When my husband cheated on me and filed for divorce, I, a full-time housewife, fought tooth and nail for custody of my son, even though it meant walking away with absolutely nothing. I poured my heart and soul into raising him, scraping together every penny to send him to a top university. And what did he do? He immediately ran back to his father to take all the credit. He didn't even bother to look back as my dead body rotted in my apartment. Reborn, I woke up on the exact day of my divorce. My son smashed a bowl on the floor and screamed at me: "If you want to divorce, then divorce! Just don't drag me down with you, you broke loser!" I stared at him for a long time. Then, I gave a faint smile. "Fine. I won't take you." 01 After graduating high school, my son was accepted into a prestigious state university. He immediately ran off to his father's house to celebrate. Meanwhile, I was bedridden with a severe illness, completely alone. On my deathbed, I called him to tell him I was dying. "What the hell does you dying have to do with me? You dragged me through three years of miserable poverty! You deserve to die!" ... The building manager couldn't reach my son until the day of my cremation. "Tyler! Do you still want to go to college?! If you don't come right now, I'm reporting your behavior to your university!" Only then did my son reluctantly show up to collect my urn. A neighbor lady was so furious she pointed a finger right at his face: "Your mother worked a street food cart day and night for three years just to pay for your tutoring! You ungrateful little monster!" My son argued back with utter disdain: "My dad runs a massive business, my stepmom is an executive, and my grandma loves me! Did I ask her to be my guardian? She worked herself to death because she wanted to!" My soul twisted in the air with pure rage. I screamed at him: "You blind, heartless bastard! If they actually loved you, why did they plot to force me to take custody of you?!" But my son couldn't hear me. He just hugged the urn and walked away impatiently. Even when I was alive, he never listened to a word I said. I watched helplessly as he walked out of the apartment complex, looked left and right, and then casually dumped my urn straight into a public trash can. He even dusted off his hands, like he had just thrown away a piece of disgusting, cursed trash. "Haha, finally nobody to nag me! Boys, log on! Let's play some ranked!" He eagerly pulled out his phone and launched his favorite mobile game. In that moment, my heart died completely. Not a single tear would fall. I didn't know what I was even hoping for anymore. I watched him play match after match, until the sky went dark. Until his brow furrowed, and his face turned pale. I thought he had finally realized that he truly didn't have a mother anymore. Instead, he patted his stomach and muttered in annoyance, "Why hasn't Grandma called me for dinner yet? I'm starving to death." My heart went entirely cold. Every ounce of maternal love I had evaporated, and I slowly calmed down. Honestly, I always knew my son resented me. 02 During his sophomore year of high school, he threw a tantrum demanding a $60 in-game skin. I said no. He suddenly snapped, shoving and hitting me. "This is all your fault! If I lived with Dad, he'd buy me whatever skins I wanted! You have no money, why did you even try to keep me?!" He shoved me so hard I hit my head on the corner of the table, bleeding, but he just ran off without looking back. I searched the streets for him all night, clutching my bleeding head. The next day, he came home wearing brand new designer clothes and shoes, smugly bragging that his dad had bought him ten different game skins. Even earlier, after middle school. His grades weren't high enough to get into the prestigious public magnet school. I suggested he repeat the year and promised to help him study. "I'm not repeating a year! I'm not humiliating myself like that!" He went looking for his father. His father happily agreed, then turned around and dumped him into a terrible, bottom-tier charter school. My son came back smug and arrogant, bragging that only his dad could actually solve his problems. But he never stopped to think about it. If it hadn't been for me, bleeding myself dry for the next three years to micromanage his studying... With his terrible foundation and that garbage school, he wouldn't have even qualified for community college. How could he possibly have gotten into a top state university? But my sacrifices could never compete with the cheap, flashy bribes his father's family threw at him. My son firmly believed that I was the only thing preventing him