“Illegal? This is my son’s house! I don’t need your permission to come here. And don’t think you can get away with this – someone’s got to deal with you since my son’s not here!
“You think you can cheat on my son after I spent so much money to bring you into this family? I’ll beat you to death for this!”
I was stunned, about to ask if she had the wrong person, when she grabbed my collar and slapped me twice across the face, hard enough to make my ears ring.
I was dizzy and disoriented from the blows, sitting on the floor for a long time before I could even process what was happening.
The onlookers’ faces were filled with disgust, and their comments were even nastier.
“Well, well, it’s you! Always dressing so fancy, but who knew you were so disgusting in private?”
“Your husband’s only been gone a few days, and you’re already in a hurry to cheat? Back in the day, you’d be drowned for this!”
One of the sleazier male neighbors even leered at me, suggesting I look him up when I couldn’t get satisfaction elsewhere.
I clenched my teeth so hard I nearly shattered them. Never in my life had I been insulted like this.