Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Making a Move in Secret

“What do you mean, ’pushing you to your death’?” Zachary Preston asked, looking at her. “Do you not have hands and feet?”

“For years, your excuse was that the children were young and you had to stay home to raise them. I let you have your way. But now, the kids are grown. You’re not just failing to take care of them at home, you’re actively causing trouble and making everyone miserable. It would be better for you to get a job than to just sit around idling your days away.”

Master Nathan had actually been the one to give him the idea. The last time Master Nathan visited, he saw the chaos in the house and told him, “It’s perfectly natural for a man to provide for his wife. The problem is when a woman stays home all day with nothing to do. She starts hanging around with all the gossips and stirs up a load of trouble. In the end, the kids aren’t looked after, and the house is full of drama. In a case like that, it’s better to have her find a job, any job.”

Master Nathan would never tell Zachary that the idea had originally come from Vera Xavier.

Zachary thought it over and realized it made a lot of sense. Rona had been stirring up drama constantly lately. She showed no respect for his parents and offered no help to Vera. She had even shirked her duties last night when Cara was sick.

He had reached his limit with Rona.

Rona’s temper flared instantly. “I’m the one who’s been holding this family together all these years! What do you mean I’m just idling my days away? Zachary Preston, have you no conscience?!

“I was the one cleaning up their every mess, from dirty diapers to sick days! I worked myself to the bone for this family day in and day out! I’ve finally earned a bit of rest these past few years, and now you want me to go out and work? How can you be so heartless! Are you trying to push me to my death?”

Zachary’s brow furrowed tightly as he listened to her tirade. He truly couldn’t understand how the gentle, kind Rona of their youth had turned into… this.

’Asking her to get a job means I’m heartless? That I’m pushing her to her death? It was clear now. He had been far too lenient with her over the years. That’s what had allowed her to become so pampered and lazy!’

He took a deep breath. “This is final. I won’t be giving you my paycheck anymore.”

Rona was so enraged she started screaming at him. “You useless, heartless man! Other men provide for their wives, letting them live a life of luxury at home! You’ve given me nothing to enjoy, and now you want me to go out and earn money? I must have been blind to marry you!”

A vein throbbed on Zachary’s forehead. Rona started crying again. “Back then, I didn’t look down on you for your family’s landlord background! Do you know how many young men were lining up to marry me? But I only had eyes for you! I defied my entire family to marry you, and I never thought you’d treat me like this! You’re utterly depraved!”

Rona had been quite a looker in her youth, considered a real beauty back in the day.

By the time she married Zachary, talk of class background had mostly died down, but the stigma remained. Because the Preston Family was still labeled as landlords, it had been difficult to find a wife for their son.

Therefore, when Rona married Zachary, she felt a certain sense of superiority. She believed he was incredibly lucky to have her—that his ancestors must have done something truly great. As a result, she had reigned over the Preston Family like an Empress for all these years.

It was only because his grandmother had been so formidable back then, putting Rona firmly in her place a few times. Otherwise, Rona would have grown arrogant enough to think she could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep