On New Year's Eve, my husband was stranded on the highway due to a blizzard. "Honey, you've worked hard. As soon as the snow stops, I'll head back immediately." Hearing his exhausted voice, my heart softened: "Don't worry, I've got everything handled at home." I worked myself to the bone that night, until my best friend called: "Where is he stuck?" "Interstate 90." "Impossible! That road opened up six hours ago. Are you sure he's on the highway?" 1 I held the phone, suddenly unable to speak. My best friend scoffed lightly: "Chloe, you're too naive. A man not coming home on New Year's Eve only has two explanations." "...What?" "First, he really is stuck. But in that case, your phone would be blowing up with his messages. He'd initiate video calls to show you the road conditions, and complain endlessly, because he'd be more anxious than you are." She paused: "Has he?" My heart sank. No. Not only had he not contacted me, but he hadn't even replied to the messages I'd sent. "Then... what's the second explanation?" "The second," Her voice grew cold: "Is that he doesn't want to come home at all. He has a free nanny at home to serve his parents and entertain relatives, while he has a cozy little setup waiting for him outside. He's making out like a bandit." My vision went dark, and I instinctively grabbed the edge of the stove. No... that couldn't be true. Ten years of marriage. Liam wasn't that kind of person. "Chloe, when are we eating? Don't make the new brother-in-law wait too long!" My mother-in-law's voice drifted in from the living room. New brother-in-law. Right. Tonight, Liam's sister brought her new boyfriend home. So I had to prepare a New Year's Eve feast for the whole extended family. But... My best friend's words echoed in my ears. Was Liam really stuck on the highway? I unlocked my screen and video-called Liam. It rang twice before being declined. Immediately after, a message popped up: "Chloe, my battery is dying. I still need to call Mom for New Year's greetings, so let's skip the video call." I dried my hands and sent a probing reply: "I put a new power bank in the glove compartment on the passenger side. Our daughter misses you and wants to wish Daddy a Happy New Year." After the message was sent, the 'typing' indicator appeared repeatedly, but there was no reply for a long time. If I had only one percent of doubt before, now I had a hundred. Because there was no power bank in the glove compartment. Which meant, he wasn't in the car. "Sister-in-law! Mom's talking to you, are you deaf?" My sister-in-law shuffled into the kitchen in her slippers: "Look at the time! We're all waiting to eat so we can go set off fireworks!" I looked up at her: "Liam just messaged me saying he ordered our New Year's Eve dinner from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Could you call and ask him where he is? My phone is dying." She looked at me suspiciously: "He ordered from a Michelin-starred restaurant? Why didn't you say so earlier?" She casually pulled out her phone and dialed. The call was answered after just two rings. "Brother? When is that Michelin dinner you ordered getting here? It's past nine, and the whole family is starving!" The person on the other end was clearly taken aback: "What Michelin dinner? Stop making trouble, don't you know I'm busy here?" Before she could finish, the call was hung up. My sister-in-law flared up instantly: "Are you fucking with me? My brother never ordered any Michelin dinner! I'm getting Mom to deal with you!" Right now, I had no time for her accusations. One fact floated incredibly clearly before my eyes. Liam could answer her call in seconds, but declined my video call. He wasn't on any blizzard-swept highway at all. "Are you sure?" My best friend's voice came through the receiver. I took a deep breath, trembling with panic. "Then... where exactly is he?" "Don't panic." "Even if you're sure he's curled up in some tramp's bed, you have to stay calm. Don't tip him off." "And then what?" "And then, clean up and keep cooking." "What?" I could barely keep my voice down: "He's out there screwing around, and I have to stay home and serve his entire family?" "Don't be rash," My best friend's voice lowered: "Do as I say. Let's see if Liam can rush back immediately!" 