My mom is the definition of a trophy wife—sweet, naive, and has never had a real job. When Dad brought his ex back and asked for a divorce, all Mom begged for was to take me with her. I grabbed her shoulders and shook her, trying to knock some sense into her. “Mom! Why do you want me? Demand the money!” “Isn't it better to take his cash, travel the world, and find yourself a few hot twenty-something boytoys?” “Me? Don't worry about me.” “I’m going to stay right here, use his money, and take care of you!” 1 In the center of our massive living room sat my father, Richard Sterling. He was the picture of a distinguished, wealthy CEO, sitting straight-backed and serious. Next to him sat the woman who had just returned from a decade abroad, his "one that got away," Amelia Vance. My mother, Sarah—the reigning naive queen of this gilded cage—was clutching my hand, sobbing like a telenovela star. “Richard, you can take everything. I don't want a single dime. But Chloe is leaving with me!” Amelia reached out, putting on a show of being gentle and reasonable. “Sarah, darling, think about what’s best for Chloe. Richard can provide her with a secure, elite future here. You need to put her needs first. Don't be selfish.” My dad shot Amelia a look of pure admiration. God, he was dynamic when it came to her. My mom just cried harder. “But Chloe is all I have! I don't care about futures! I just…” Before she could agree to walk away with nothing, I grabbed her shoulder, spun her around, and dragged her to a corner out of their earshot. “Mom!” I hissed. “What are you doing? Forget me! Demand the money!” Mom gasped, staring at me with those big, tear-filled, puppy-dog eyes. She was pushing forty but acted like a confused teenager. “Chloe?” I was so frustrated I could scream. “Take Richard Sterling's assets and his cash. Go on an endless vacation. Find yourself a fleet of cute personal trainers. Tell me that isn't better than fighting over me!” Her eyes went wide. She looked standardly innocent and naive. “But… what about you?” I began the brainwashing. “Me? Mom, I’m an Ivy League legacy. I’m staying right here to be the Billionaire Heiress. And later? I’ll use his money to take care of you.” Mom was hesitant. “But…” I cut her off, turned back to my father, and plastered a professional fake-smile on my face. “Dad, we need to talk about Mom's alimony. Specifically, compensation for pain and suffering, loss of potential income, and lifestyle maintenance…” 2 My dad looked surprised that I was talking about standard logistics. He actually took a sip of his whiskey, looking almost amused. “Okay. I’m listening. Let’s hear the details.” Oh, I was not going to be shy. I smiled and started rattling off the demands. “First, the penthouse in Manhattan goes in Mom's name. Second, five percent of your company's original stock. That's not too much, is it? Finally, some liquid cash. Let's say... ten million. To round it out nicely.” Behind me, my mother gasped. Amelia’s face didn't look so gentle anymore, but she kept her sweet tone. “Chloe, you're just a kid, you don't understand these things. Those demands would seriously impact your father's company.” I shot her a look. “Miss, my parents are discussing a divorce settlement. Why is a total stranger sticking her nose in?” Her face went bright red. Dad waved her off, signaling her to be quiet. He looked at me with genuine interest. “Five percent stock is too much. The house and the cash are fine.” “No.” I didn't budge an inch. “The stock is non-negotiable. Mom has been with you for seventeen years. She built this house while you were building your company. Now you're kicking her out for your ex, you have to give her security. If the word gets out that Richard Sterling is a scumbag who abandoned his wife, your stock price is going to crash harder than that five percent.” He choked on his breath, furious. I met his gaze fearlessly. Was he planning on treating my mother like a used dish rag? No way. After a moment, Richard actually laughed. “Fine. I agree.” He was surprisingly quick to give in. “Stock, house, cash. Your mother gets it all. But I have one condition.” “What?” He pointed at me. “You have to stay.” 3 I knew why he wanted me to stay. I knew him too well. Amelia might have his heart, but in his eyes, I was a qualified heir. Furthermore, Amelia had her own kids back wherever she was coming from. Honestly, his condition played right into my hands. If I stayed, I could continue being the billionaire heiress, spend his money, and take care of my naive mom. Perfect loop. But Sarah, my mother, wasn't having it. She pulled me behind her, glaring at Richard like a mother hen protecting her chick. “No! Forget the money, I'm taking my daughter!” I was speechless. Mom, get a grip! You're going to stop me from sending you money! I quickly dragged her to the side for another brainwashing session. “Mom, listen to me. I'm going deep undercover here, got it?” “What?” “Think about it. You take the money and go. You're free as a bird. I stay here. He feels guilty, so he'll treat me twice as well. The allowance he gives me? I just transfer it to you. It's called sustainable milking of the cash cow!” Sarah nodded, looking slightly less confused. I applied the final bit of pressure: “And with me here, I can keep an eye on them. I won't let him and his ex live too comfortably. I will be a thorn in their side, a constant reminder of the beautiful, kind woman who used to be the lady of this house.” Mom looked moved. She glanced from me to Richard, hesitating. Finally, encouraged by my gaze, she gave a nod that looked both humiliated and tragic. I smiled, satisfied. The agreement was signed quickly. Richard’s lawyers were extremely efficient. As Sarah signed her name with a trembling hand, she officially became a rich woman holding millions in assets. 