I send my mother 1.5 million pesos monthly for my postpartum wife. Coming home early, I found my wife eating spoiled rice with fish heads. Furious, I confronted my mom, who sneered, “She doesn’t deserve better.” Then, I checked the family safe and found…

needed.”

I placed both of my palms flat on the cold granite counter and dropped my chin to my chest. I couldn’t look at her. I was terrified that if she looked into my eyes, she would see the monstrous guilt expanding inside me.

Suddenly, my memory violently replayed the past month of evening meals. I remembered coming home, bone-tired, sitting at this continue reading …