Chapter 1

Preston York, my husband, had just won a Carmine Design Award for a shopping mall he had designed. They had invited our family of three to attend the award ceremony, but right before we left, Preston canceled my flight ticket and insisted that Melanie Schofield should attend in my place instead.

"You see, Mel had played a major role in this project, so she definitely deserves this honor, Samantha. You ought to know that this isn't just some casual get-together—it's a business event. You don't get business, and I can't risk you saying something stupid on stage and humiliating me." he said.

Rowan York, our son, even supported Preston's decision. "Melanie is both beautiful and accomplished! If we have her by our side at the awards ceremony, then I can bring the photos back to school and show them off to my teachers and classmates! I'll have so much to brag about!"

That evening, Melanie shared a video on her social media.

It captured Preston standing on the stage of the awards ceremony, kissing Melanie fervently before proclaiming with emotion, "I would like to thank my lovely wife for winning this award. I love you so much, honey!"

I double-tapped to like Melanie's post and immediately scheduled a divorce appointment for the following week.

It was a year later when I stood on the same stage, all by myself, giving my acceptance speech. "I'd like to thank myself for winning this award."

…

Preston and Melanie held each other tightly in a passionate embrace on the television screen, while the entire audience at the award ceremony broke out in excited cheers.

I tormented myself by rewinding and replaying that scene repeatedly with the remote, feeling a bitter sense of irony welling up inside me.

I finally grabbed my phone and called one of my clients after watching the scene for the tenth time. "I've decided to take on Grandmark Group's new shopping mall project, Mr. Lester."

Javier Lester replied almost instantly, "It's a huge honor to have a designer of your caliber back in the game! We'd be delighted to have you join us at Praxis in two weeks!"

I calmly ended the call and then opened Instagram on my phone. It had been a whole week since the awards ceremony, and neither Preston nor Rowan had contacted me.

I was, nevertheless, able to keep apprised of Rowan's daily activities by following the continuous updates posted by both Melanie and Preston.

That evening, Preston posted a series of new photos on Instagram. In the first photo, the three of them were all smiling broadly in front of the medieval fortress wall. Their shadows were cast together on the ground, creating the unmistakable impression of a loving and unified family.

In the second photo, Rowan was pouting and curled up in Melanie's arms, as though he were playfully seeking her attention—mischievous and endearing.

I had never seen him behave like that in front of me. He had always been impatient before me, his gaze at me brimming with contempt. He looked at me as if I were a piece of filthy trash on the street, not his mother.

In the third shot, Preston was gently wiping the ice cream from the corner of Melanie's mouth. It wasn't a photo like the others, but a video. I played the video and heard Rowan's voice in the background, full of genuine admiration. "Wow! You're so beautiful, Mommy! Daddy and I love you so much!"

I was shocked to hear Rowan call Melanie "Mommy". I had endured ten months of pregnancy and risked my life to bring Rowan into this world, yet he was now happily calling that home-wrecker "Mommy".

I suddenly felt a raging fire burning within me, threatening to swallow me whole. I felt my hand scalding from gripping the phone as I came to a painful conclusion—there was no longer a place for me in this family.

Preston's friend left a comment on the post. "That's pretty bold of you, Preston! Aren't you worried that Samantha might get jealous?"

Preston replied indifferently, "It's quite tiresome dealing with a jealous housewife. I'm just on a team-building trip with my staff."

I had never heard of a team-building trip that would involve just a single employee, especially under these circumstances. I couldn't help but feel so embarrassed by Preston's flimsy excuse.

Preston hadn't posted this much on Instagram since he was courting me ten years ago. He'd post ten updates a day about me, prompting people to post envious comments in the comment section.

I was so mortified about it back then that I had to remind him to tone it down and be more mindful about the impression he was giving others.

Preston merely shrugged it off, saying, "You shouldn't pay them any mind, honey. Their comments are merely a reflection of their own jealousy because they can't have what I have with you!"

I was the most valuable person in the world to Preston back then, and he was unwilling to let me endure the least hardship. Yet, from the moment Melanie showed up, everything changed. He no longer posted photos of me on his Instagram, and Melanie's photos always showed up in various work-related updates.

I sensed that something was wrong back then and told him to post a photo of us on his Instagram, only to hear his stinging reply.

"It would be unprofessional to share a photo of my wife on my business account. You don't even have any makeup on, so you look so sallow and tired. You're not that presentable."

Preston probably didn't even realize he had blurted out exactly what he was thinking.

I remember how he used to hold my face so tenderly when we first started dating, as if he could never get enough of me, saying, "You're more beautiful than any heavenly being, honey. You're the only one I'll love for the rest of my life."

I was so completely lost in my happiness that I never saw this coming, yet in only a few short years, Preston had begun to show growing contempt toward me.