4 Mom had barely left before Amelia started acting like the new woman of the house. “Chloe, sweetie, we're a family now.” She smiled gently and actually went into the kitchen to make dinner herself. Four courses. Beautifully presented. “Chloe, try my Sweet and Sour Crispy Fish. It's my specialty.” She enthusiastically put food on my plate. I stared at the fish, looking perfect on its plate. I had zero appetite. My mom might be naive, but her cooking was next level. I grew up on her food; my palate was spoiled. I put down my fork, pulled out my phone, and opened a food delivery app. “Large deluxe truffle pizza, double cheese, and a full sushi platter...” I ordered delivery right in front of her, slow and deliberate. Amelia’s smile froze on her face. “Chloe, I worked so hard on this dinner...” I cut her off. “Miss Amelia, Dad pays for a professional chef. You don't need to cook. Besides, I don't like the food you make.” The rage finally began to show on her face. Dad came out of the study right at that moment. He saw the scene and frowned. “Chloe, is that any way to speak to Amelia?” I didn't argue. I just shrugged. “If you like it so much, Dad, feel free to eat it all.” Dad naturally felt he had to protect his first love. He picked up his fork and took a bite of the fish. While Amelia watched him hopefully, Dad hesitated. Then he said, trying to be polite, “Amelia, let's leave the cooking to the chef from now on.” Amelia nodded, looking humiliated, but didn't dare say a word back. The delivery arrived quickly. I set up the projector and ate my pizza with gusto. Meanwhile, Amelia's carefully prepared dinner sat there on the table, totally ignored. 5 The next morning, I came downstairs and found Amelia directing the maids. “Change these curtains to beige. It matches the sofa better.” “That vase is too tacky. Get something classier.” “And the study—Mr. Sterling likes it organized. Pack up all these random knick-knacks.” She was putting on a great performance as the lady of the house. Every change she ordered was targeting something my mom had loved. I sneered and walked over. “Sarah, leave the vase there. Don't touch it.” The maid looked conflicted, glancing between me and Amelia. Amelia walked over, using her softest, sweetest voice on me. “Chloe, the style here is so outdated. A change will put everyone in a better mood.” “My mood is fine.” I ignored her passive-aggressive swipe. Leaning on the banister, I said lazily, “I'm used to my mom's style. If you don't like it, you can move out.” “Chloe!” Dad’s voice came from the dining room. A warning. I turned to look at him, throwing my hands up innocently. “Dad, Mom decorated every single corner of this house herself. She just left. Are you guys really that desperate to erase her?” Amelia went over and shook Dad’s sleeve, her voice soft. “Richard, don't blame Chloe. It was my fault, I didn't think it through. I just wanted the house to feel warmer...” As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears. A picture of pure, noble suffering. Dad immediately melted. He patted Amelia’s shoulder comfortingly and turned to me. “Chloe, your Aunt Amelia means well. She'll be running the house from now on.” I smiled. “Sure. Then can she handle all my affairs, too?” Dad nodded without thinking. That was exactly what I wanted him to say. I pulled out my phone, opened a luxury brand's website, and pointed at the newest designer bag. “Aunt Amelia, what color do you think I should buy? Or should I just get one of each?” Amelia froze. I continued, completely sincere. “And there's a charity gala next week. I want to bid on that diamond necklace. Can you help me strategize on when to raise the paddle and how much to bid?” I held the phone in front of her face, smiling like an angel. “Dad said you're in charge now. So you're in charge of my spending, too, right?” Amelia’s face instantly turned green. 