Chapter 130

"Every time my parents bring this up, we end up having a huge fight!" As Rilla spoke, the light in her eyes gradually dimmed, filled with disappointment. "Maybe I really can't escape Willowbrook Village. Back then, the economy was rough, and even graduates from top universities struggled to find jobs. I had no choice. I ended up getting a basic teaching certificate and, following my parents' wishes, became an elementary school teacher in the town at the foot of the mountain."

"It was during this time that I met Janet. We slowly became friends. I learned about her situation-no matter what she did, she was always scolded. Everything she did was wrong, and she had to do all the housework while her brother did nothing."

"Every time Janet vented her frustrations to me, she cried so hard. I kept advising her to leave, to go to another city, even if it meant working as a waitress. At least she'd be free. Janet was already sixteen, but probably due to long-term malnutrition, she didn't get her period until she was eighteen. Her mom thought she couldn't have children and even cursed her, saying if she couldn't bear children, she might as well be dead to save the family some food."

Zoey listened, already used to what happened in Willowbrook Village.

Every parent imposed their misfortunes on their children, hoping they'd be even more unfortunate.

Rilla continued, "She's just a girl, and girls naturally depend on their parents and are timid. She hadn't seen much of the world. The thing she said to me the most was that she wished her mother would love her. Just one compliment from her mom, and she'd work like crazy in the fields. I realized how deeply her parents had influenced her mind. It took a long to wake her up a bit. She finally started thinking about leaving."

"I was also working hard to leave. Even though I was teaching elementary school, I kept sending out resumes every day. When I got a job offer in the city, I was ecstatic. But when I went home to pack, my parents refused to let me go. They even arranged a marriage for me! The guy was over ten years older than me, divorced with a kid. I was on the verge of breaking down. No matter what I said, they wouldn't listen. I had no choice but to leave without my luggage, sneaking out when they weren't paying attention."

"I almost made it. But at the train station, I ran into someone from our village. He must have noticed how anxious I was and guessed I was running away. He kept talking to me, trying to take me to work at Hugh's factory. I refused, saying I already had a job, but he wouldn't listen. He looked at me strangely, and then another man appeared out of nowhere and dragged me away right in front of everyone at the train station!"

"Do you know how desperate I felt? I screamed for help, but it was useless! No one helped me; they just watched like it was a show!"

"I still remember the looks on their faces!" Rilla's jaw was clenched so tightly it seemed like her teeth might shatter.

She trembled all over. "Looking back, it seemed like everyone at the station was men. It's terrifying to think about. My parents eventually bought me back because they were afraid no one would take care of them in their old age. They didn't dare mention marriage again, but they took my paycheck every month."

"Even if they didn't watch me, I wouldn't dare leave. It's too scary. We can't escape. I even advised Janet not to leave because she had a brother. If she left, no one would buy her back."

"Through Janet, I met Faye and Sadie. The people in the village loved gossiping, only talking about village matters. But Faye and Sadie were different. They often came to chat with me, listening to stories about life outside Willowbrook Village."

"I had gotten used to the ignorance of the people here. At first, I got angry, but eventually, I became numb because I knew I couldn't change anything. Maybe it was because I had been in the village too long. Even when people insulted me, I didn't bother to fight back."

"This numb life continued until Janet came to me in tears, saying she was getting married. I was shocked and asked why so suddenly. She told me everything. I had suffered at Hugh's factory and knew his family wasn't good. Janet didn't want to marry, but her parents had decided. She spent every day crying at my place."

"Faye and Sadie started coming over more often. Maybe they saw Janet crying all the time and were affected. Faye told me about being raped multiple times by Chad. I was horrified. Chad was a beast, threatening Faye that if she didn't marry him, he'd find a way to rape Sadie too. He even threatened to tell everyone about their relationship, forcing their parents to make them both marry him!"

"I felt so powerless, so much that the absurdity of Willowbrook Village made me laugh. Women here have no dignity. We can't escape, and no one listens to us. What kind of place is this?"

"From the bottom of my heart, I believe this place shouldn't be called Willowbrook Village. It should be called Hell!" Rilla's voice was filled with despair and helplessness, her remaining anger crushed by reality; her tears streamed down her face.

"For a while, I listened to them talk about the injustices they faced every day. I wanted to help them, but I knew I couldn't even help myself. How could I help others? I told them I hoped they could all be okay, but deep down, I knew it was impossible. The only fate for women here is to serve men and bear their children." The more she spoke, the harder she cried, making some words hard to understand. Zoey had to guess their meaning.

Zoey added, "That's really sad. So, what happened next?"

Rilla was speechless.

She had wanted to pour out her tragic story, but Zoey's indifference interrupted her.

The atmosphere was ruined, and she couldn't continue. Her tears subsided a bit.

Rilla added, "In the following days, every time I closed my eyes, I saw Janet, Faye, and Sadie crying in front of me. It made me feel so depressed. I thought maybe watching a movie would help."