2 Before she finished, the door was kicked open with a bang. "What a sin! The whole family is waiting to eat, and you have the leisure to hide here and talk on the phone? My son is out there working his fingers to the bone to make money, how did he end up marrying such a clueless woman?" My mother-in-law stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, her face full of harshness. I quickly hung up the phone and squeezed out a submissive smile: "Mom, don't be angry. Just wait half an hour, dinner will definitely be ready." Back in the kitchen, I dumped all the ingredients, thawed and frozen alike, into a pot, added water, and made a hodgepodge stew. Then, I brought out the strongest liquor in the house. To be honest, I also wanted to know exactly where Liam was right now. "What... what is this?" My sister-in-law stared dumbfounded at the pot of mishmash on the table. "This is a specialty from my hometown, a rustic stew." I lied without blinking: "It looks rough, but all the flavors are stewed together. It's delicious." Everyone took a skeptical bite and immediately spat it all over the floor. "Holy shit, is this meant for human consumption?" Without changing my expression, I filled everyone's glass with liquor and brought out a platter of cut fruit. "Everyone has different tastes. If you can't stomach the stew, try the seafood. It's all steamed. The mangoes are imported too." Thus, the only edible things left on the entire table were a few plates of seafood and mangoes. My daughter had already filled up on snacks and ran off to watch TV. My father-in-law downed a few glasses of liquor and quickly passed out drunk. My sister-in-law and her boyfriend were young and had strong constitutions. Only my mother-in-law urgently knocked on my door in the middle of the night. "I... my chest is tight, and I'm itching all over... Quick, take me to the hospital!" She scratched her arms incessantly, her voice full of agitation. I feigned surprise: "Mom, why is your face swollen? I'll go get Mia up to help!" Mrs. Vance glared at me with displeasure: "You have no tact at all. The young ones just went to sleep, don't wake them. You just take me." I nodded and grabbed my car keys. Before leaving, I glanced at my phone. 2:00 AM. Liam hadn't replied to a single message. The hospital emergency room was packed, mostly around the gastroenterology department. It seemed we weren't the only ones suffering from food poisoning after New Year's Eve dinner. Soon, the doctor informed us she needed her stomach pumped. My mother-in-law was already dizzy by then and could only shove her handbag into my hands. My best friend's warning rang in my ears: "If a man really wants to hide something from you, he will erase all traces. But there's one person he'll never guard against. So, you have to find a way to get that phone." Right now, that phone was lying in my palm. But I didn't know the passcode. The next second, I grabbed a nurse's sleeve: "Miss, I left in such a hurry I didn't bring my wallet or a power bank, and my phone is dead. Could I trouble you to take the old lady's phone in and ask her to unlock it? I need to go pay the bill." The nurse frowned and took the phone. A moment later, she handed it back to me: "The passcode is 980602. Go pay the bill quickly." I thanked her and turned toward the payment counter. I swiped the screen and directly opened the chat with Liam. What I saw struck my brain like a bolt of lightning. 3 "Mom, thanks for your hard work. Vivian is pregnant, and I can't get away. You'll have to deal with that mother and daughter a bit longer." "A useless woman who can't even give me a son thinks she's so capable. Mom knows what to do, I definitely won't let her ruin our family's big plans." "Okay, once the baby is born safely, I'll lay my cards on the table. I've already had a friend check; it's a boy. Put your mind at ease, and remember to delete this after reading." Above that, it was completely blank. I leaned against the wall to steady myself. The mother and son had clearly planned this, erasing all traces clean. It's just that my mother-in-law's sudden accident didn't leave her time to deal with this final piece of evidence. I quickly used her phone to search for any clues related to Vivian. Soon, a contact named Vivian popped up. Fortunately, all the chat history between them was there. I immediately opened the recording function on my own phone and pointed it at the screen. Vivian sent a series of messages: "Mom, I specifically went to the temple today." Attached were several photos of her kneeling devoutly before a Buddha statue. "I'm willing to trade ten years of my life for Mom's good health and longevity." My mother-in-law's reply followed closely: "Silly girl, don't say that. Your body is the most precious thing right now. How could Mom bear to use your lifespan? If someone really needs to make that trade... use Chloe's. Her life is cheap anyway." Tears rolled down without warning, smashing onto the floor tiles. Chloe. That was me. I gave up everything, serving his whole family day and night, just so my husband wouldn't have to worry while he was out working. But in the end, my life became just another part of their twisted game. I sent the recorded video to my best friend. She had clearly been awake all night: "This recording is evidence from a third party's device. Its probative value and legality will be significantly diminished in court. What are you planning to do next?" "Divorce." My answer came without a hint of hesitation. The other end was silent for a moment: "Of course you need a divorce. But before that, we have to figure out your joint marital assets. For Liam to be so blatant, it means he's already isolated his assets. In other words, he's not afraid of you finding