6 The look on that cheating bastard's face was priceless. He wanted to play the patriarch, but I blocked his path completely. "Dad, you're not going back on your word, are you? A promise is a promise, you know." I looked at him with a sweet smile. My dad took a deep breath, pulled a black American Express card out of his wallet, and handed it to me. "Use this to buy things from now on. The limit is high enough for you to buy ten diamond necklaces." I took the black card with a satisfied smile, flashing him a sweet grin. "Thanks, Dad. Look, Aunt Amelia, Dad really does love me. "You can just focus on taking care of Dad from now on. You don't need to worry about my affairs." I waved the black card in front of her face, then turned and walked upstairs. Behind me was Amelia, her smile twisted with anger. Awesome. From that day on, I embraced the persona of a spoiled, spendthrift heiress. Today, I'd buy a limited-edition designer bag; tomorrow, I'd bid on vintage jewelry; the day after, I'd rent out an entire hotel for a party. The bills flew to my dad's phone like snowflakes, each one easily six figures. My dad called me a few times. At first, his tone was warning, but eventually, it became numb. "Chloe, tell me the truth, are you doing this to get back at me?" "Dad, what are you talking about?" I immediately sniffled twice. "Compared to that mansion you bought for Aunt Amelia, how much am I really spending? "You know, I've never been away from Mom my whole life. Now that Mom's gone, don't I even have the right to spend a little money? "It's true what they say, only a mother's love is real. A child without a mother is like a weed..." My dad surrendered to my unreasonable logic. "Alright, alright, the company will be yours eventually. Spend whatever you want, just don't go completely overboard." I immediately switched to a sweet, high-pitched voice: "Thanks, Daddy!" Hanging up the phone, I smiled at the sales associate. "Hello, please wrap up all the new arrivals and have them delivered to..." I gave them the address of the penthouse my mom now owned. My mom loved the bags from this brand. One day, I was busy swiping the card when I suddenly received a call from my mom. I thought she was calling to cry and complain about how much she missed me, so I quickly cleared my throat, ready with a bellyful of comforting words. As it turned out, what came through the phone was deafening music and the cheers of a group of young men. 7 "Hello? Chloe, the signal here is terrible! Can you hear me?" I was completely dumbfounded. "Mom, where are you?" "I'm at my new club!" My mom's voice sounded incredibly excited. "Baby, I'm telling you, you're a genius! Being surrounded by all these hot young guys is amazing!" Me: "???" Did my mom move this fast? I immediately had my driver take me to the location she sent, pulling up to her new business. The sign above the door was almost blinding: "Chiffon's Sweet Retreat & Lounge". Pink neon lights, cute fonts, exuding a strong, girly vibe. I pushed the door open and was stunned by what I saw. The inside was nothing like what I had imagined. It was decorated very warmly, with plush pillows and cute decorations everywhere. And the so-called "young guys" were a group of handsome young men dressed in various uniforms. A beautifully dressed wealthy woman was surrounded by two handsome guys; one was feeding her cake, and the other was singing to her. The wealthy woman was giggling hysterically, looking as happy as a child. My mom, Sarah, was wearing a sleek manager's uniform, holding a small notebook and directing the show. "Joey, Mrs. Walsh at table A said her stocks tanked. Go comfort her and sing her 'Cheer Up'." "Leo, Miss Chen at table B just got dumped. Take her to the gaming area to box, and tell her to pretend the punching bag is her ex." "Landon, Director Liu at table C is stressed out from work. Go build Lego with her, that 10,000-piece Hogwarts castle." I rubbed my eyes, staring at this woman radiating absolute boss energy. Was this still the naive, clueless mom who only studied recipes and read romance novels? 8 My mom finally noticed me and waved excitedly: "Chloe, you're here!" I walked over, still a bit dazed: "Mom, this club is..." "A lounge!" My mom proudly tilted her elegant chin. "It's exclusively for wealthy women with time to kill but who aren't happy. "Here, you can spend money to buy companionship, someone to listen, and happiness. What do you think? Do I have a good head for business?" I looked at her radiant, energized face and suddenly felt like I had underestimated her. Maybe she was never really a naive fool; maybe she just couldn't be bothered to show her true colors in front of that cheating bastard. My mom's lounge became a massive hit. It was more successful than anyone could have anticipated. Those wealthy wives, ignored by their husbands, angered by their kids, or crushed by work, seemed to have found an emotional outlet. They were willing to throw thousands of dollars around here, just to buy a moment of relaxation and joy. Unlike traditional host clubs, my mom, having studied romance novels for years, knew exactly what hit the spot for these wealthy women. She had trained the staff in her club into various archetypes of romance novel male leads. The CEO type, the bad boy, the sweet boy next door, the aloof intellectual, the rugged outdoorsman, the brooding artist... Whatever you wanted, they had it. My mom didn't skimp on money; the salaries were high, so the young men were fiercely loyal to her. Crucially, the club strictly avoided any illicit