Chapter 2

"Ms. White, your husband already collected three years of rent from all of us in this building last month. He even gave us a 20% discount. Why are you trying to collect it again?"

Looking at the payment receipt tenant Mr. Wilson showed me, I was stunned.

"My husband? I don't even have a boyfriend, let alone a husband!"

Mr. Wilson stared at me with an unfriendly expression.

"You've got to be kidding. That trainer, Evan Hayes, even showed me photos from your wedding!"

"He said you're trying to conceive right now and your emotions are unstable, so he didn't want you worrying about collecting rent. That's why he came early to handle it."

Evan Hayes was the fitness trainer who had canceled on me a few days ago and called me ungrateful.

I clenched my fists. "Call the police! Right now! This is fraud!"

A man's voice came from behind me. "Honey, haven't you made enough of a scene?"

I turned around. Evan Hayes walked up and tried to hug me.

He sighed. "I know you're mad I didn't buy you that designer bag, but we're about to be parents. We need to learn to be frugal."

"I deposited all three years of rent in the bank. It's saved for our son's education fund."

My hands trembled as I pointed at him. "Evan Hayes, are you mentally ill! Who's your wife? Who's having your son!"

Evan shook his head helplessly and patted my head.

"Jasmine, it's one thing to throw tantrums at home, but why are you acting like this in public?"

"This building may be in your name, but since we're married, it's marital property."

"What's wrong with me collecting rent for you? Do you really need to embarrass me in front of all these people?"

After hearing this, the tenants started pointing and whispering about me.

Mr. Wilson spoke up disapprovingly. "Ms. White, that's not right. You can't take your marital problems out on us tenants."

"Exactly. Your husband is just planning for your future. Why are you being so unreasonable?"

I said angrily, "I don't have time for this nonsense. I'm calling the police right now to get this straightened out!"

Evan grabbed my wrist. "Jasmine White, don't be ungrateful!"

"I'm collecting rent for your own good. Do you really want to blow this up?"

"You think I won't expose all your dirty secrets!"

I shook off his hand. "Go ahead! I'd love to see what you can possibly expose!"

Evan pulled a stack of photos from his pocket and threw them on the ground.

"Everyone look! This is her so-called single status!"

The photos scattered across the floor. I looked down, and my hands and feet went cold.

They were all photos of me working out at the gym, and several were creepy shots of me changing shoes outside the locker room.

My face flushed red. "You pervert! You've been secretly photographing me!"

Evan responded righteously, "What do you mean secretly photographing? As a husband, I'm just capturing my wife's beautiful moments!"

"You wear such revealing clothes to the gym every day—isn't that just to seduce men?"

"If I weren't so generous and forgiving, who would want a slut like you!"

The watching tenants whispered among themselves.

"Can't believe it. She looks so proper, but she's so slutty in private."

"Evan's pretty pitiful, marrying such a restless woman."

I raised my hand, but an older woman rushed out and sat on the ground, slapping her thighs. "Everyone come look! My daughter-in-law is hitting her mother-in-law and her husband!"

"What did we do to deserve this? Marrying such a curse!"

This crazy woman was actually Evan's mother!

I gritted my teeth. "You people are insane! I don't even know you!"

Evan's mother got up from the ground and pointed at me. "Don't know me? You're carrying Evan's baby in your belly and you dare say you don't know me!"

"Let me tell you, Jasmine White, we're keeping this rent money today!"

"If you dare call the police, I'll make a scene at your office and in your hometown. I'll make sure you can't hold your head up for the rest of your life!"

I pulled out my phone. "Hello, 911? Someone here has committed fraud, the amount is three million dollars!"

Seeing me call the police, Evan said unconcerned, "Call whoever you want. This is just a family matter. Let's see how you handle this today!"