“Go clean the bathroom” — my son ordered me, for t...

“Go clean the bathroom” — my son ordered me, for the third time during family dinner. I looked at him, stayed silent, then went back to my room. That very night, I packed my bags and left his house, taking with me the winning lottery ticket worth 30 million dollars that he knew nothing about.

My husband cheated, forced a divorce, and my son didn’t hesitate to choose him. “You’re just a broke housewife,” Robert sneered. “No way I’m living with you. Do you have any idea how expensive my sneakers are? Don’t ruin my life.” I clutched the lottery ticket in my hand. He had no idea. I had just won $300 million. It’s fine. Let him go live his supposedly good life with his father. I’ll take my precious daughter Olivia and enjoy life to the fullest.

There are two things I regret most in life. One, marrying my husband, Daniel. Two, giving birth to my son, Robert. Not long ago, Daniel cheated on his wife and then demanded a divorce. I wasn’t going to fight the divorce, but it broke my heart for my kids. I had just hired a lawyer and was preparing to fight for custody of both children. That’s when Robert stepped forward on his own.

“Mom, you’re just a broke housewife. No way I’m living with you. Do you know how expensive my sneakers are? Don’t ruin my life.”

Olivia was furious. “Robert, how can you say that to Mom? She’s done everything for you.”

Robert rolled his eyes. “She used Dad’s money to do it. Without Dad’s alimony, how is she going to take care of us? Olivia, if you want to live like a poor loser, go ahead, but I’m not going with you.”

I was shocked at how cold and calculating he was. I had poured my heart and soul into this boy. Robert was born premature and had been sickly since birth. I quit my high-paying job just to take care of him full-time for fifteen years. He didn’t like cafeteria food, so I woke up at five in the morning every day to make him a homemade breakfast. I bought the freshest ingredients, prepared balanced lunches, and personally delivered them to his school every day. And now, all that effort, love, and sacrifice had been reduced to a single disdainful sentence: You’re just a housewife. I don’t want to be poor with you.

In that moment, I swear I felt the blood in my veins run cold. Robert took my silence as hesitation. He grew anxious.

“Mom, don’t be selfish. If you really cared about me, you’d let me go.”

I let out a cold laugh. “Fine, go.”

What he didn’t know was that just a few days ago, my mother had bought me a lottery ticket and I had won the grand prize—$300 million. Technically, I was still married. Any lottery winnings would be legally split with Daniel. So I planned to claim the prize under my mother’s name, keeping it a secret. Once I won custody of my children and finalized the divorce, I was going to take my kids and live the life we deserved. But now I looked at that ungrateful brat. He wasn’t worth it.

The moment my mother-in-law, Susan, realized I had made a decision, she smiled with glee. “Good. Take Olivia and move as far away as possible.”

I turned to look at Robert, who was lounging on the sofa watching television. His own grandmother was openly insulting his mother and sister, yet he didn’t even react. Not a word, not a glance. In that moment, I completely gave up on him. I let out a cold laugh.

“I’m still married to Daniel, you know.”

Susan didn’t care. “I’ll call Daniel right now and tell him to take the day off to finalize the divorce. You can move out today. Melanie will move in tomorrow.”

Melanie, the woman Daniel had been cheating with. The moment Robert heard Melanie’s name, he jumped up from the sofa with excitement.

“Grandma, is Melanie finally moving in?”

Susan patted his head. “She’s about to be your new mom. Are you happy?”

Robert nodded eagerly. “Yes.”

Even Olivia, who had been desperately trying to keep the family together, was shocked by her little brother’s shamelessness.

“You are unbelievable,” Olivia snapped. “Mom has taken care of you for more than ten years, and instead of being grateful, you call the woman who ruined her marriage ‘Mom’? You are a joke.”

Robert didn’t even flinch. He shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s not my fault. Melanie is amazing. She has a PhD and teaches at the university.” Then he looked at me, his own mother, with a casual expression of disdain. “But Mom, she’s just a housewife. She spends her day cooking and cleaning. What does she know? Whenever my classmates ask what my mom does, I’m embarrassed to say she’s just a housewife. Dad choosing Melanie over her makes perfect sense to me.”

I always knew Robert looked down on me because his grandmother had been lying to him for years. She constantly reminded him that I was useless, that the whole family depended on Daniel’s income, and that only by staying with his father could he have a good life. I had always believed that one day he would grow up, that he would understand the sacrifices I made for him. But I was wrong. This boy was selfish to the core. For money and status, he was willing to abandon his own mother. Today, when he looked at me, there was no love, no attachment, only disgust, as if I were garbage. I didn’t feel anything for him anymore.

I lowered my gaze and looked at Olivia. She was clutching my hand tightly, her grip warm and firm—the only warmth I had left. At least my daughter still loved me. From now on, Olivia was my only child. And Robert, he could go to hell.

It wasn’t long before Daniel and Melanie rushed in. Melanie was in her forties, but she had taken good care of herself and looked more like someone in her thirties. She curved her lips into a sweet yet triumphant smile.

“Mary, I’m so glad you’ve finally come to your senses. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Daniel and your son, Robert.”

She spoke as if she were already the lady of the house. Daniel, on the other hand, shoved a divorce agreement at me.

“Sign it now. As long as you don’t make a scene and don’t tell anyone the details of my affair, I’ll give you and Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.” His voice became sharp. “But if you don’t cooperate, you won’t get a single penny. Hurry up. Melanie and I took the day off for this. As soon as we’re done here, we have a date.”

I laughed. I laughed heartily. He had thought everything out carefully—how to secure his new life with Melanie, how to cut me off completely. But he hadn’t spared a single thought for me and Olivia. I had given up my youth, my career, and what did I get in return? A paltry $3,000 a month for my daughter.

I pulled out a different divorce agreement, the one my lawyer had prepared. “Why don’t you take a look at this?”

I watched Daniel’s face darken as he quickly read through it. The house was split 50%, the compensation was $1 million, and he’d still pay Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.

Susan let out a dramatic gasp. “Mary, you’ve gone crazy. Daniel paid for everything in this house. If anything, you owe us. How dare you ask for so much?”

I smiled smugly. Melanie’s expression was subtly strained. Of course she wasn’t thrilled. After all, she had gone after Daniel for his money. Now that half of it was slipping away, she had every reason to be nervous. I remained calm.

“The down payment for this house—we paid it together. And the mortgage—we split that, too. Why shouldn’t I be entitled to half?” I glanced at Melanie and then back at Daniel. “As for the compensation, before I became a housewife, my monthly salary was $20,000. I sacrificed years of income for this marriage. One million dollars barely makes up for what I lost. And Olivia takes riding lessons. $3,000 a month barely covers her expenses.”

I let the words sink in before delivering the final blow. “If I recall correctly, Daniel, you’re currently in the running for vice president at the company.” I turned to Melanie, whose face was already tight with unease. “And you, Melanie, are a candidate for a major promotion at your university. This is a critical time for both of you. You really don’t want a scandal to ruin everything, do you?”

Melanie’s face flushed red. She grabbed Daniel’s sleeve like a delicate victim. “Daniel, I’m scared.”

Daniel gritted his teeth. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Then he turned and glared at me. “Are you threatening us?”

I gave him a scoffing laugh. “Threatening? Oh no, Daniel. I’m just giving you a friendly reminder.” I looked at my watch. “You have one hour to think it over.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened. “And if I refuse?”

Just then the doorbell rang. I smiled. “Perfect timing.” I opened the door and took the package from the delivery driver.

“Oh, good. Just what I was waiting for.”

I ripped open the box and pulled out two banners. The first read, “University Professor Melanie is in love with my husband. As his wife, I’m happy to step aside.” The second, “Daniel, Sunset Corporation’s VP candidate, a heartless man who abandoned his wife.”

I watched as Daniel’s and Melanie’s faces turned an ugly shade of gray. In the end, Daniel had no choice but to agree to my divorce terms. For the sake of his career and Melanie’s promotion, he signed reluctantly. His face was as dark as coal. Melanie’s was no better. She had married Daniel for his money, and now half of it was gone before she had a chance to enjoy it. As for Susan, she probably wanted to tear me apart. But for the sake of her precious son’s future, she had no choice but to bear it.

After finalizing the divorce, Olivia and I walked out of the courthouse, separating from Daniel’s family forever. Before we could leave, Susan sneered.

“Mary, don’t celebrate so soon. With my son’s ability, he’ll earn back every penny he gave you in just two years. You’ll regret divorcing him so easily.”

I arched an eyebrow, finding her words laughable. Ignorance is truly a blessing. If Daniel and his family knew I’d won $300 million, they would probably cry themselves to death.

Daniel’s smug smile returned as he turned to his mother. “Mom, didn’t you say our house was too small? Now that Mary and I are splitting the profit from the sale, I’ll add a little more and buy you a villa.”

Susan beamed. “That’s my good boy.”

Robert, my traitorous son, jumped up in excitement. “Melanie has incredible taste in art. She should decorate the new house. It will look amazing.”

Melanie smiled sweetly. “Of course. And how about I design a game room for you, too?” Then she looked at me, her voice dripping with condescension. “Oh, and by the way, Robert, shouldn’t you stop calling me Melanie? From now on, you should call me Mom.”

Robert didn’t even hesitate. “Mom,” he said cheerfully.