physical services. After all, my mom believed that "what you can't have is always the best." Sarah, too, went from being a kept woman in a mansion to the emotional guru for wealthy wives. She was even interviewed by a top financial magazine in the city. On the magazine cover, Sarah was wearing a sharp, professional suit, smiling confidently and gracefully. The headline read: Leaving the Mansion Behind: How I Became My Own Queen. I deliberately left the magazine in the most conspicuous spot in the living room. Sure enough, my dad and Amelia saw it as soon as they got home. Amelia looked at the magazine, her expression a mix of conflicting emotions. My dad picked up the magazine, staring at the confident, radiant Sarah on the cover, his eyes filled with complex emotions. A woman who was used to being kept in a cage by him had suddenly broken free and was flying so high. This sense of losing control must have made a chauvinistic man like him very uncomfortable. "Nonsense! Opening a place like this is absurd. It's a complete disgrace to the Sterling family!" I crossed my legs and said coolly: "Dad, Mom divorced you. What does this have to do with the Sterling family?" My dad choked on his words. Amelia quickly grabbed my dad's arm: "Richard, don't be angry. Sarah probably just wants to prove herself. "Chloe, you should talk to your mom. A business like this, after all, is a bit unseemly." "How is it unseemly?" I scoffed, going on the offensive. "My mom is running a legal business, paying taxes, providing emotional value to a large number of women, and solving employment problems for recent graduates. How is that unseemly? "Aunt Amelia, is it because in your eyes, a woman should just stay at home and raise kids, and isn't allowed to have her own career?" I threw that heavy accusation at her, and Amelia's face went pale. "I... I didn't mean that..." "Oh? Then what did you mean?" I pressed her further. Seeing his "one that got away" about to be brought to tears by me, my dad immediately stepped in to protect her: "That's enough! Chloe! She is your aunt, watch how you speak to her!" I threw my hands up, putting on a "Oh, I'm so scared" face: "Oh, I see. Then from now on, when Aunt Amelia speaks, I'll just keep my mouth shut. That way I won't accidentally tell the truth and make you angry again, Dad. "By the way, Dad, when are you two getting married? I want to be able to call her 'Stepmom' officially." After saying that, I rolled my eyes at them and strolled upstairs. 9 My mom's club was booming, which naturally made some people jealous. One day, when I came home from school, Amelia was having afternoon tea with a woman who looked just as plain and unassuming as she did. I recognized the woman. Her name was Mary, the ex-wife of Mr. Lee, a pharmaceutical tycoon. Mary pinched a small spoon, looking disdainful: "Amelia, that Sarah really has no shame, opening a place like that, finding a bunch of gigolos... tsk tsk, she's really dragging Mr. Sterling's name through the mud." Amelia sighed softly: "Don't say that. She might have been forced by circumstances. It's not easy for a woman to leave a man and live on her own." I rolled my eyes and was about to go upstairs, but Mary called out to me. "Chloe's home! You're getting prettier every day." She smiled, looking the picture of kindness. "Chloe, you must never go to that kind of place your mom opened. A young girl like you needs to have self-respect and self-love so you can marry into a good family later on." I stopped, turned to look at her, and smiled innocently: "Aunt Mary, when it comes to marrying well, I definitely don't have as much experience as you. But I heard that Mr. Lee's company went public last month. When you got divorced, why did you only ask for three houses? Did you think self-respect and self-love were more important than company shares?" Mary's face instantly turned green. When she got divorced, she was tricked by her ex-husband into thinking the company was an empty shell, so she only asked for some real estate. As a result, he immediately jumped on the tech boom, and now he's worth billions. She regrets it so much her intestines are green. My single sentence perfectly hit her sore spot. Amelia quickly scolded me in a low voice: "Chloe, how can you speak to Aunt Mary like that! Apologize right now!" I looked innocent: "Did I say something wrong? Could it be that Aunt Mary actually wanted the shares more?" Mary was so angry her lips were trembling. She couldn't say a single word. I ignored them and hummed a little tune as I went upstairs. Behind me, I heard Mary lower her voice and viciously say to Amelia: "Amelia, look at them. Like mother, like daughter. Neither of them is any good! One runs a gigolo club, the other is a sharp-tongued brat with no manners! You can't let them keep acting so smug!" Amelia's voice was still gentle, but it carried a hint of coldness: "Don't worry, I have a plan." I stood behind the slightly ajar door and let out a cold laugh.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "407067", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel