My Daughter Helped Him Kill Me

In my past life, my daughter, Chloe, knew exactly how terrified I was of snakes.

Yet, she still bought one and kept it in our house. Shed watch me jump around in sheer terror, a mocking smirk plastered across her face.

My husband, Leo, just stood by and watched with cold eyes. He even claimed we needed to "respect our child's hobbies."

He eventually snuck the snake into the bathroom while I was showering, calling it "exposure therapy" to help me get over my phobia. In a blind panic, I tried to escape through the window, slipped, and fell to my death from the sixth floor.

In this life, I dont want Leo or Chloe anymore.

"Hey? Hey? Mom, can you hear me? I said I have a huge surprise for you!"

Chloes voice through the receiver made me realize I had been reborn.

I gripped my phone, my entire body trembling.

In my previous life, Chloe had used this exact same cheerful, innocent tone to urge me to come home.

The moment I opened the front door, a snake was waiting for me.

Ive always had a paralyzing phobia of snakes. Just looking at a photo of one would make me break out in a cold sweat. But in that moment, a real, live snake was hissing and flicking its tongue right in front of me.

I couldnt control my screams. I begged Chloe to take it away.

But she just looked at me with those innocent eyes and said, "Mom, this is my new pet. You have to be nice to it from now on!"

With that, she walked toward me, holding the snake in her bare hands.

My legs went completely weak. The gourmet cake I had bought for her slipped from my hands and smashed all over the floor.

Chloe rushed over, her face falling. "Mom! How could you be so careless? You ruined my cake!"

She pouted, on the verge of tears. But I couldn't care less about comforting her. As she moved closer, the small snake writhed in her hands, heading right in my direction.

"Ah! Get it away!" I turned to run, but my foot caught on the edge of the stairs, and I tumbled all the way down.

My leg snapped. I clutched my broken limb, screaming in agony. Then, I watched in horror as the snake slithered out of her hands and crawled onto my body. I blacked out from pure terror.

"Mom! Are you even listening to me?! You are being so disrespectful right now!"

Chloes sharp voice snapped me back to reality.

She was lecturing me in her childish voice. In the past, I would have found it adorable.

I would have smiled and said, "I'm sorry, sweetie. Mommy was distracted. Forgive me?" and then done everything to coax her out of her pout.

But now? I didn't give a damn.

Without saying a word, I hung up. I turned to the bakery clerk and said, "Actually, I dont want this cake anymore."

The clerk, who was in the middle of boxing it up, froze.

"Ma'am, are you sure? This is the last custom strawberry shortcake we have today."

It was Chloes absolute favorite. It was always sold out by the time I picked her up from school.

Today, Leo had surprisingly offered to pick her up, which was the only reason I could get to the bakery early enough to grab the last one.

"I'm sure. I don't want it. You can sell it to someone else," I said. I paused, pulling out my VIP membership card.

"Also, I'd like to cancel my membership and refund the remaining balance to my card."

To get Chloe her favorite treats, I had pre-paid a ton of money at this high-end bakery over the years. The balance was easily over $2,000.

Now, Id rather donate that money to charity than spend a single dime of it on that ungrateful brat.

After canceling the card, I got a refund of $500 in cash.

From this moment on, Chloe wouldn't get a single penny of my money.

My phone started blowing up with call after call from her. Irritated, I finally picked up.

"Dad, look! The little snake is crawling right onto my hand!"

Hearing the word "snake" made my breath hitch.

There was a sudden gasp on the other end. Chloe clearly hadn't expected me to answer.

But in a split second, her cheerful tone turned incredibly defensive.

"Mom, why didn't you say anything when I called? And why did you hang up on me? That is so disrespectful."

I ignored her attitude. "What did you just say about a snake?"

"What? No... there's no snake," Chloe stammered, caught off guard, not knowing how to lie her way out of it.

"Just come home, Mom. I have a surprise for you."

The "surprise" was that damn snake.

Even though I had practically caught her red-handed, she still refused to tell the truth.

Leo had taught Chloe well. He taught her how to demand "respect" and use it as a weapon against me.

Yet, neither of them had ever shown me an ounce of respect!

Leo knew exactly how terrified I was of snakes, but he went behind my back and bought one anyway.

He had even lied to me, saying he didn't have to work overtime today so I could "take a break" while he picked Chloe up.

Chloe knew about my phobia too. Yet she wanted to lure me home, scare the life out of me, and laugh at my reaction.

"Mom, aren't you surprised? I've always wanted one, and Daddy made my dream come true!"

They knew I was terrified, yet they let the snake roam free in the house.

They let it slither around, even letting it crawl over my broken leg when I couldn't move, laughing hysterically as the color drained from my face!

Eventually, they "generously" told me that Chloe was willing to compromise for my sake and keep the snake in a glass tank.

Though I was still paralyzed with fear, I endured it for Chloe.

But even lying in bed, unable to move, I felt like a cold-blooded monster was watching me every second of the day.

During that recovery period, every minute in that house was pure torture. I would wake up from nightmares screaming, clawing at my skin to make sure the snake wasnt crawling on me.