I felt nothing. No anger, no pain. Robert had already ceased to exist in my world. But Olivia, my sweet, sensitive daughter, squeezed my hand gently, worried that I might be hurt.

She whispered, “Mom, let’s go.”

I smiled at them. “It’s fine.”

I hailed a taxi, but before we could get in, Olivia gently tugged at my sleeve. “Mom, maybe we should take the bus. It’s cheaper and still practical.”

My heart clenched. She had heard Susan’s words and was already worried about saving money for me. This child was so considerate, it broke my heart.

I winked and gave her a smile. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I have money.”

Susan let out a mocking laugh. “Money? Mary? You don’t even have a house, a car, or a job. You have no skills, no career. You’ll be lucky to get work cleaning. You’re just spending the little money you have left. Enjoy it while you can. Soon, you and Olivia will be living on the streets, homeless.”

Olivia’s fists clenched. She glared at Susan angrily. “We don’t need you to worry. When I grow up, I’ll take care of my mom.”

Susan snorted. “A daughter taking care of her mother? Please. Daughters are nothing but a waste of money. You’ll abandon her the moment you get married.”

Melanie chimed in, smiling. “Mary, if you ever struggle, you can count on me. Our university is always hiring cleaning staff. I’d be happy to recommend you.”

I didn’t say a word. I simply flipped Melanie off. Then I took Olivia’s hand, got into the taxi, and never looked back.

At the real estate center, the sales agent, Dave, was all smiles as he presented the properties to us. “This villa is in the East District, a prime location. It’s surrounded by parks, offers stunning views, and is very close to your daughter’s private school. Plus, it’s fully furnished and ready to move in.”

My parents were tempted. “How much?”

“Twenty million.”

Twenty million was nothing to someone who had just won a hundred times that amount. I didn’t hesitate for a second. “We’ll take it. Full payment.”

Dave’s eyes lit up. It was rare to find a client as straightforward and decisive as me. His tone became even more respectful. “Please take a seat in our VIP lounge while I prepare the contract.”

Before I could reply, a scoff came from behind. It really was a small world. Daniel and his family were there, too.

Susan spoke first. “Mary, what are you doing here? Daniel only gave you $500,000 in the divorce. That money wouldn’t even buy you a bathroom in a villa.”

Melanie nodded. “Mary, I get it. You still hold a grudge against Daniel, so you found out we were house hunting and decided to put on a show, but let’s be real. This is wildly embarrassing.”

Dave, who had been enthusiastic moments ago, suddenly looked hesitant.

Robert frowned. “Mom, I’m so disappointed in you. I thought you were useless, but now I see you’re a liar, too.”

My father was already fed up. “Watch what you say, boy. Your father cheated on your mother and forced her out with nothing, and you’re standing here defending him.” He turned to Daniel and Melanie, his voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. “Look at them. One is about to become a vice president, the other a university professor—with their morals. Do they even deserve those jobs?”

The people around us began to whisper, their eyes turning toward Daniel and Melanie, their smiles hardened. Clearly, they didn’t expect to be reprimanded in public. But my father wasn’t done yet. He turned to Robert and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed through the showroom. Robert staggered back, a tooth dropping out along with a mouthful of blood.

He looked at my father in shock. “Grandpa, you hit me. Why?”

But my father didn’t let him play the victim. “Why? Because you’re an ungrateful child. Your mother sacrificed everything for you, and this is how you repay her. She never punished you, but I will.”

Robert clutched his bleeding lip, still in disbelief. “But Grandpa, Dad didn’t do anything wrong. Mom is just a housewife. She did nothing but spend Dad’s money. She should be grateful he didn’t leave her sooner. It was Dad’s money that raised me, not Mom.”

I should have been furious, but instead, I thought, at least my dad hit both sides equally. Seeing Robert’s swollen face was strangely satisfying. Susan rushed forward in distress.

“How dare you hit my grandson? Mary was useless, so don’t blame the child for facing reality.”

But it was too late. By now the people around us had caught on.

“What an ungrateful child. His mother gave him everything, and he treats her like this.”

“Is he crying? His mom didn’t even cry. Why is he crying? He’ll regret this someday.”

Robert had never been humiliated like this before. His face burned with shame as he looked around at the judging eyes. Then without another word, he turned and ran. Susan immediately ran after Robert, leaving only Daniel and Melanie at the scene. Feeling the critical stares directed at her, Melanie forced a smile.

“Marriage is complicated. Mary’s and Daniel’s relationship had problems long before I came along. Their divorce has nothing to do with me.”

Daniel quickly took her hand. “Exactly. I’ve wanted to divorce Mary for a long time. Melanie had nothing to do with it.”