out now." My heart sank. She hit the nail on the head. For the past two years, Liam always talked about the bad economy and tight cash flow at his company. The fixed monthly household allowance plummeted from $20,000 to $5,000. The once substantial company dividends turned into a perfunctory few thousand in pocket money. Trapped in his carefully woven web of lies, I believed him completely, even feeling sorry for his stress. It was only today that I suddenly woke up. This wasn't a business slump; it was a premeditated transfer of assets. "A businessman's betrayal is a high-dimensional strike against his wife. You can't play chess on his board; you have to step outside his rules." My best friend's words brushed away the dust on my long-forgotten memories. Before I got married, I was also a top-tier player. Although I had devoted all my energy to my family and child over the past ten years, it didn't mean I had lost all my skills. When a man transfers assets, there are only two paths: First, funneling them to the third party. This is the most direct malicious transfer. As long as I can find concrete proof of any transaction, I can recover it in full. So he wouldn't be that stupid. That leaves the second path: funneling them to his parents. This is the trickiest path. In the name of filial piety, he buys real estate for his parents and pays huge medical and retirement expenses. Every transaction is perfectly justified. And this is exactly the opening I must tear apart now. 4 "So, does it still matter if he comes back now?" My best friend's words pulled me back to reality. "It doesn't matter anymore." "Right now, all his attention is on that woman. This is the perfect time for me to set my trap." "Good." My best friend finally sighed in relief: "You've finally woken up." Just as she finished speaking, the door to the treatment room opened. My mother-in-law was wheeled out. She immediately saw her bag in my hand and snatched it back. "Do you have any common sense? Can you eat seafood and mangoes together? Are you trying to kill me?!" Her roar made everyone in the emergency room turn to look. The doctor came over to explain the precautions. The gist was that the New Year's Eve dinner ingredients were mixed, and the elderly woman's digestive system was fragile, making it extremely easy for foods to clash. She needed to be hospitalized for observation for three days. During this time, her diet had to be very bland, preferably just plain congee. I nodded submissively as I listened. Congee? What an unexpected delight. By the time everything was settled, the sky was already growing light. I had been up all night and was exhausted, but the old lady clearly didn't intend to let me off easily. Her eyelids drooped: "Go home and make me some millet congee, and bring a few changes of clothes. Keep it quiet, don't wake the others." I nodded: "Okay. Should I call Liam? If he's back, he can take over for me." Her eyes widened instantly: "Do you have any conscience? He drove all night, can't you let him rest? He's out there working himself to death to support you and your daughter!" The next second, the door to the hospital room opened. A handsome young man walked in: "Hello, did someone here need a caregiver?" I raised an eyebrow. Finally. This was the second actual thing I had accomplished just now. "What caregiver? No, no!" My mother-in-law immediately waved him away. But I had already stood up, casually tucking in the corner of her blanket that had slipped down: "Mom, it's already paid for, and it's hard to get a refund during the holidays. It's just three days. You've worked hard your whole life; you deserve to enjoy yourself a bit." Without waiting for her to finish her long tirade, I turned and left. The schedule was tight; I didn't have time to listen to these clichés anymore. Since I knew her payment passcode, of course, I was going to maximize its value. My father-in-law was a complete alcoholic, and the dictionary of men from that generation certainly didn't include the word "consideration." Emotional value? A luxury. Since that was the case, what was wrong with me hiring a professional and attentive caregiver for my mother-in-law, letting her experience a second spring? I rushed home as fast as I could. Pushing open the door, a strong stench of vomit hit my face. The living room was a mess. My father-in-law was passed out drunk on the sofa. His chest covered in filth. My sister-in-law? Long gone. I turned sideways and waved to the young woman who had followed me: "From now on, you stay here. You're responsible for cleaning and cooking, $10,000 a month. My old man isn't short on money, he just wants things clean and comfortable." The young woman surveyed the mess, forcing down her disgust: "Sis... this... this will cost extra." I patted her shoulder and readily agreed: "Reasonable. An extra $2,000 a month, and if you take good care of him, there are bonuses." A smile immediately bloomed on her face, and she briskly rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning. Seeing