from living a wealthy, happy life. I felt so completely worthless and bitter! Bitter that my sacrifices were treated like absolute garbage! Bitter that my short life ended early because of this ungrateful son! 03 I thought I would carry my resentment into the afterlife. Unexpectedly, an angry roar exploded in my ears: "If you want to divorce, then divorce! Just don't drag me down with you, you broke loser!" I twitched my stiff limbs. A sharp piece of ceramic from a shattered bowl pierced the bottom of my foot. It hurt! I stared blankly at my son's greasy, acne-covered teenage face. It slowly dawned on me that I had been reborn. Reborn to the day right after his middle school graduation, the day I discovered my husband, Mark, was cheating, and I demanded a divorce. God was giving me a second chance?! My palms instantly warmed up, burning hot, and my heart pounded violently against my ribs. I desperately suppressed my excitement and said flatly: "I don't have a job, and I have no income. The judge won't grant me custody of you anyway." Mark looked shocked: "Chloe, what are you talking about?! Didn't you just get a job making $1,500 a week?!" I let out a cold laugh in my head. I remembered the gossip I accidentally overheard from coworkers in my past life. "Our manager, Jessica, is so ruthless. She helped the ex-wife get a job just so she could win custody, killing two birds with one stone and kicking all the annoying baggage out the door." "Then she's going to take her own daughter and marry the guy, living a clean, baggage-free life. So savage." That was the moment I realized Jessica was the HR manager at that company! I had been played! Desperate to survive, I swallowed my pride and didn't confront her. But Jessica burned the bridge immediately. A few days later, she fired me, claiming my "skills didn't match the position." People who didn't know the truth thought I was a nepotism hire and cheered when I was let go. In that moment, I couldn't defend myself, and I lost all hope. Now, my son charged at me with a demonic expression, clawing the air like he wanted to rip my face off. "I don't care what schemes you pull, I'm not going with you! Bullshit $1,500 a week, what company pays a glorified nanny that kind of money?!" I laughed. A chilling, freezing laugh. Thanks to the constant brainwashing from my mother-in-law and Mark, my son genuinely believed that I—his mother—was the most useless, worthless person in the family. That I was nothing more than a live-in maid worth maybe $500 a week. I grabbed his hand, lightly tossed it aside, and gave a half-smile. "Your dad was just joking. He and your Aunt Jessica are very well-off financially. I'll feel perfectly safe leaving you with them." My son froze instantly. "Your Aunt Jessica is a highly educated professional. I'm sure she'll treat you just like her own biological child." My son puffed his chest out, completely agreeing: "Duh! Aunt Jessica and I get along great! She totally understands me, and she really likes me!" Understands that you want to play video games all day? Likes buying you skins, praising your gaming skills, and telling you you're going to be a pro esports player? I didn't even bother arguing. Mark, however, panicked. He paced around the room anxiously with his hands on his hips. "Chloe, didn't you just say that if Jessica has another baby, the dynamic between the three kids would be too complicated and hard to manage? What the hell are you trying to pull now?!" He was still dreaming of dumping me and our son to start his shiny new life, hoping I'd walk away with absolutely nothing. I apologized sincerely: "I was being too narrow-minded before, I'm sorry. I trust that you'll love Tyler, and I trust Jessica will treat all the kids equally." Mark choked on his words, while my son wore a smug "glad you know your place" expression. I gave a faint smile and quickly scribbled a few lines onto the divorce agreement. "Mark, I have all the evidence of you and Jessica cheating. I don't want the house or the car. I just want $120,000 in cash." I didn't have time to haggle with them. I just wanted to take what I could get quickly. Besides, the housing market was going to crash in a few years anyway; that house wouldn't be worth much. Mark was caught completely off guard by my decisiveness and tried to use our son as leverage against me. I just casually tossed out a line: "Didn't you always claim you loved Tyler more than anything? Are you really going to nickel and dime over a little bit of money?" This was exactly what he used to block me in my past life. I wanted to see how he was going to maintain his "perfect, intellectual gentleman" facade