My mother scoffed. “Nothing to do with it? And how is it that as soon as my daughter finalized the divorce, Melanie moved in and immediately applied for a marriage license? I’d say the biggest problem in their marriage was Daniel’s affair with Melanie.”

Onlookers were outraged. “They really are a perfect pair—shameless to the core. How disgusting. Just looking at them makes me sick. And they had the nerve to mock this lady for not being able to afford a house.”

Daniel’s face turned a horrible shade of red. Melanie, feeling humiliated, tried to lower her head and sneak away, but Daniel grabbed her hand.

“Sweetheart, don’t worry. I won’t let you suffer for anything,” he whispered.

Melanie’s expression softened slightly. “Really?”

“When have I ever lied to you?”

Then Daniel looked at me. “Do you know why I divorced her? Because she’s a liar. She not only lies to her family, but she lies to herself. I was afraid she would be a bad influence on the children. So I left. Think about it. She was a housewife for fifteen years. She comes from an ordinary family. Where would she get the money to buy a villa?”

The stares from the onlookers turned toward me, now with a hint of doubt. I laughed. This was the man I had loved for almost twenty years. To clear his name, he was not only denying everything I had done for our family, but now he was openly slandering me. Too bad for him. His plan was about to backfire.

“What if I do have the money to buy it?”

Daniel sneered. “If you can afford this house, I’ll eat dirt.”

I smiled. “Don’t regret saying that.”

Daniel glared. “Stop wasting everyone’s time. If you’re rich, buy the house.”

Melanie added, “She’s just bluffing. Daniel is about to be promoted to vice president, and even he can only afford a townhouse with a loan. How could you, a housewife, pay for a villa in full? She’s just trying to save face.”

“No need to drag this out. Just verify my funds.”

It took the real estate company almost two hours to complete the verification. The crowd, instead of dwindling, only grew larger. People were whispering excitedly.

“Well, what’s the result?”

Daniel smiled smugly. “Do I even need to ask? Her account must be empty. I told you she’s a scammer.”

I looked at him, waiting for reality to slap him across the face. My silence to him was proof of my guilt.

“What’s wrong? Where is that arrogance from before?”

Dave, the sales agent, looked at Daniel as if he were an idiot. He cleared his throat and spoke. “Excuse me, may I say something?”

Daniel was confident. “Go ahead. Don’t hold back.”

Melanie chimed in. “Yes, expose her so no one else falls for her lies.”

Dave took a deep breath. “Ms. Mary has $30 million in liquid assets. Purchasing this villa is well within her means.”

Daniel’s eyes widened. “What did you say?”

Dave repeated himself. I smiled. “And what about that promise you just made?”

Daniel glared at me, still in disbelief. “It’s impossible for you to have that much money. Impossible. You must have bribed Dave to cover for you. You have at most $500,000, nothing more.”

Daniel had no idea that the account I used for verification was the one with the least amount of money.

“Ms. Mary provided a valid account with verifiable funds. Whether you believe it or not is your problem,” Dave said politely. “Ms. Mary, would you like to rest in our VIP lounge while we finalize the paperwork?”

I followed my parents to the VIP lounge. Behind us, the crowd was swarming Daniel.

“Idiot. The wife you tossed aside turned out to be a multi-millionaire. You must be regretting this so much.”

“If you hadn’t divorced her, you wouldn’t have to spend the next twenty years paying a house mortgage. You could have lived in her mansion.”

“Well, that’s what a jerk like him deserves.”

Daniel’s face turned tomato red. “You don’t understand. Mary must be scamming everyone.”

“Oh, please, keep making excuses. He simply doesn’t want to eat dirt. What kind of man makes a bet and then refuses to acknowledge it?”

Unable to bear the public humiliation, Daniel and Melanie fled in disgrace without even buying a house.

A month later, my family and I officially moved into our new home. Olivia now had a spacious, beautifully decorated bedroom designed to her taste. Since she loved reading, there was also an expansive study next to her room filled with books she adored. She was thrilled with the new house.

“Mom, I love you so much.”

Seeing my thoughtful daughter smile so radiantly, I gave her a loving pat on the head. “Mom loves you, too.” Then I added, “By the way, didn’t you say you wanted to study art and design at university? The United Kingdom has some of the best programs for that. You’re an excellent student, so your grades won’t be a problem. I’ve already hired the best tutors for you, and I’m preparing to send you abroad to study.”

“That’s amazing, Mom.” Olivia hugged me and gave me a soft, sweet kiss.

I sighed inwardly. Daughters truly are the best. A little bit of kindness from me, and she responded with the purest, most genuine love. Moving into our new house wasn’t just exciting for Olivia; it was exciting for me, too. I had finally begun a new chapter in my life. I no longer had to sleep in the same bed as Daniel, endure his snoring, wake up at five in the morning to cook breakfast for Robert, or tolerate Susan’s constant criticisms. Since the divorce, even my parents commented that I looked noticeably healthier and more radiant.

One day, as my parents and I were returning home, we happened to see Daniel and his family moving into the house right behind ours. Susan spotted us and immediately swelled with pride.

“Mary, look at this. Our new house. Isn’t it gorgeous? So jealous, right?”

I glanced at the house. It was fine. But compared to mine, it was much smaller. I shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess.”

Susan sneered. “Okay? Anyone hearing you would think you live in a grand mansion. The truth is you’re still stuck in some old run-down place.”

Melanie chimed in with a saccharine tone. “Mary, I know you must feel awful. You were married to Daniel for so long and never got to live in a villa, but I’ve only been with him for a few months, and here I am. It’s fate. You can’t blame anyone else for that.”

My mom scoffed. “We don’t need it, and we don’t care.”

Susan put her hands on her hips. “Then why are you standing there watching us move in? Clearly, you’re here out of jealousy.”

My mom rolled her eyes. “We were just passing by.”

Susan smiled smugly. “Passing by? You live in the South Central and this is the West District. What kind of route is that?”

My dad chuckled. “Well, truth be told, we actually live in the house across the street. It has a much better view and is much bigger. Frankly, we wouldn’t even consider a house as small as yours.”

Daniel scoffed. “The more you lie, the more you believe it. With your financial situation, you think you can afford a house in this neighborhood? You can fool the real estate agents, but not us.”

Robert, standing next to him, added, “Grandpa, Grandma, you should stop. You’re just going to embarrass yourselves later.”

My father narrowed his eyes. “You don’t believe us? Then come check if we’re the real owners of this.”

Susan crossed her arms. “Fine, this will be fun. Let’s see who ends up embarrassed.”

With the mindset of witnessing a joke, Susan and the others followed us to our house. When we reached the door, she snickered.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Open it. Or are you going to use the classic excuse that you forgot your keys?”

Before she could finish her sentence, my father casually placed his finger on the fingerprint scanner. With a beep, the door unlocked. He smirked.

“What century are you living in? Who uses keys anymore? Everything’s fingerprint now.”

Susan was stunned. “You really bought a house? A villa?”

My mom smiled proudly. “That’s right.”

“Where did you get the money?” Susan asked.

“That’s none of your business,” my mom replied smugly. “You just need to know that Mary is living much better without you.”

We were about to walk in when Daniel suddenly spoke suspiciously. “This villa isn’t yours. You’re just the maids, right?”

Susan’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she had just realized something. “Daniel, how clever of you. I was wondering how they could afford a villa, but now it all makes sense.” She narrowed her eyes and added maliciously, “Just wait. I’ll tell the real owner about your bad deeds and make sure you all lose even this job.”

How despicable. Daniel was the one who broke our marriage, yet Susan continued to do everything she could to make things difficult for my family. My parents, however, laughed cheerfully.

“We’ll be waiting.”

A few moments later, Olivia’s art history tutor arrived. Susan glanced at the well-dressed, elegant woman and immediately assumed she was the villa’s owner. She rushed over and grabbed her arm, ready to start badmouthing us.

“Madam, you must be the owner of this villa. I’m telling you, the people you hired—Mary and her family—are not good employees. They’re very nosy, you know. They cannot be trusted.”

The tutor looked at Susan, completely bewildered. “What are you talking about? They are the owners of this villa. I’m just here to teach Olivia art history.”

“What?” Susan’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

Daniel, equally frustrated, snapped, “I thought so, too. I guess Mary was hiding her true wealth from me all this time.”

Susan groaned in regret. “So you let a rich woman slip away?”

Melanie’s face visibly darkened at those words. Daniel noticed and quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Mom, stop talking. Melanie is right here.” He turned to Melanie, all affection. “Sweetheart, don’t take what she said to heart. What I feel for you has nothing to do with money.”

Melanie’s expression softened slightly, but she still didn’t say a word. With their heads bowed, the three of them shuffled back to their house. Their former arrogance had completely vanished, and any joy about moving into their new home was utterly crushed.

When we got home, my parents began to regret how smug they had been earlier. “Mary, should we have kept a low profile? But seeing that Susan and her family only respect the rich and trample on the poor, we wanted them to know you’re doing well.”

“I don’t mind,” I said. “It’s okay. We live in the same neighborhood now. We’ll surely run into each other sooner or later. They’ll find out.”

“Exactly,” Olivia chimed in. “Grandpa, Grandma, your clapback was amazing. It felt so good hearing you put them in their place.”

Hearing this, my parents relaxed a little and their expressions softened.

That very evening, Robert called. His voice sounded hesitant. “Mom, how have you been lately?”

