Chapter 3

Back then, I had been so furious that I packed my bags, determined to separate. But Marcus dropped to his knees in front of me, crying like a baby.

"Serena, please don’t leave. I was wrong, I swear!"

"I was just trying to pull a prank on you! I honestly thought you knew my mom was allergic to peanuts and wouldn’t actually buy them!"

Sobbing with rage, I had punched his chest while screaming, "How the hell was I supposed to know her allergies? You did that on purpose to ruin me, and you know it!"

Ever since that incident, my mother-in-law had hated my guts.

Chloe’s pathetic, choked sobs snapped me back to the present.

"Serena, I swear I didn't mean anything by it... I had no idea you thought of me like that."

"I’ve always looked up to Marcus as my career mentor. If anything I did gave you the wrong idea, I'll resign from the company immediately!"

Before another word could be said, my mother-in-law lunged forward and splashed a whole bowl of hot soup straight into my face. She pulled her son and Chloe behind her, glaring at me like a protective mother hen defending her precious chicks.

"You shameless whore! How dare you bark orders at my son like you own the place? Who do you think you are?!"

"Bah! To think our family ever treated you like a proper daughter-in-law. If sweet Chloe hadn’t pointed out that the baby doesn't look like Marcus at all, we would've stayed completely in the dark!"

With that, my mother-in-law snatched an envelope from Marcus’s suit pocket and slapped the DNA test inside right across my face. Then she spun around, jabbing an aggressive finger toward my parents.

"And you two! Apple doesn't fall far from the rotten tree! Trash parents raise trash daughters!"

"I didn't even want you invited today. If Chloe hadn't been so gracious and begged me not to cause a scene to save face for both families, I would’ve marched over to your front lawn three days ago to let all your neighbors see what kind of trash you really are!"

She unleashed a non-stop barrage of venom. My parents sat there, completely frozen in shock.

I didn't even bother wiping the broth off my face. Casually dabbing at my chin, I walked back to my parents' side.

"Serena... what is going on here?" Dad asked, voice trembling.

"Don't worry, Dad, Mom. That DNA report is completely fake."

Hearing that, Marcus immediately stepped forward, playing the heartbroken victim.

"Serena, I really never thought you’d do something like this. I thought we were each other's first loves, that our marriage was unbreakable. But I never imagined..."

In an instant, the holiday dinner turned into a full-blown witch hunt. Marcus’s aunts and cousins all stood up with their hands on their hips, looking ready to drown me in their spit.

I stepped firmly in front of my parents and my daughter, shielding them without a flicker of fear.

Everything unfolding before my eyes was going exactly according to my plan.

Marcus let out a theatrical sigh, his eyes feigning deep sorrow.

"Since things have come to this, Serena, let’s just end it."

"You cheated, which makes you the at-fault party. Legally, you walk away with nothing. The baby isn't mine, so I don't want her. The house, the cars, and the family assets you brought into the marriage will stay with me as compensation. You'll also sign over your forty-five percent stake in the company. Let's get a divorce."

He had finally said it. A cold, barely perceptible smirk flashed across my lips.

"Marcus, are you completely sure?"

"One hundred percent."

I turned around, unzipped my bag, and pulled out a freshly printed divorce agreement. It stated in black and white: "Whichever party is proven at fault in the marriage waives all claims and leaves with zero assets."

Marcus frowned slightly, his calculating gaze scanning over me again and again.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what felt off. But staring at the massive jackpot outlined in the agreement, greed completely blinded him. He snatched the pen, signed his name, and stamped his thumbprint.

Two original copies. The moment I held mine securely in hand, I couldn't hold back my grin any longer.

"Well then! This is a Miller family dinner, and we don't welcome trashy outsiders!" my mother-in-law barked, eager to kick us out.

I smiled calmly, reached into my purse, and pulled out a sleek USB drive.

"Don't be in such a rush, former mother-in-law."

"I actually brought a special housewarming gift for all of you."