few more times. My voice rose.

"Ethan, we had a deal. My parents have cooked a whole feast waiting for us for dinner."

Sensing my displeasure, Ethan finally started explaining:

"Sarah, my sister Jenny managed to come home with her kid for Christmas this year, it's a rare occasion. She really wants me to bring you home so we can all take a family photo together. Can you do this for me?"

He'd told me about this sister before. She rarely came home after getting married, and supposedly her husband wasn't good to her, always messing around.

Her sudden return this time... did something happen?

I checked the map on my phone. We were getting closer and closer to Ethan's hometown.

Turning back to my parents' place would add another three hours to the trip.

After his repeated pleading, I had to give in.

I called my parents, explained the situation, and told them we'd have to go to my in-laws' first this year.

Though unhappy, my parents just reminded me to be careful and polite when I got there.

...

When we arrived at Ethan's family home, his parents beamed, seeing us loaded down with bags and gifts.

A woman walked out of the house, holding the hand of a five or six-year-old boy.

The boy resembled Ethan somewhat. They say nephews often look like their uncles, so I guessed that must be Ethan's sister, Jenny.

Ethan's mom quickly pulled the child over to me. "Bobby, come here. Say hi to Aunt Sarah."

The boy mumbled a soft "Aunt Sarah," and I handed him the gift card I had ready.

He shyly retreated back to his mother's side.

I politely greeted her, "Hi, Jenny."

She just sniffed, turned around, and took the boy back into her room.

Ethan's mom looked a little embarrassed. "She hasn't been home in a long time, she's a bit out of sorts. Don't mind her, Sarah."

Since we were already here, I figured we had to make the best of the holiday.

Ethan and I started helping his mom get things ready, bustling around. Jenny just watched us come and go with a long face.

Especially when Ethan showed any concern for me, she'd throw out a snide remark or two.

I quietly asked Ethan if his sister didn't like me.

He just reassured me, saying she was heartbroken after her husband left her, and that's why she was acting this way.

It's normal for someone going through a rough breakup to be moody.

I was puzzled, though. If she specifically wanted to meet me, why was she being so cold?

All these questions were answered on Christmas Eve.

During dinner, Ethan's mother suddenly proposed that Jenny's son, Bobby, be legally put under my name so he could attend school in the city.

I glanced at Ethan. He practically buried his head in his bowl.

His mother continued:

"Sarah, Bobby just needs to use your address for the school district. It's just on paper. Besides, you two don't have kids yet anyway."

The apartment was mine. My parents made the down payment before the wedding, and I paid the mortgage.

Ethan and I split our finances down the middle after getting married, so decisions about the apartment were mine to make.

Seeing my silence, Ethan's mother nudged Jenny beside her:

"Are you mute? Say something."

Jenny finally spoke, reluctantly:

"Can't you see she doesn't want to? What's the point of you blabbering on?"

Her words silenced the table instantly. Everyone looked our way.

My chopsticks, reaching for food, hovered awkwardly.

I nudged Ethan under the table, but he pretended not to notice, just kept eating.

My heart instantly turned cold.

This mother-daughter duo was putting on a show, trying to pressure me into agreeing out of politeness.

...

"The apartment is technically still under my parents' names. I'll have to ask them about this."

Luckily, when I bought it, my salary wasn't high enough, so we put it in my parents' names initially.

It served as a convenient excuse now.

Hearing this, Jenny scoffed, while Ethan's mother forced a smile.

"Well, yes, you certainly need to ask your parents. Let's eat, let's eat."

The rest of the meal passed with unspoken tensions.

Later that night, while setting off some fireworks, one of Ethan's young cousins accidentally bumped into Jenny.

The boy mumbled, looking down, "Sorry, ma'am." (He used a term closer to 'sister-in-law' in the original, but 'ma'am' or avoiding a title fits better here).

I thought he might be talking to me and asked loudly, "What's wrong?"

The little boy just bolted away.

Jenny, however, shot me a glare.

That look made me feel she genuinely disliked me.

The next day was Christmas Day. As soon as I woke up, Ethan told me to go serve tea to the elders. (This custom is specific, let's adapt it to a more general 'pay respects' or 'give gifts' scenario typical of a formal family gathering, though less common in the US. Let's make it about giving a small gift or offering a formal greeting).

I was surprised that this small town had such specific holiday rituals.

After offering greetings and a small gift to Ethan's parents, his mother gave me a card with some cash inside, smiling.

I took the card and turned to leave, but Ethan stopped me and led me over to Jenny.

"Give my sister a greeting too."

I looked at him, utterly confused. Paying respects to parents, I understood.

But to his sister? I'd never heard of such a thing. It felt archaic, almost demeaning.

Jenny sat on the chair, chin held high, looking down at me with disdain.

I strongly felt her hostility, even though this was truly our first real interaction.

Seeing me hesitate, Ethan urged me on.

"Didn't we only do this for your parents at the wedding?"