Who says kids aren’t realistic? Sometimes they’re even more pragmatic than adults. When I was about to divorce his father, he chose Daniel without a second thought, refusing to acknowledge a housewife mother like me. Now that he knew I had money, the first thing he did was call me.

I smiled smugly. “Since leaving Daniel and his family, I feel great. If you hadn’t called, I’d feel even better.”

“Mom, I know you’re saying that because you’re upset. I’m still your dear son, right?”

Once upon a time he was, but the love I felt for him had been completely drained by his actions. I looked at Olivia, who was quietly reading a book not far away. The only person I cherished now was my daughter.

Robert continued, “Mom, I’ve wanted to call you for a long time, but I was afraid Dad and Melanie wouldn’t be happy. That’s the only reason I waited.”

Oh, how considerate of you.

“Olivia told me she’s studying art history. She’s preparing to study abroad, right? Mom, you know my grades aren’t great, but I want to study abroad, too. Say the United Kingdom. It’s only about $150,000 a year. You already bought a villa, so this is nothing to you, right?”

I couldn’t help but smile. Where did Robert get the confidence to think that after treating me with such indifference, I would still do anything for him?

Hearing my silence, he grew impatient. “Mom, you love me so much. You’ll definitely help me, right?”

I reminded him, “Robert, did you forget you chose your father? You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.”

My parents added, “Robert, do us a favor and stay out of our lives. Just hearing your voice puts us in a bad mood.”

Robert, now embarrassed and angry, finally revealed the real reason for his call. “You got lucky with money. Who cares? Tell me honestly, where did you get the money to buy that house? My grandma and dad said you must have hidden money during the divorce. If we can prove you used marital assets to buy that house, then half of that money legally belongs to my father. Once he gets his share, studying abroad will be a piece of cake for me.”

“Oh,” I scoffed. “So now you’re openly declaring your intentions, and you still expect me to tell you anything useful?”

“It doesn’t matter. My dad is smart. He’ll figure out where you got the money.”

I hung up the phone calmly. Let them figure it out all they want. The lottery ticket was bought in my mother’s name. The winnings were collected in her name. Even the house was bought with her bank account. My mother’s money had nothing to do with me. And it had even less to do with Daniel and his family.

I never expected Daniel’s family to be so shameless. That morning, I was still sleeping when I was awakened by a loud commotion downstairs. When I went down, I saw Daniel’s family had broken into my house and were arguing with my parents.

“What’s going on here?” I asked.

My parents looked upset. “We just went out to take out the trash, and they instantly forced their way in, demanding money.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Daniel, how much do I owe you?”

Susan raged. “What the heck? Your parents have money. How dare you demand so much from Daniel?”

I replied coldly, “My parents’ wealth has nothing to do with the compensation I was owed. The sacrifices I made for that home were real. I contributed to the down payment and helped pay the mortgage. If you’re not satisfied, you can take it to court.”

My mother nodded. “That’s right. And I heard you recently hired a housekeeper for $3,000 a month. If we were to put a price on all the work my daughter did in that house, it would be worth much more than that.”

Susan rolled her eyes. “That’s only because Melanie is useless with housework. I thought she was a good catch—educated, successful, and much better than Mary. But it turns out she’s nothing but a money-sucking mess. She can’t do anything right and is just wasting Daniel’s hard-earned money.”

Melanie’s face darkened. “Mom, what are you saying?”

Susan practically pointed her finger at her nose. “Am I wrong? Since you married into the family, have you contributed a single penny? You even caused Robert’s allergy attack and sent him to the hospital. You did it on purpose, right?”

I crossed my arms and watched the show unfold. I never imagined that before they could finish attacking me, they would turn on each other. I had a strong hunch that this little family wouldn’t last much longer. Even if they didn’t split, their life together was guaranteed to be a constant disaster.

Tears welled up in Melanie’s eyes. “Daniel, aren’t you going to say anything?”

Daniel put his arm around her. “Sweetheart, my mom doesn’t know what she’s saying. Don’t worry.”

Susan, her voice louder than ever, shoved Daniel. “And what do you mean by that, Daniel? Did you forget how much it cost me to raise you all these years?”

Daniel’s chest heaved with frustration. He took a deep breath. “Enough, Mom. Stop talking. We didn’t come here to make a scene in front of Mary’s family. Don’t forget why we’re here.”

“Ah, yes. I almost forgot.” Susan finally calmed down. And then they revealed their true purpose for coming. It was all about money. They spelled it out clearly: since I was clearly not struggling financially, I should give back the $500,000 in compensation. Plus, I should give them an additional $10 million in cash. This money was for Robert’s future. They’d heard I was sending Olivia abroad to study, so Robert should have the same opportunity. “Don’t worry, we’re not unreasonable. If you want to see Robert, we won’t stop you.” They assumed I would cave for my son.