"You're not that presentable," he had said.

That brief sentence lingered in my mind like a shadow I couldn't erase. I felt a sharp, stabbing pain every time Preston uttered that sentence.

I no longer felt angry whenever I saw a stunning photo of Melanie on his Instagram; instead, a crushing sense of inferiority set in. I eventually became completely desensitized to it.

I double-tapped to like Preston's post and then left a comment. "When are you going to come back home?"

Preston never responded to my comment, though.

I checked his post ten minutes later and noticed that he had already deleted the entire post. It was a perfect demonstration of a guilty conscience.

Chapter 2

I hadn't even put my phone down when I heard the sound of keys in the door—Preston and Rowan had returned home.

"Daddy and I are back, Mommy! Has dinner been prepared?" Rowan asked.

He then slipped off his shoes and ran into the kitchen. His expression instantly became one of rage upon seeing the single-serving meal. "You only prepared a meal for one? What about ours?"

I crouched down and patted his head, replying, "I didn't know you two would be coming back home today. I'll cook something else for you right away."

Rowan angrily swatted my hand away and yelled, "You're a homemaker, so preparing our meals is your responsibility! You should have prepared our favorite dishes even if you didn't know we were coming back! What are you even good at? You're not even a fraction of what Melanie is!"

I couldn't help but clench my fists when I heard Rowan's accusation. I reminded myself that he was just a child, so I held back my anger and said calmly, "I'll cook up something real quick. You can have some fruit in the meantime. I'll have it ready in no time."

It was then that Preston, who had been focused on his phone, suddenly looked up and said, "Your mother's been cooking the same few dishes for years now, and I've been sick of them for a while. Melanie said she's taking us out for a buffet, so let's go."

"Melanie truly cares for me the most!" Rowan's scowl instantly disappeared, replaced by a joyful expression. He then grabbed Preston's hand and walked out the door without even sparing me a single glance.

I heard their footsteps fade into the distance and let out a wry chuckle. I then took out a cake from the refrigerator, lit a candle, and murmured to myself, "Happy birthday, Samantha—even if you're all by yourself."

It was my birthday today, but neither Preston nor Rowan remembered.

I would have been gutted about it in the past. I would have been deeply hurt by Rowan's forgetfulness, even if I had moved past Preston.

But now, I no longer cared about it, since I had been treated as less important than the dishwasher in the household for the past few years.

Preston's endless criticism—like with my cooking just now—had become a daily event. He had said even worse things before. "You really lucked out marrying me, Samantha. You're set for life, and you don't even have to work. You would have been thrown out ages ago if you got together with another man."

He was completely oblivious to my efforts, choosing instead to respond with contempt and ridicule. He constantly demeaned me, yet still expected me to be grateful to him.

I had finally figured it out. I was done with this so-called luck of mine. I'd rather leave it to someone else!

Chapter 3

It was already 1:00 am when Preston finally returned home, carrying Rowan, who was asleep in his arms, and froze as soon as he noticed the cake box in the trash can. "I'm sorry for forgetting your birthday, Samantha."

I merely hummed in response and said indifferently, "It doesn't really matter. I'm sure you guys must be exhausted from all the traveling."

Upon seeing that I wasn't upset, Preston breathed a sigh of relief. He then rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a crumpled box before saying, "It's a souvenir Melanie got you. She was thinking of you the whole time during our trip, saying that she wanted to get you something. Do you see how nice she is now? You should learn from her and stop being so petty and jealous all the time."

I glanced at the gift in his hand and smiled in disdain. It was a complimentary gift from a hotel family suite that could hardly pass for a gift. It directly proved that Preston, Melanie, and Rowan had been sharing a suite the entire trip.

I looked from the gift to his wrist and noticed that he was wearing a purple bracelet. I recognized it from one of Melanie's Instagram posts. It was a matching bracelet set they had purchased at some tourist spot.

I instantly felt sick to my stomach and expressionlessly shoved his hand away.

I mimicked Preston's earlier condescending manner and looked at him indifferently, saying, "I appreciate the gesture, but I'll pass on the gift. I'm not sure how you could even consider a complimentary gift from a hotel to be a decent gift."

Upon hearing that, Preston's hand froze mid-gesture.

He then furrowed his brow before snapping, "There you go again with your petty housewife act! You should learn from Melanie—she understands discretion and social graces. What's wrong with a complimentary gift from a hotel? I mean, at least she kept you in her thoughts!

"You should look at all the stuff you use. It's not even as good as what they give away for free!"

I knew his true target had been me, even though he was criticizing the things I used.

I stopped what I was doing and slowly turned to him, trying my best to hold back the rage building inside me. "You were the one who asked me to resign when I was eight months pregnant, so I would stay home and watch over the family, while you threw yourself into your career, Preston. You said you didn't trust our parents to raise the child and told me to quit my job and be a stay-at-home mother.