Even though Jenny wasn't at the wedding, Ethan had plenty of other cousins and relatives there, and this wasn't done.

Ethan nudged me again. "It's a family tradition here. Just offer her a greeting."

Seeing me remain motionless, Jenny's expression hardened where she sat. She snapped sharply:

"You married Ethan, so you follow the family's ways. You have to do this today."

This was the first time Jenny had raised her voice at me since I arrived, openly showing her dislike.

I took the small token gift Ethan was holding out, making them think I was about to present it to Jenny.

The next second, I dropped it on the floor.

...

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Enraged, Jenny lunged forward and slapped me hard across the face.

It happened so fast I didn't have time to react.

Clutching my stinging left cheek, I stumbled back a step.

"You're just Ethan's sister. What right do you have to hit me?"

Looking at Ethan standing there, completely stunned, I wondered how I could have married such a spineless man.

Watching his wife get hit by his own sister, and he just froze in shock.

Jenny suddenly burst out laughing, her face twisting as she lunged at me again.

"Today, I'll teach you a lesson for Ethan, you disobedient bitch!"

I thought Jenny was the aloof type, but deep down, she was completely unhinged. I even wondered if she had some mental health issues.

Ethan's parents finally reacted, rushing to pull her back.

"Jenny, don't be rash! Think about Bobby's future, it depends on Ethan and Sarah!"

I naturally assumed they meant Jenny was divorced and now relying on her family and her brother, Ethan.

Suddenly, Bobby rushed out from the room, pummeling me with his small fists and feet.

"You bad woman! It's your fault I don't have a daddy! I'll beat you up!"

Bobby's words left me completely bewildered. This was the first time I'd ever met Jenny, let alone her supposed ex-husband.

What misunderstanding was this? Ethan's mother quickly covered Bobby's mouth and dragged him away.

Jenny was also led away, leaving just Ethan and me in the living room.

He was silent for a long time, seemingly searching for an excuse.

"Sarah, don't take it personally. My sister... she's not mentally stable right now. I apologize on her behalf."

He tried to step forward and hug me, but I dodged him.

"So you just stood there and watched your sister hit me?"

My relationship with Ethan was built over just a few months. He was introduced by a friend, and I thought he was honest and responsible.

Now, it seemed he'd hidden his true nature very well.

The plan to start trying for a baby after the New Year was now completely off the table in my mind.

I decided I needed to seriously re-evaluate our marriage.

...

That evening, after Ethan's sincere apologies, I backed down slightly.

Christmas break was only a few days anyway. I could tough it out.

Seeing my mood soften, Ethan brought up Bobby again.

"Do you think maybe Bobby could come live with us after the holidays? My mom could come too, to look after him. My sister's mental state... she definitely can't care for him right now."

Seeing my silence, he added:

"My parents have retirement pensions; they won't need money from us. We can live just like before, plus we'll have someone home to do chores and cook."

With him putting it that way, it was hard to refuse.

Even if I disliked Jenny, the child was innocent. Growing up with a seemingly unstable mother could ruin his life.

Plus, his grandmother would be looking after him, not me.

When I nodded, Ethan was overjoyed and tried to get close to me.

I instinctively pushed him away.

"We have to get up early tomorrow to visit your uncle's family. Let's sleep."

The next day, on the way to visit relatives, I couldn't shake the feeling that the neighbors were looking at me strangely.

When I glanced their way, the chattering groups would fall conspicuously silent.

Just as we neared his uncle's house, an older woman, Mrs. Davis maybe, suddenly called out from behind us:

"Ethan! How come your first wife isn't out today?"

Ethan's face became extremely unnatural.

"Mrs. Davis, what nonsense are you talking about? My wife is right here!"

Mrs. Davis looked me up and down. "Oh? Went to the city and tricked another pretty wife, did you!"

Another? Mrs. Davis's words made me certain Ethan was hiding something significant from me.

I wanted to ask her what she meant, but Ethan quickly pulled me away, muttering that Mrs. Davis had dementia.

After visiting his uncle's family and exchanging pleasantries.

The uncle's family also acted strangely, constantly asking, "When is Jenny leaving?"

I was surprised by their intense curiosity about Jenny's plans.

I returned to Ethan's house filled with doubt.

Before I even stepped into the living room, I heard his mother's voice.

"Jenny, you need to stop provoking that Sarah for a while. What if she gets upset? What about Bobby? Can't you just tolerate it for a few days?"

Then came Jenny's furious roar.

"What was wrong with me asking her to show respect? She should have knelt and served me tea! Just based on the fact that I entered this family before she did! Back in the day, Sarah would just be a concubine!"

My mind suddenly went blank. A few words echoed in my head.

Ethan's child... concubine... The words circled relentlessly.

I couldn't believe it, but I quickly understood what she meant.

Ethan beside me was already panicking, rushing inside to try and stop them.

Just then, Jenny burst out of her room, hair disheveled.

The slap mark on her face was still clearly visible.

...

Seeing Ethan and me standing at the doorway.