in front of his precious son. My son chimed in carelessly: "Dad, just give it to her! You and Aunt Jessica make plenty of money anyway! But make sure you add a clause in the agreement: absolutely no visitation rights! We're just paying to get rid of her!" Mark suddenly thought of something, gave a dark smirk, and threatened: "Chloe, I know you hate me and you're just doing this to spite me. I can give you the money, just don't back out later." I rolled my eyes, grabbed the document, and signed my name. "You!" Mark instinctively reached out to grab my pen. I sighed at my son: "Tyler, looks like your dad doesn't value you as much as you thought." My son's face changed immediately. He stood up and demanded: "Dad, what does that mean?! Just pay her so she'll leave!" Mark frowned tightly, clearly hesitating. I knew he couldn't bear to part with the money. After all, that $120,000 was the entirety of our liquid savings. Heh, well then, don't blame me for targeting your true love. "Oh my, speaking of my new job, I think I heard a woman named Jessica referred me." I spoke slowly, enunciating every single word. "A stay-at-home mom with zero corporate experience somehow lands an offer as a department supervisor at the Sterling Corporation? I should really go ask the CEO about that—" Mark's face instantly went pale. He cut me off: "Enough! Let me think about it for a few days!" I sneered: "What, do you need to ask your mistress for permission before she even moves in? I might not be offering these same terms in a few days." With me saying that, Mark was obviously too embarrassed to call Jessica for help in front of me. Plus, he had our son standing right there being an absolute idiot teammate. He agreed to my terms. I was planning to drag him straight to the courthouse to file the paperwork, but then Jessica called, crying that she was spotting. Father and son completely forgot about me and rushed out the door in a panic. Their retreating figures looked quite pathetic. Heh, panicking? I wasn't panicking at all. In this life, my son was no longer my weakness. Did Jessica really think she could pull the same trick as my past life? Force me to take the son so her perfect family of four could live happily ever after? Not a chance in hell! 04 As soon as they left, I packed my bags and moved out. I hit the ground running, starting my new life! Actually, the moment I was reborn, my career plan was already mapped out. In my past life, because of Jessica, I entered the corporate world. In my 30s, with zero experience, I couldn't compete with the young grads. I ended up a laughingstock and got fired. Go back to running a street food cart? In a few years, thousands of college grads would flood that market. They were willing to hustle, their food was trendy, and they knew how to market themselves online. The only reason I managed to scrape by in that brutal market back then was pure, grueling effort. I set up earlier than everyone else, and stayed later than everyone else. I hauled my cart from location to location just to sell out my daily prep. Then I came home to check my son's homework and help him study. That's why my body broke down so fast. Now, I knew my limits, and I knew how to leverage my strengths. If I entered the high-end domestic staffing industry... First, I was relatively young and had a degree from a top-tier state university. Second, I was an absolute master at childcare and household management. I could endure incredible hardship. My weaknesses would instantly become my greatest assets! I was confident I could build an empire in this industry! In my past life, when I was still at that corporation, I heard a rumor that the CEO, Mr. Sterling, was a single father with a daughter about to enter high school. He posted a massive bounty across the company, asking for recommendations for a reliable, elite estate manager. Someone who could manage their household and tutor his daughter in high school subjects. The salary he offered was staggering. If you passed his interview, he was willing to pay $8,000 a month! After I was fired, I was incredibly tempted to try for it. But when my son heard I wanted to be a "nanny," he threatened to kill himself. He said I was embarrassing him. Plus, he argued I hadn't touched a textbook in decades, so how could I possibly tutor a high schooler? But now, none of those things were problems! I confidently called Mr. Sterling, claiming someone from his company recommended me. He asked me to introduce myself. "I scored a 1550 on the SATs back in the day, and if I took a practice SAT right now, I guarantee I wouldn't score any lower!" I spoke eloquently, though a wave