Once my leg finally healed, I was finally able to take a proper shower.

But Leo secretly let the snake into the bathroom.

I was washing the shampoo out of my hair, eyes closed. The moment I opened them, I gasped. The snake's head was inches from my face, staring at me. I jumped back in panic, slamming my head hard against the sink.

Dizzy and in excruciating pain, I screamed for Leo to help me.

He was standing right outside the glass door. I could see his silhouette.

"Aurora, your leg is healed now. You need to start cleaning the guest bathroom again. You have to learn to get over this phobia."

"If you keep acting like this, Chloe is going to feel guilty. You need to start thinking about your daughter."

"After all, you're the only one in this house who hates snakes. You're the odd one out."

I was desperate. So desperate that I climbed onto the toilet to get away.

But the snake didn't stop. It kept slithering closer.

As I scrambled onto the window sill, the cold, slimy scales wrapped around my ankle.

The wet, slippery sensation triggered a primal wave of terror. I forgot I was on the sixth floor. I kicked back and fell.

As my eyes closed for the last time, I couldn't understand why they had treated me this way.

I always knew Chloe loved exotic pets.

But Chloe also always knew that they were my worst nightmare.

It wasn't until my rebirth, hearing Chloes laugh over the phone, that I finally got it.

She carried Leo's blood.

All the love, care, and guidance I had given her since she was a baby couldn't change her cold-blooded nature.

Just like Leo, she loved reptiles.

And just like Leo, she looked down on me.

"You bought a snake, didn't you? I heard you. Why are you lying to me?"

"You know how terrified I am of snakes. Why are you doing this to me?!"

The memories of my horrific death in my past life surged, and I couldn't stop myself from screaming.

Chloe was stunned into silence. Having let out all my rage, I slammed the phone down and hung up.

A moment later, Leo sent me a Snapchat message, lecturing me:

What the hell is wrong with you? Is this how a mother behaves?

We agreed we would raise our child as an independent individual.

If you can't respect and support your child, why did you even have one?

Chloe likes snakes. What's wrong with keeping one? Are you really going to throw a tantrum over this?

She's crying because of you. And you're still not home? Do you even care about this family?

Aurora, grow up. Do you think we're still dating?

Does everyone have to cater to your feelings?

If you're not home, who's making dinner?

And did you get the cake Chloe wanted?

You don't care about anything else, and now you can't even buy a simple cake for your own daughter!

I let out a bitter laugh. I had sacrificed everything for this family, yet in their eyes, I was still a failure of a wife and a terrible mother.

When we first got married, our finances were tight, so I wanted to hold off on having kids.

But Leo told me that as women get older, the quality of their eggs drops. He claimed if we waited, I'd have trouble conceiving, or worse, miscarry.

He said even if I did manage to give birth, the baby would be sickly.

Anxious and blinded by his words, I forgot that Leo was five years older than me.

If anyone had "poor quality," it was him.

Once I got pregnant, Leo would rub my belly every day.

He promised he would raise the baby himself to make sure they grew up independent, successful, and respected.

Seeing his supposed paternal love, I actually felt lucky to have married him.

Then, he told me my uterus was too weak and forced me to take early maternity leave to "protect the baby."

I didn't want to. I had just passed my probation at work. Taking leave now would make my boss think I had planned the pregnancy just to abuse the company's benefits.

But he just looked at me with pure disdain:

"The moment you got pregnant, your boss started hating you anyway. If you don't take leave now, you're just letting them exploit you."

I couldn't win the argument. Under the judgmental gazes of my colleagues and manager, I took my leave.

"She's barely even showing."

"She just passed her probation. Didn't she get pregnant during her trial period?"

"I remember the senior partners saying they didn't want to hire women."

"Yeah, Jennifer vouched for her. She promised there'd be no issues during the critical six-month project phase."

"Even if she is pregnant, she looks perfectly healthy. Why does she need leave this early?"

"Who knows? Maybe she has some 'medical complications.'"

My entire pregnancy was spent in a state of high anxiety.

I was excited for the baby, but I was also terrified of losing my career, of raising a child, and of trying to re-enter the workforce later.

But the moment the baby was born, Leo pressured me to quit.

"Breastfeeding is the healthiest option. You're a mother now. Your priority should be our child, not your selfish career."

I was too weak postpartum to fight him.

Looking at the tiny infant in my arms, a wave of maternal love washed over me.

Back then, I believed Leo was right. I was willing to sacrifice everything for my baby.

But when I handed in my resignation, my colleague's words echoed in my mind: I knew she was just using us for maternity benefits. It cut like a knife.

Leo pretended to comfort me, though he was really just looking down on them:

"People who haven't had kids just don't get it. Nurturing a new life is a woman's greatest value."

I ordered some DoorDash and enjoyed a moment of peacesomething I hadn't experienced since getting married.

Ever since I got married, I had stopped eating takeout.

Leo claimed takeout was unhealthy, yet he never cooked. Instead, he expected me to wake up at the crack of dawn to buy fresh groceries.

