Chapter 3

I never imagined Miranda could be so shameless.

On May Day, I was at home playing with Emma when my phone suddenly buzzed.

It was a text from the bank.

The supplementary card I'd set up for Ethan—one transaction, one hundred thousand dollars.

Recipient: National Life Insurance Company.

I stared at the screen for several seconds.

One hundred thousand? Insurance?

Ethan had left that morning saying he was going to visit Miranda. He hadn't mentioned anything to me.

My first thought was that after his car accident, he might be feeling anxious and wanted more protection for himself and the family.

Buying insurance wasn't a bad thing, but one hundred thousand wasn't a small amount. How could he not even discuss it with me first?

I called the insurance company's customer service.

"Hello, I'd like to inquire about a policy purchased this morning. The policyholder is Ethan Miller."

After verifying my identity, the representative told me:

"This policy is an accident insurance policy. Policyholder: Ethan Miller. Insured: Ethan Miller. Coverage amount: five hundred thousand dollars."

"Who's the beneficiary?"

"The beneficiary listed is Leo Jackson."

Leo Jackson.

Leo.

Miranda's son.

My grip on the phone tightened instantly.

"Who came in person to process the policy?"

"The system shows the policyholder came in person. One accompanying person was registered—Ms. Miranda Miller."

I hung up and sat motionless on the sofa.

Emma came over with her toys.

"Mommy, look—a castle."

I absentmindedly patted her head. "That's great, sweetie."

Around four o'clock that afternoon, Ethan came home.

I handed him my phone with the bank text displayed.

"One hundred thousand dollars. Insurance company. Explain."

His face stiffened. He took the phone, glanced at it, and put it down.

"I was just helping my brother-in-law meet his quota. He's been selling insurance part-time lately.

His company has performance targets.

If he doesn't bring in enough business, they dock his pay. I was just helping him out."

"Helping him out costs one hundred thousand?"

"It's a dividend policy. It's not wasted money. When I reach retirement age, I can get all the principal back, plus annual dividends."

He spoke haltingly, his eyes constantly drifting to the side.

"Then why is Leo listed as the beneficiary?"

"Well, it's accident insurance. It only pays out if something happens. I'm not unlucky enough to keep having accidents, am I?

The beneficiary doesn't really matter—I'll never need to use it.

My brother-in-law said putting Leo's name makes it easier to process through the system."

"Why not Emma? Why not me? Why does it have to be your nephew?"

He opened his mouth but couldn't answer.

I stared at him for a long moment.

He turned his head away.

I didn't press further.

Even if I kept asking, he'd just keep using the same excuses.

I remembered what Miranda had said in the bedroom last time, lowering her voice: "You don't have money, but your wife does."

One hundred thousand dollars—spent just like that.

Spent on a policy with his nephew listed as the beneficiary.

Before Ethan's car accident, Miranda wasn't warm to me, but she'd never done anything too outrageous either.

From the moment Ethan had his accident, she completely changed.

She became entitled. She became insatiable.

Now I understood why she'd changed.

Because of money.

Ethan could no longer have children. He only had Emma, a daughter.

In Miranda's eyes, this family would eventually have no male heir. Eventually, this money would have no one to spend it.

Rather than let it go to outsiders, why not take it herself?

She wasn't targeting me personally—she was targeting our family's money.