of bitterness washed over my heart. Back then, I wasn't just smart; when I started college, I was easily one of the prettiest girls in my class. After marrying Mark right after graduation and spending over a decade as a stay-at-home mom, I had become old and overweight, completely losing my former radiance. After my son finished the SATs in my past life, I secretly took the test myself at home. I scored a 1580. Every single point was built on my profound, agonizing love for my son—a love he treated like garbage. "As for my tutoring style, you can test me in person." I didn't flinch on this point either. I managed to drag my absolutely atrocious, rebellious son into a top university. I refused to believe there was a student I couldn't teach. Mr. Sterling then asked about my household management experience. I gave a bitter smile: "Does 16 years as a live-in maid count?" "My special skills include cooking one-handed while holding a baby, eating one-handed while holding a baby, and mopping one-handed while holding a baby." "I can also flawlessly mix baby formula and change diapers in my sleep." "In emergencies, I have the stamina to stay awake for 48 hours straight taking care of a crying, sick child." Mr. Sterling laughed. "You have a great sense of humor, Ms. Chloe. And it sounds like you truly know the meaning of hard work." I smiled back, tears pricking my eyes. "Absolutely. Mr. Sterling, never underestimate a woman forged on the battlefield of domestic life." Mr. Sterling had a good first impression of me and invited me for an in-person interview. But even though we had a great conversation, he said he still needed to think about it. I knew I still lacked some of his requirements. Finally, he politely declined: "I have a daughter about to start high school. If you had certifications in nutrition, health management, or formal estate management, I think you'd be a much more competitive candidate." Hope instantly flared in my chest: "Understood! I hope Mr. Sterling will give me another chance in the future!" As soon as I hung up, I frantically enrolled in massage therapy classes, childcare certification courses, and even a holistic nutrition program. I also signed up for a premium gym and yoga studio. I didn't bat an eye at dropping $100 an hour for personal training sessions! Now, I knew how to invest in myself! Having lived through death, I knew that relying on anyone else was useless; you can only rely on yourself. Besides, I was currently technically a housewife, spending Mark's money. If I didn't spend it, someone else would. Mark broke very quickly. He called me, demanding I come back and finalize the divorce. 05 The second I walked into the house, I knew there was going to be a brutal fight. My mother-in-law, who was usually out dominating the local senior citizen Zumba groups, was surprisingly home. The moment she saw me, she started slamming things around and complaining: "What? Going on strike over some minor disagreement? Are Tyler and I just supposed to starve?" My son, however, casually brushed it off: "If she doesn't want to cook, she doesn't have to. Grandma, the takeout we've been ordering these past few days is amazing! Especially the fried chicken!" My mother-in-law choked on her words, her face twisting in anger. I looked at my son's acne-covered, greasy face, and felt absolutely zero emotion. The kitchen sink was radiating a foul smell, and the trash can was overflowing. I ignored it all, wiped the dust off a chair, sat down, and mocked them: "Mom, you should really save your energy to train your new daughter-in-law." "I've cooked for you for over a decade. Can't you even give me a break on the day of my divorce?" My mother-in-law furiously threw her dish rag on the floor, pointing at me through gritted teeth: "Chloe! No wonder Tyler doesn't want to live with you! You're petty, calculating, and full of toxic negativity!" I said calmly: "I never wanted custody anyway. Mark cheated on me. Why would I take my son away and let him live a carefree life with his mistress? I'm not that stupid." Seeing my mother-in-law's face turn purple, I continued: "Leaving Tyler here to make their lives miserable is exactly what I want." "You—You!" She stuttered on "you" for a full minute, unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, she beat her chest and screamed: "This is a sin! Chloe, you're taking your anger out on him! Our Tyler is innocent!" "Aren't you afraid he won't acknowledge you when he grows up? That he won't take care of you when you're old?!" He literally threw my ashes in the trash. Not acknowledging me or taking care of me? That was nothing. My heart was ice cold. I