Chapter 1

My mother-in-law, Elizabeth, spent three years turning me into the perfect obedient trophy wife of a wealthy family.

I thought she despised me — until she personally dragged me to a high-end restaurant to catch my husband in the act.

She didn't scream or make a scene like some unhinged woman on the street. Instead, right in front of the other woman, she made one phone call and cut off every card my husband had.

She pulled me behind her, her eyes cold as a blade: "The heir I spent three years grooming with my own hands was not meant to be disrespected by trash like you."

I thought my mother-in-law was my salvation — my ally, the one who would pull me out of the quicksand of my marriage.

But years later, when I held complete control of the entire corporation, the woman who had disappeared for so long called me out of nowhere — and revealed a truth that sent ice down my spine.

"Evelyn, hold those tears back. Crying is the most useless thing in this world."

Outside the private dining room of an upscale French restaurant, Elizabeth shot me a cold glance. She wore a perfectly tailored dark gray couture suit, a flawless luxury watch on her wrist, and carried herself with an authority that was almost suffocating.

I bit down hard on my lip, my whole body trembling.

Just on the other side of that door, my husband William was having dinner with a young, beautiful girl. Her name was Daisy — a new intern at his company.

Half an hour ago, Elizabeth had suddenly pulled me out of the house without a word of explanation and brought me straight here. Through the gap in the door, I watched with my own eyes as William cut a piece of steak and fed it into Daisy's mouth, his gaze so tender it could melt.

That tenderness. He hadn't shown it to me in a very long time.

"Mom…" My voice came out hoarse, my mind completely blank.

Bang!

Elizabeth ignored me and kicked the door open.

The crash startled everyone inside. William spun around, and the moment he saw us, his knife and fork clattered onto his plate and the color drained from his face.

"Mom? Evelyn? What are you two doing here…"

Daisy looked just as stunned, shrinking into her chair like a frightened rabbit, her eyes going red almost instantly.

Elizabeth didn't shout. She didn't lunge forward. She walked in on her heels, one deliberate step at a time, and stood over the table, looking down at William.

"The Wellington here is excellent. Too bad you don't deserve it."

Her tone was flat, but it carried a chill that cut to the bone. She took out her phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker.

"Alfred, cancel every supplementary card under William's name and freeze his personal accounts. Also, notify Legal — pull his signing authority on the North District project. Effective immediately."

The voice on the other end confirmed without hesitation.

William shot to his feet, panic breaking through. "Mom! What are you doing? If you have something to say, we can talk at home — don't do this here—"

"Home?" Elizabeth let out a short, cold laugh. Her gaze swept across Daisy's face like a blade. "Do you still have a home? I spent three years personally grooming a daughter-in-law to help protect this family's legacy — not so you could go out and embarrass me with something like this."

Daisy flinched as if she'd been struck, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Ma'am, you've got it wrong, Mr. Sterling and I are just—"

"Shut up." Elizabeth didn't even look at her. "Who do you think you are, speaking to me like that? Go handle your resignation tomorrow and get out of the company. Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't find work in this city — not even waiting tables."

With that, Elizabeth turned and grabbed my wrist, her grip startlingly strong.

"Did you see enough?" She held my gaze, each word deliberate. "That is the man you've devoted yourself to for three years. Let's go."

I followed her out of the restaurant like a puppet on a string.