that everything was arranged on both sides, I finally felt at ease. What was the point of Liam working so hard to make money? Wasn't it so the whole family could live a good life? What was the point of just him and his mistress being comfortable? Last night, I had already taken the opportunity to leave the household register on my sister-in-law and her boyfriend's nightstand. I wanted them to know that everyone is free. They could merge their lives as they pleased. Broaden their horizons. Instead of letting someone else have an illegitimate child, why not have one yourself? Honestly, I was really looking forward to it. My best friend was absolutely right: "A businessman's betrayal is a high-dimensional strike against the original wife." But he forgot that creating internal family conflicts was my main battlefield. Liam had done everything he could do. And what I could do had just begun. 5 I took my daughter and drove straight to my parents' house without looking back. Before leaving, I sent Liam a message: "Hubby, our daughter might have eaten something bad last night, she keeps saying her stomach hurts. My parents are closer to the children's hospital, so I'm taking her there for a checkup and we'll stay for a couple of days. You'll have to take care of things with Mom and Dad." Message sent, I turned off my phone. After settling my daughter, I turned around and rented a single room right across from Liam's parents' place. I carefully observed their every move. I had accurately predicted everyone's actions: My mother-in-law, for the sake of her unborn eldest grandson, would never admit she was seriously ill. She would definitely grit her teeth and power through, to avoid disrupting her son's good time. Expecting her to ask Liam to come back and replace me? Wishful thinking. And the nanny at my father-in-law's side was no ordinary worker. She had received strict training. She knew how to massage and play chess. And she provided extremely high emotional value. This was something my mother-in-law could never match. Since I knew Liam was a piece of trash, his father would only be worse. My sister-in-law? She wouldn't bring up the mess at home either. After all, when her father collapsed in a pile of vomit, she was the first to pack her bags and leave. So, the only person responsible for this family right now was me. And now, I was gone too. Liam could finally wait in peace for his little brother to be born in that cozy love nest. No matter whose child it was, it was fine. I loved it all. Sure enough, for three whole days, Liam didn't send me a single message. He didn't even want to pretend anymore. The fourth day, the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. I went to handle my mother-in-law's discharge paperwork. As soon as I reached the door of the hospital room, I saw a picture of family bliss: A young woman with a noticeably swollen belly was sitting by the bed, massaging the old lady's calf. And that man stood behind the woman, expertly massaging her shoulders. Sunlight poured through the window onto them, drawing envious glances from countless other patients. It was an incredibly heartwarming scene. If that man wasn't my husband. Clearly, the male caregiver hadn't caught the old lady's eye. I slowly backed away. No. It wasn't time yet. I constantly remembered my best friend's warning: "Once the illegitimate child is born, your and your daughter's destiny will be completely rewritten. Especially in this kind of family that favors boys over girls, to pave the way for the grandson, they will use every trick in the book to force you out with nothing, even colluding to manufacture debt and make you pay them." I turned back to the rented room and picked up my binoculars. I saw the two inside acting distant, with absolutely no progress. My temples throbbed with anxiety. It was too late. Soon, the three of them returned. My phone vibrated. It was Liam. "I'm heading to my parents' place, I have something to tell you." My fingertips trembled slightly. I quickly put the phone on silent. It seemed they were going to lay their cards on the table. Upon entering, my mother-in-law was dumbfounded: "Who is this? So while I was lying in the hospital for three days, you were living like an emperor at home?" After a moment of dead silence, my father-in-law began to complain: "You had someone serving you in the hospital. I woke up covered in vomit, the house was freezing cold, not even a sip of hot water! If Chloe hadn't called someone to help, I could have died at home and no one would have known!" The air froze for a few seconds. My mother-in-law looked at the nanny in annoyance: "Since I'm back, we don't need outsiders in the house. Tell her to leave." In the living room, the young woman spoke up timidly: "Auntie, we signed a formal contract, a six-month term... if you terminate it now, according to the rules, you have to pay a penalty equal to two months' salary."
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