fired back without flinching: "Mom, thank you so much for spending all these years dragging my name through the mud and belittling me in front of him. You guys are all the heroes, and I'm the only villain." "Now, just as you always wanted, I've decided to be a lone wolf." I was giving them this dead-weight grandson for free! You're welcome! Then I raised my voice and yelled toward the master bedroom: "Mark! Didn't you call me here to finalize the divorce? Why are you hiding like a coward?" After a long pause, the closed bedroom door slowly opened. Mark walked out, supporting a not-yet-showing Jessica. My mother-in-law rushed over to them, murmuring: "Oh my, be careful with my precious grandson, we can't afford any more accidents." My son couldn't stand his grandmother's fawning behavior. He slammed his phone down in annoyance. "Grandma! You already have a grandson! Besides, it's so early, who knows if it's a boy or a girl!" Jessica gave a soft laugh and said coyly: "Tyler, Auntie flew to a private clinic out of state to get a blood test. It's a baby boy." Mark scolded him lightly: "Is that how you speak to Aunt Jessica? Stop storming around the house from now on." My mother-in-law immediately chimed in: "Tyler, you need to take good care of your little brother. Quick, quick, pick up your mess over here." My son viciously kicked the coffee table, turned around, and walked away. "Whoever wants to pick it up can pick it up! Stop babying him!" He stormed into his room and slammed the door. Mark's face flushed red with anger, a flash of profound disappointment crossing his eyes. My mother-in-law quickly tried to smooth things over with Jessica: "He's still just a kid. I'll talk to him later. It's just hard for him to accept right now. You two have such a great relationship, I'm sure he'll understand." Jessica's eyes were red as she nodded, sitting down looking deeply wronged. But I was the only one who saw the dark, venomous, jealous glare my son shot at Jessica's stomach right before he turned away. In my past life, I took my son and left before Jessica even found out the gender. I did it specifically so he wouldn't have to see his dad and grandma acting like this over a new favorite. I knew my son was inherently arrogant, selfish, and egotistical. There was no way he could handle a new brother competing for their affection. When we divorced, I kept his fantasy alive because he was still young. I couldn't bear to shatter his illusion. After all, I was the one shielding him from all the family's toxic drama. In his eyes, his grandma was a cool, fashionable lady who danced in local shows. His dad was a refined, wealthy, easygoing man who gave him everything he wanted. And now? Let them tear each other apart! If it’s going to be ugly, let it be ugly for everyone. Why should I be the only one bearing all the humiliation, blood, and tears? 06 I'd enjoyed the show enough. I turned leisurely to Mark. I asked nonchalantly: "We already settled the financial assets last time. Since we're all here, why not just head to the courthouse right now?" Jessica, sitting nearby, said casually: "Chloe, what kind of couple divorces without discussing the children, and only discusses the money?" I raised an eyebrow, looking at Mark and my son (who had cracked his door open). "I thought we had already reached a consensus on this issue. What exactly do you mean, Jessica?" Jessica gave a dry laugh, lying through her teeth: "Of course I want Tyler to stay with us. His grandma and Mark can't bear to part with him either." "But as a woman, my personal feeling is that a child is always better off with their mother." "I honestly never expected you to be so comfortable leaving him behind." Comfortable? Was this a threat? Saying that if I didn't take my son, she would mistreat him? I waved my hand dismissively: "You already have a daughter from your previous marriage, so you're not exactly inexperienced. I feel perfectly comfortable leaving him in your hands." Jessica looked at Mark in shock. Mark gave her an imperceptible, helpless shake of his head. I understood now. Jessica didn't actually believe I didn't want custody. She came here today specifically to test me. My son came out to grab a glass of water, pretending to be casual. But I knew he was listening closely to our negotiation. Jessica glanced at him, then looked at me meaningfully. "Chloe, we're both divorced moms. To be blunt, a child is better off with their mother." "Back when I was raising my daughter alone, it was incredibly hard, but I gritted my teeth and got through it. I'm not trying to brag, but fathers are naturally more careless." "You raised Tyler from