"I managed every household expense down to the penny to ease your financial burden, always putting you and Rowan before myself. You should consider how little you make if you're going to complain about my things being cheap!"

I had known Preston for so many years, so I knew exactly what to say to hit a nerve and wound his fragile ego. I used to go along with everything he said because I loved him, but now that the love was gone, I naturally allowed my feisty side to come out.

Just as I expected, Preston froze for a second, then his eyes widened as he roared in a fit of rage, "What am I supposed to reflect on? Who do you think I bust my ass for every day, day in and day out? It's all for this goddamn family! I must have indulged you too much, so much so that you've forgotten your place, Samantha!"

I suddenly realized how pointless it was to even try to argue with him after hearing his senseless outburst. It was a total waste of my time and energy, and it just wasn't worth it.

I merely let out a sneer, paid him no further attention, and walked into the study.

Preston, with a look of indignation, followed me into the study.

He was about to resume our argument, but he stopped and stared at the documents on my laptop screen, his eyes widening in shock. "Isn't that the project from Grandmark Group? How did a mere housewife like you come to be involved with such a titan in the commercial real estate world?"

I didn't even get a word in before he grabbed my hand and asked, "You're not trying to get back into work and got scammed, did you?"

I couldn't help but laugh incredulously at his nonsense. "What do you take me for, Preston? You must not have forgotten that before our marriage, I was a highly respected commercial designer in this industry!"

Preston cocked his brow and said, "That's all in the past now. You've been out of the game for eight years, being a housewife and all. Do you even know what's going on in the industry anymore? You actually believe you can secure a project that is beyond my own reach? Get real, Samantha!"

I took a deep breath and replied, holding back my anger, "What if I can't secure the project from Grandmark Group? What's wrong with me looking at the documents to study the materials for my own benefit?"

Preston smiled knowingly, saying, "I knew that someone with your level of expertise wouldn't be able to get a project with Grandmark Group. I was just worried about you getting scammed. If you want a part-time job, I can ask Melanie to refer you to some small projects."

I slammed my laptop shut and looked at him with a vacant expression. "Is Melanie the only person who can help you, Preston? I'll tell you why I want a job—it's because I'm afraid that you'll cut off my allowance!"

I noticed the atmosphere instantly stiffening the moment "allowance" was brought up.

Preston furrowed his brow in exasperation. "Why are you bringing up the past again, Samantha?"

I couldn't help but sneer to myself. I wasn't just bringing up the past—I was stating a harsh truth that I had learned.

In fact, I should probably be "thanking" him instead.

Chapter 4

It was an incident that happened a few months ago, when Preston suddenly called me, whining that he was craving that mango mille-feuille from that popular cafe.

I always felt bad for him for working so much, so I would always do my best to get him anything he wanted. I had just had an operation then, but I still gritted my teeth and went out to get the mille-feuille.

I waited in line for five brutal hours in the blazing sun just to get the last mango mille-feuille of the day. I then rushed to Preston's office as soon as I received it.

I had no idea that after going all day without any water, my blood sugar would drop, and I would pass out in the middle of a busy intersection. It was a kind stranger who helped me and encouraged me to eat a few bites of the mango mille-feuille that I was holding to raise my sugar levels.

I figured that since Preston and I had already been married for quite some time and often shared a piece of cake or drank from the same cup, it would be fine if I had a bite of the mille-feuille first. I couldn't have been more wrong, though.

I had just limped to his office with the mille-feuille when his expression suddenly fell.

Preston furiously pushed me away and snapped, "What were you thinking, Samantha? How could you expect anyone to eat something you have already touched? You only had a low blood sugar level, not a life-threatening illness! You're clearly just a glutton! You lie around at home all day, and you can't even perform a simple task correctly. You can forget about your allowance this month!"

I couldn't help but blush with shame as all of his colleagues watched us. I was so mortified that I didn't know what to do.

It was then that his assistant, Jesse Pratt, rushed over, took my arm, and pulled me toward the restroom, saying, "Please calm down, Mr. York. I'll take Mrs. York to get changed first since she's bleeding."

Jesse had even noticed my injury, but Preston remained completely oblivious.

Upon hearing what Jesse had said, Preston merely waved his hand in disgust. "Get out of here before you get your blood all over my office!"

I bit my lip, feeling completely wronged as Jesse led me away. I hadn't even gathered my thoughts when I heard Melanie's sweet, innocent-sounding voice coming from outside the restroom. "Is it possible that Mrs. York knew that the mille-feuille was for me, so she got jealous and ruined it, Mr. York?"

