Chapter 3

I trembled with rage, my voice quivering with barely contained fury:

"James, what exactly are you saying? Am I the hired nanny here?"

Sophia gently pushed James aside and looked at me apologetically, explaining, "Alex, you might not be familiar with how things work in our industry. A nanny's main responsibility is to take care of the baby. We don't usually handle other household tasks because the baby's safety is our top priority."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, then turned to Sophia and asked, "How much do you make per month?"

Her demeanor changed instantly, a smug smile replacing her previous meekness. "I'm the agency's top nanny. My monthly salary is $3,500."

I scoffed inwardly. That figure matched James's monthly salary perfectly. He had been constantly complaining about financial pressure and the company's poor performance, but it turned out he had dumped the entire burden of the mortgage on me while using his money to pay for this so-called top nanny.

My gaze turned icy. "We can't afford such an expensive nanny. Today is the 10th, so I'll pay you for the full month. Thank you for your hard work during this time."

Sophia looked at me in shock, her voice choked with tears. "Alex, are you... are you firing me?"

She clung to James's sleeve, her pitiful appearance instantly triggering his protective instincts.

James shielded her behind him and glared at me darkly. "Do I need your permission to hire a nanny with my own money? Who do you think you are, Alex?"

I shook with anger. After we got married, most of our major purchases – the house, the car, the appliances, and the renovations – were largely funded by my salary. I worked late into the night every day, only to come home to find James either sprawled on the couch watching TV or playing video games in his study, leaving the house a mess for me to clean up.

I had foolishly believed that at least his feelings for me were genuine, but now I realized it was all just wishful thinking on my part.

I was about to retort when the doorbell suddenly rang.

I was surprised to see my mother-in-law, Mrs. Parker, at the door.

She pushed past me and went straight to the baby's crib, her face beaming with joy. "Oh, my precious grandson! Let grandma see if you've gotten chubbier!"

Sophia attentively catered to Mrs. Parker, regaling her with amusing anecdotes about the baby, which had her roaring with laughter.

To my astonishment, Mrs. Parker removed the jade bracelet from her wrist and placed it on Sophia's. "You're a true blessing to our family, dear."

I stared at the scene in disbelief. "Mom, how can you give such a precious bracelet to an outsider?"

That bracelet was part of my dowry from my own mother and held great sentimental value.

Mrs. Parker shot me a disdainful look. "It was given to me, so I can do whatever I want with it. Don't tell me you want it back now?"

She then berated me for not having lunch ready and made a snide remark about my inability to bear children after all these years.

Struggling to control my emotions, I said firmly, "That bracelet cannot be given to Sophia."

I stepped forward to retrieve the bracelet, but Sophia roughly pushed me away.