But they forgot one thing. I had long lost all affection for Robert. I wasn’t going to spend another cent on him. And with their scheming nature, who knew how much of that $10 million would actually go into Robert’s hands?

Smiling, I asked, “Are you all daydreaming? I’m not giving you a dime.”

Susan gasped. “Mary, how can you be so heartless? Robert is your son. If you don’t take care of him, who will?”

I gently stroked Olivia’s head. “Have any of you ever worried about Olivia?”

Robert scoffed. “Grandma says Olivia is useless, that she’ll never amount to anything, so you should focus on me.”

I laughed mockingly. “When your father cheated on me and asked for a divorce, your first reaction wasn’t to defend me, but to make sure you didn’t choose me so you wouldn’t be dragged down. You insulted me for being a housewife and praised your stepmother, and you expect me to invest in you?”

Robert looked away. “Well, that’s because you didn’t have money at the time. If you could have given me a good life, I would have definitely chosen you.”

I replied coldly, “Robert, you still don’t understand where you went wrong. I could accept you choosing to live with your father for a better life. But what I can’t accept is your betrayal. For all these years, I stepped away from my career. I became an ordinary housewife just so I could take better care of you. You might not know this, but I worked at the same company as your father, and I was promoted even faster than he was. If it wasn’t for you, I would have been much more successful than your father. Of course, I didn’t do all this expecting anything in return. But at the very least, you should have been grateful. You weren’t. You belittled and dismissed everything I did. You betrayed me without hesitation and enthusiastically called Daniel and Melanie ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad.’ They were the ones who hurt me, and yet you joined them to hurt me and your sister who has always been good to you. Do you really think you still deserve to be my son? Do you think you deserve my kindness?”

For the first time, I saw a flicker of guilt on Robert’s face. Susan sneered.

“Enough with the speeches. Do you think I don’t understand what you’re saying? You simply don’t want to give us money.”

Robert suddenly looked enlightened. “Yes, for a second I almost got carried away by her words, but after all, I’m still her son. Shouldn’t she be good to me no matter what?”

I shook my head. Robert was beyond saving. Talking to him was a complete waste of breath.

Daniel, being the most calculating, tried a different approach. “Mary, no matter what, Robert is still your son. You’ve devoted so much time and energy to him. You can’t just abandon him. He’s still young. He doesn’t understand now. But one day he’ll grow up and realize everything you did was for him.”

My mother had heard enough. She spat on the floor in disgust. “Robert was given to you in the divorce. He’s your responsibility now. We won’t be dealing with him anymore. We’ll only take care of our good granddaughter. Besides, Robert is already sixteen years old. He’s not a child anymore. You need to get out of our house and stay far, far away from us.”

But Susan and the rest refused to leave and kept shouting, “Robert is your son. One day you’ll regret losing him.”

She really thought too highly of herself. I had my wonderful daughter and more money than I could ever spend. I would live a much better life than any of them. If anything, Susan should worry about herself. In the end, I had to call the police to finally have them kicked out of my house. But even after that, Daniel’s family refused to leave us alone. They kept showing up, sometimes trying to guilt us, sometimes throwing insults when we didn’t respond. We were more than fed up with it.

Fortunately, summer vacation arrived, so I took my family to France for a long, luxurious vacation. I was lounging on a beach chair, enjoying the sun. A handsome young man was massaging my back with essential oil when I suddenly received a call from Daniel. His voice was filled with rage.

“Mary, how cruel you are. We had a deal. You weren’t supposed to reveal what happened between Melanie and me. And now, thanks to you, both Melanie and I have lost our jobs. You broke the agreement. The $50,000 I gave you as compensation—you have to give it back.”

I was completely confused. What the heck did I do? I was on vacation, far away from them. With stunning views, delicious food, and handsome men all around me, I couldn’t care less about their pathetic problems.

Daniel didn’t reply. Instead, he sent me a video. I clicked on it. Someone had secretly recorded the entire confrontation we had at the real estate center where they mocked me for not being able to buy a house, only to be spectacularly silenced. In the video, my family’s faces were considerably blurred, but Daniel’s and Melanie’s were completely visible. Whoever uploaded it even gave it a dramatic title: “Man leaves his wife, then discovers she’s a multi-millionaire. Now he regrets everything.” The comments were brutal. Some jokingly asked if I needed a rich woman’s companion. Others outright called Daniel a scumbag who deserved this downfall. And of course, some had already dug up Daniel’s and Melanie’s identities. As a result, they both lost their jobs.

I rolled my eyes. “And what does that have to do with me? I wasn’t the one who recorded the video, nor was I the one who uploaded it. I honestly couldn’t care less about the two of you. If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves.”

