I Want Uncle

Due to the stocking incident with my wife, I had a lousy afternoon. My mind was consumed by thoughts of her potential infidelity, and it was truly despair-inducing.

Moreover, the man in the Audi seemed oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I had seen him before.

With my mood sour and a lack of motivation, I barely made any money delivering orders all day—earning less than $100. As the evening rush began, and with my electric scooter out of charge, I reluctantly headed home.

After recharging the scooter in the community garage, I made my way to our residence. As I approached the door, the scent of cooking wafted through the air, and I couldn't help but wonder if Emily, despite everything, had actually prepared a meal for me.

Upon closer inspection, the aroma emanated from our neighbor's house, and any hopes of a decent meal vanished. Emily hadn't cooked a proper meal for me in years, even when I had money and hired help.

Unlocking the door, I found our son watching cartoons on the couch—apparently, Emily had brought him home. Peeking into the kitchen, I saw Emily struggling with something, but it didn't seem like she was cooking.

Walking to the kitchen entrance, I called out, "What are you doing?"

Smiling, she responded, "Darling, why are you back so early? It's not dinner time yet."

"My scooter ran out of battery," I explained, noticing the dried meat in her hands. "Are you cooking?"

She nodded, saying, "I told you I'd make dinner tonight. But, how do I prepare this preserved meat?"

I sighed internally and said, "Let me handle it."

However, our son interrupted, shouting, "I don't want this. I want steak!"

"Steak?" I was baffled. How did a four-year-old know about steak?

He nodded and explained, "Yeah, steak! We had it for lunch."

I looked at Emily, puzzled. She wore a guilty expression.

Damn it!

I work hard delivering takeout, earning only a few bucks per order, while she takes our son out for steak. It's intolerable!

Before I could erupt, our son declared, "I don't eat this. I want Uncle's steak."

Uncle's steak? Now, I was completely bewildered. Why was my son talking about his uncle?

Before I could delve further, Emily shot a harsh glance at our son, who hesitated but eventually nodded. I stopped questioning, explaining to our son that the preserved meat was a special treat from Grandma.

But the situation escalated when our son started claiming I was a bad person, expressing a desire for his uncle.

Frustrated and hurt, I couldn't help but connect the dots between the steak incident and the suspicious Audi encounter. Angry, I struck my son's backside, prompting a dramatic tantrum.

The chaotic scene continued as Emily and I engaged in a heated argument. Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted the chaos.

Opening the door, I was surprised to find my in-laws and Emily's brother, Razor Claw, standing there. Their unexpected visit left me uneasy. What were they doing here?

Razor Claw led the way into the house, shooting me a fierce glare before heading towards my wife.

Following closely, my in-laws entered with displeasure written all over their faces.

My father-in-law spoke up, "We heard you arguing right at the doorstep. Are you worried the neighbors might miss out on your little drama?"

My mother-in-law, always protective of her daughter, approached my wife, scrutinizing her with disapproval before shooting me a stern look.

Then, the scolding commenced. My father-in-law started with, "Alex Phoenix, you call yourself a man? I gave you such a good daughter, and you dare lay a hand on her?"

Razor Claw chimed in, "Exactly! A useless bum with no skills, and now that you've got a temper. So, you're the tough guy now, huh?"

Their words left me feeling somewhat humiliated. I thought to myself, "Your daughter cheats on me, puts a green hat on my head, and somehow it's my fault?"

What were they here for? Deliberately criticizing me?

My father-in-law, with a bit more cultural refinement from his previous work at the education bureau, spoke calmly. He stepped forward and said, "Enough with the noise. We're all family. Why fight?"

After this, my father-in-law called me over, "Alex Phoenix, come here. Let me have a word with you."

Uncertain about what he wanted to discuss, I approached.

My father-in-law asked my wife and Razor Claw to step aside and sent my mother-in-law to the kitchen to prepare a meal.

It seemed like he had something to discuss with me privately.

However, a vague sense of foreboding crept into my mind.