After making breakfast, I had to prepare his lunch. Following Leo's strict health standards and personal preferences, I had to pack a perfect bento box for him to take to the office.

He would say, "Its too much trouble for you to cook lunch at home, and commuting back and forth wastes too much of your time. I'm just looking out for you."

But the moment I finished my own work, I had to rush to the grocery store for dinner ingredients. The second I stepped through the door, I had to put on an apron and start cooking.

After dinner, it was dishwashing, laundry, and deep cleaning.

I was working a job while simultaneously carrying the full burden of a housewife.

That was one of the reasons I eventually gave in to Leo's pressure to become a stay-at-home mom.

"Just be a stay-at-home mom. No more stressful office job. You'll have it so much easier, and I'll take care of you."

He made it sound so simple. But once Chloe was born, I was solely responsible for every single aspect of her life.

When Chloe grew old enough to offer to help me sweep the floor, Leo immediately stopped her:

"Chloe, let Daddy tell you something. You need to learn to be independent."

"Look, sweeping is your mom's job. She's the adult. That's her responsibility. You shouldn't be doing it for her, okay?"

I was furious. "Leo, what do you mean 'my job'?"

"Chores should be shared by the family. Chloe is growing up, and she wants to help me. Why would you teach her otherwise?"

"You don't even work a real job anymore. If chores aren't your job, whose are they? Mine?"

"Can you grow up? Do you seriously need a little kid to do your work for you?"

"This is exactly why I need to teach Chloe to be independentso she doesn't end up like you!"

His voice boomed, startling Chloe into tears. Then, he turned his anger back on me:

"If you don't know how to raise a child, keep your mouth shut! Your random outbursts are going to ruin her mental health!"

So this was his version of "taking care of me."

I didn't have an office job, but the physical labor never stopped. It was just as exhausting, and he took it completely for granted.

And all his talk about teaching our child to be "independent"?

It was a joke. Parents are supposed to be role models.

He lived like a king, expecting everything to be handed to him on a silver platter. He wouldn't even empty a trash can if it was overflowing. What right did he have to teach anyone independence?

He demanded Chloe be "respected," so he used "respect" to control me at every turn.

Not making Chloe's favorite meal was disrespectful to her.

Not picking Chloe up from school on the dot was disrespectful to her.

Entering Chloe's room without permission was disrespectful to her.

If Chloe found trash in her room, it was still disrespectful to her.

Respect, respect, respect. For their twisted version of respect, I paid with my life.

But who had ever respected me?

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I opened Snapchat and texted Leo: I want a divorce.

He replied instantly: Why?

You guys want respect? Fine. I'm respecting you.

Since you both love snakes so much, you can have the house. I'm out.

Maybe they really did hate me.

The moment I brought up divorce, Chloe called me multiple times, screaming that I was an irresponsible mother and a terrible wife.

My voice was dead calm. "Who taught you to say those words?"

Chloe sounded proud of herself. "I'm older now. I know how the world works."

"Other moms either make a lot of money or take perfect care of the house. They do a great job."

"Why don't you make money, and you can't even do the chores right? You're failing as a mom."

"My friends' moms respect them. They let them have cats and dogs, and the moms are the ones who walk them and clean up after them."

"But you? The moment you found out I got a snake, you ran away and didn't even come home."

I listened to her entire rant patiently, then calmly replied, "Right. And remember when I wanted to get a dog? Did either of you let me?"

Chloe choked on her words.

Leo hated dogs. He claimed they shed too much.

He said walking a dog was a waste of time and would lower his quality of life. But we all knew I would have been the one walking the dog anyway. At the end of the day, he just didn't want me to have any distraction from serving him and his daughter.

Chloe didn't really care about dogs either way.

But Leo had sat her down, telling her how much of a hassle a dog would be, and insisted on "majority rules" to get her on his side.

If Chloe had agreed to the dog, she would have stepped on her precious father's toes.

So, to show "respect" to her beloved dad, Chloe voted against it.

And that was the end of the dog.

"You know your friends have cats and dogs," I said. "Go ask them how many of their parents would tolerate a snake living in their house."

Chloe tried to argue. "But everyone is different! Why shouldn't I be allowed to have a snake?"

"Oh, I am allowing it. That's why I'm giving you the house so you can raise it."

"You can let it sleep in my old bed if you want. I don't care. None of this has anything to do with me anymore."

Leo chimed in over her shoulder, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let her go. Who cares if she comes back? Like we can't survive without her."

I was actually really excited to see the answer to that.

I reminded Leo: "Don't forget to meet me at the family court tomorrow to file the paperwork."

I wanted to get out before they realized how much they actually relied on their live-in maid.

Unfortunately, there was a mandatory thirty-day separation period before the divorce could be finalized.

"Thirty days. See you then. Don't go regretting this. Let's see who else is going to spoil you like I did."

At the lawyer's office, Leo was smugger than ever.

He was absolutely convinced I couldn't survive without him.

But in this day and age, I had a working brain and a healthy body. There was nothing I couldn't do to support myself.

Without the two of them dragging me down, my real life was finally beginning.