the time he was a baby. Are you really willing to just walk away?" Before I could even speak, my son marched over aggressively, pointing a finger directly at Jessica. "Aunt Jessica, why are you trying so hard to kick me out?! Didn't you say you loved me and wanted to be my mom?!" Jessica looked like she had swallowed a lemon. Her goal was to drive a wedge between my son and me, testing my bottom line. She didn't realize her words directly threatened my son's interests. Because my son blamed me for him not living a wealthy, happy life with his dad, he hated me enough to want me dead. If he hated me that much, how much would he hate Jessica for trying to ruin his dream? Sure enough. My son roared even louder: "You brought your daughter into this house to live in luxury, but you're trying to kick me out to suffer?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" "If you keep acting like this, I'm not going to help you anymore!" He stood there stubbornly, acting like he had some massive leverage over Jessica. I almost burst out laughing. My stupid, naive son. In the past, Jessica coddled and worshipped you because she was a divorced mom with a kid, trying to secure her spot in this house. She had to play nice. Now she has a son of her own in her belly. She holds all the power. Jessica choked down her humiliation. She couldn't afford to tear her mask off right now, so she tried to placate him: "Tyler, Auntie isn't trying to kick you out! I love you so much! I was just worried your mom wouldn't love you anymore." My son shot me a look of pure disgust: "Tch, as long as you guys love me and care about me, I have everything I need. I don't need her." Jessica shot me a provocative look. I just shrugged indifferently. Reverse psychology? Useless! I even gave her a thumbs up: "You are the most successful stepmom I've ever seen, Jessica. I truly admire you." Mark finally lost his temper and stood up: "Enough! Chloe, today is the day I finally realized how heartless and toxic you are!" "You don't want your son, you just want the money?! Fine! Have it your way!" My mother-in-law pointed at me and cursed: "You better think this through! The second you walk out that door, you won't get a single penny from Tyler! Even if you get down on your knees and beg me, it won't work!" Looking at this furious, panicked family, I felt absolutely euphoric! Now it's your turn to be incompetent, enraged, and drowning in toxic negativity. Jessica couldn't accept losing $120,000 to me, complaining bitterly: "She's a stay-at-home mom who hasn't earned a single cent. Why does she get so much?" "We have three kids to raise now. And she gets to just pack up and live a carefree life?" I just looked at Mark with a silent smile. His face looked terrible as he pulled Jessica aside to explain the situation. Jessica marched back over to me aggressively: "What, do you think you can sue me? I'm a senior executive at that company. At worst, I get a slap on the wrist for 'poor oversight'. But I'll sue you for resume fraud!" "I'll blacklist you across the entire HR industry! You'll never find a job again!" Back then, my sister-in-law helped me get that job. The whole family had been plotting against me from the start. I had never even written a resume. Jessica was just trying to bully me, assuming I had no connections and no real-world experience, trying to scare me into backing down. Not happening. I slowly pulled out my phone: "Well then, I'll have to have a nice, long chat with Mr. Sterling about exactly how I got that job." "A mistress, magnanimous enough to help the original wife bypass corporate hiring protocols? I'm sure Mr. Sterling will want to properly reward such a dedicated employee—" Seeing Jessica's cold sneer, clearly acting like she had nothing to lose... I slowly read out Mr. Sterling's cell phone number: "555-458-7..." Her face finally changed. She screamed: "Enough! I'm not arguing with you!" I didn't want to argue with her either. I held it together until I finally got the official divorce decree in my hands. Then, I leaned in close to her ear and whispered, word by word: "Jessica, you better hold onto your HR Director title at the Sterling Corporation as tight as you can." Her lips trembled with rage, her eyes glaring at me with pure hatred. I let out a light laugh and strutted away. My son didn't even look at me once. The family huddled together, looking like a picture-perfect, happy home. Perfect. Since Jessica is so good at buying people's loyalty, I can't wait to see... Between my useless, arrogant son and her manipulative scheming, who will ultimately win!
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