I noticed Jesse's flustered expression and immediately understood why she was so keen to get me out of the office.

Preston cleared his throat and said softly, "I'm sure Samantha wouldn't do something like that, and that she had no idea that the mille-feuille was for you. It's just that she can be a bit careless at times. I'm certain that she's not trying to be malicious or anything."

I couldn't help but feel a jumble of conflicting emotions when I listened to Preston, who was taking advantage of my feelings and defending me.

Melanie, clearly upset that Preston was defending me, pouted and asked in a huff, "Are you implying that I have malicious intentions, then?"

Preston immediately flashed an ingratiating smile. "How could that be? You're the best! How about I just cut off this month's allowance from that old hag of mine to appease you?"

I found Preston's sycophantic demeanor to be both infuriating and revolting.

Melanie, knowing that I was in the restroom, deliberately spoke louder so that I would hear her.

"Oh my! What's a woman like her, who relies on her man, going to do without money? I'm so jealous of her for having a husband who spoils her, unlike me, who's helping you make the money to support your pampered wife, Mr. York."

Melanie's phone pinged with a money transfer notification just before she had even finished talking.

"Alright, alright. You don't have to be jealous now. I'll take the money I was going to give her and give it to you instead. You can use it to buy yourself a new handbag," Preston had texted.

Melanie was finally appeased by Preston's response. "That's more like it. You can come over to my place tonight, and I'll reward you appropriately."

I stood in the restroom, feeling completely numb all over while my heart ached so badly that I could barely breathe.

Chapter 5

That was how I found out Preston was cheating on me with Melanie. Preston had frequently spoken of Melanie in the past, and I had simply assumed their relationship was one of mutual professional respect. It turned out that they had been having an affair behind my back for quite some time now.

I couldn't recall how I made it back home, as all I remembered was burying my face in my pillow, crying through the night. I finally calmed down once dawn came and began to plan my departure.

Preston returned home the following morning and, acting as if nothing had happened, transferred my allowance to me. I immediately rejected the transfer and returned the money to him, just as it was.

Upon seeing the rejection, Preston looked at me with a scornful expression. "You're too proud to accept my money, huh? I'll keep the money, then. You ought to know that you don't have a job now, Samantha, so you're on your own for this month's household expenses!"

After my resignation, Preston had solemnly promised me that he would always ensure my financial well-being. I trusted him completely, and as a result, I never saved any money of my own. He knew exactly how to use that against me, and that’s how he kept me under his thumb.

It was incredibly challenging to run the household without any money, to the point where I even had to cut back on buying groceries.

Rowan had frequently complained about the situation. He finally lost it when I wouldn't buy him a new game console. "You don't even make any money, yet you persist in arguing with Daddy. Why are you being so stubborn right now, Mommy? You've dragged me into this as well—how annoying!"

I watched Preston, who was standing there, enjoying the spectacle, and felt my heart harden with each passing second. I knew he was waiting for me to cave in and apologize to him, but I refused.

I couldn't help but feel that the man whom I had loved for a decade and the son whom I had raised for eight years were complete strangers to me—we no longer seemed like a family.

It was only later, in response to Rowan's pleas, that Preston finally relented and transferred the allowance back to me, as if it were a begrudging act of charity.

I knew I wasn't financially independent yet, so I didn't confront him right away. It was also then that I realized that love could be generous yet fleeting, and that one could only rely on oneself to survive.

Thus, I began contacting former clients and took on freelance commercial design work. Thanks to my reputation and skills, I went from taking on small projects to taking on medium-sized ones.

I was able to discreetly secure the massive project from Grandmark Group this time, a highly sought-after client that Preston and Melanie had consistently failed to win over. I would be the talk of the industry once I complete this project, which was why I felt confident enough to confront Preston tonight.

Upon seeing me bring up the past, Preston grew both enraged and humiliated. "What can you possibly achieve just by being a housewife, Samantha? Your freelance money isn't even enough for groceries! You'd be better off taking care of Rowan with that free time of yours!"

I sneered in response. "Isn't Melanie looking after Rowan now? It seems like he doesn't need me taking care of him. If you think having Melanie by your side is such a blessing, then you should go marry Melanie instead! In any case, I wish to inform you that I've decided to divorce you, Preston!"

Preston's expression went from grim to furious. He gripped my hand tightly, his demeanor becoming menacing. "You'd better not attempt to use divorce to intimidate me, Samantha! I'll not yield to such tactics!"

Having said that, Preston slammed the door and stormed out, vanishing for the next two weeks and taking Rowan along with him.

His teacher called me, informing me that Preston had suddenly taken Rowan out of school for an "educational trip."

I wasn't the least bit surprised, as Melanie had already been broadcasting their travels together as a happy trio on Instagram.

I paid them no mind and started making my final preparations.