Chapter 3

These past few days, Harrison had been drowning his sorrows at home. Meanwhile, I'd been investigating the company's finances.

One day, Harrison didn't drink. He left early in the morning.

I received a message from the private investigator with evidence of him transferring company assets.

I held the evidence, waiting for him to come home so we could negotiate the divorce.

In the afternoon, Harrison returned.

"Honey, I found a way to solve the company crisis!"

His excited voice interrupted my unspoken divorce request.

"I have a distant cousin who died in a car accident, leaving behind a widow and orphan. His wife, Zoe, can't afford to raise the child and is willing to let us adopt him."

"Oh my, that's perfect! The boy, Ryan, at least shares some blood relation with our family. This continues our family line."

My mother-in-law said happily beside him.

Ryan? The name triggered a memory.

"What's your cousin's wife's name?"

"Zoe Smith."

I smiled coldly. Zoe Smith—the mother's name on that birth certificate.

"Honey, what do you think? We adopt this child, hold a ceremony, and solve the company crisis first."

"If we have our own biological child later, the company will still go to our child."

"Sure."

I nodded. A ceremony sounded perfect. Lots of people, lots of excitement. I gripped the evidence in my hand.

The day before the ceremony, Harrison brought home the widow and orphan.

Zoe entered and immediately pulled the child down to kneel.

"Quick, kneel to the lady. She's taking you in. From now on, she's your new mother."

"I won't kneel! I don't want a new mother!"

Ryan screamed and lunged at me, scratching my arms until they bled.

Harrison was busy helping Zoe up.

"Anna, Zoe is giving you her child. Instead of being grateful, how can you let her kneel?"

Zoe leaned weakly against Harrison.

"It's fine, Harrison. As long as you treat Ryan well."

Unable to dodge in time, I was pushed hard to the ground by Ryan.

A crisp crack—the bracelet on my wrist shattered.

This was my mother's keepsake. My eyes reddened as I slapped him.

Harrison immediately pulled Ryan behind him.

"Anna! Have you lost your mind? You're fighting with a child!"

"He broke the bracelet my mother left me!"

A flash of sympathy crossed his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"It's just a bracelet. I'll buy you another one in a few days!"

Harrison brushed it off with one sentence, then busied himself checking Ryan's face.

But he'd forgotten—when he proposed, he'd held that very bracelet and vowed to protect me for a lifetime in my mother's place!

At dinner, Ryan put all the good dishes in his own bowl and spat in mine.

Harrison and my mother-in-law turned a blind eye. The family of four enjoyed themselves, making me look like a maid.

After dinner, Harrison came to me with a document.

"Honey, to enroll Ryan in school, we need proof of residence from that downtown property under your name."

"Sign here so he can start school soon."

I took the document and tried to flip through it.

Harrison pressed down on my hand.

"Honey, don't you trust me? Just sign."

In the past, I never questioned what he did. But now...

"Are you sure this document is just proof of residence for school enrollment?"

Under the surveillance camera, I asked loudly.

"Don't worry, honey. When have I ever lied to you?"

Watching his triumphant expression, I lowered my head and saved this surveillance footage to the cloud.

That afternoon, when I logged in to check, the video had been completely deleted as expected.

That evening, Ryan cried and insisted on sleeping with Harrison.

Harrison looked at me apologetically.

"Honey, Ryan's still little. Could you sleep on the couch tonight? Just one night."

Before he finished speaking, I turned and left.

That bed—I found it filthy.

In the middle of the night, going to the bathroom, I heard moans from the guest room—Harrison and Zoe.

"Honey, when can we be together openly?"

"Soon. I've transferred most of the company assets. After the ceremony, once I get the house, I can divorce her."

Harrison laughed quietly.

"My mom can't wait either. She's been dying to hold her grandson."

I clenched my fists. If that's how it is, don't blame me for being ruthless.