My voice turned cold. “You were the ones acting like fools in public, so don’t be surprised that someone recorded it.”

Daniel fell silent. Just when I was about to hang up, his tone suddenly changed, becoming sickeningly sweet.

“Mary, I still have feelings for you. I was a little confused when I got involved with Melanie, but now that I’m with her, I finally realized that the person I truly love is you. Let’s do it. I’ll divorce Melanie tomorrow. Can we get back together? Okay? You have my word. From now on, I’ll only love you and will never do anything to upset you again.”

I almost choked. Where did he get the confidence to think I would ever take him back? I would have to be crazy to go back to an unfaithful man who had ruined so many of my opportunities. The man massaging me—George—was a romantic Frenchman. Noticing my frown, he asked in a concerned voice, “Am I pressing too hard? Does it hurt?”

I smiled at him. “No, it’s perfect. I feel wonderful.”

Daniel, on the other end of the line, heard our conversation and instantly lost his mind. “Mary, what the heck are you doing?” His tone was accusatory, as if I were the one who had cheated. How ridiculous. He had betrayed our marriage. We were divorced, and yet he still had the audacity to act as if I owed him loyalty.

I chuckled. “Obviously, I’m doing things that make me happy. Now, stop bothering me. Let’s be real. You’re a middle-aged, balding, sloppy, unhygienic, and snoring cheater. I wouldn’t get back together with you even if you were the last man on Earth.”

With that, I hung up before he could call again—which he did, numerous times. I turned to George, who was still massaging me. Looking at a handsome man really improves the mood.

We spent two months abroad, but that didn’t mean we were completely disconnected from what was happening back home. My mother had made quite a few friends in our neighborhood and was in a group chat dedicated to discussing the latest gossip. Daniel’s family had become internet-famous, and naturally the neighborhood was buzzing with discussions about them. After losing their jobs, Susan began to blame Melanie, calling her a walking disaster. She ranted about how ever since Melanie married into the family, they hadn’t had a single day of peace. First, she made Daniel lose his rich ex-wife. Then, she was responsible for Robert ending up in the emergency room. And finally she brought Daniel down with her, costing him his job. Furthermore, Melanie didn’t lift a finger at home and was utterly useless.

As Susan continued, she began to reminisce about how much better things had been when I was around. Melanie, of course, wasn’t one to suffer in silence. She fought back, and soon the two were constantly butting heads. At first, Daniel tried to mediate, but after a while, he gave up and resorted to drinking himself into a stupor. As for Robert, his grades had never been great, and with all the chaos at home, they only dropped further. Eventually, their drama faded from the neighborhood conversations. Daniel had no job and couldn’t afford the expensive mortgage, so he defaulted on payments and was forced to move out.

When my parents heard about it, their only comment was, “They deserve it.” Then they added, “Mary, we need to be careful. Daniel’s family has no shame. Now that they know we’re rich, they’ll surely try to seize our money.”

I had to admit, my parents were incredibly insightful. It wasn’t long before Daniel’s family made their move. What I didn’t expect was how pathetic and ridiculous their plan would be—so ridiculous I wasn’t sure if they were insulting my intelligence or their own.

That day I was sightseeing when my mother received a frantic call from Susan. “Oh my God. Robert has been kidnapped. The kidnappers are demanding a $30 million ransom in three days. If we don’t pay, they said they’ll kill him.” Her voice trembled with fake sobs. “We don’t have that kind of money. Where are we going to get $30 million?”

Hearing it was a life-or-death situation, my mother panicked. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out.”

“Okay, but whatever you do, don’t call the police. The kidnappers said if we involve the police, they’ll kill Robert,” Susan emphasized.

“Okay, we won’t call the police.”

After hanging up, my mom turned to me, flustered. “Mary, I know you’re still angry at Robert, but it’s a life at stake. We can’t just stand by.”

My dad chimed in. “She’s right. We’ll help him this one time, and then we won’t deal with him anymore.”

I ran my fingers over my phone, deep in thought. Then I looked up and said, “Mom, Dad, don’t you think this supposed kidnapping is a little suspicious?”

“What do you mean?”

“Daniel and Melanie lost their jobs. They couldn’t even afford the mortgage and had to move into a rental apartment. They’re completely broke. What kind of kidnappers would target Robert of all people?” I paused and let the thought sink in. “Robert? The kidnappers are clearly targeting us.”

My mom’s eyes widened as she put the pieces together. “Are you saying this kidnapping was staged by Daniel’s family?”

“It’s highly possible. And who else would be so desperate as to try and extort us?”

My father hesitated. “But what if it’s real? What if Robert really is kidnapped? We can’t risk anyone’s life.”

I remained calm. “We’ll pay the ransom, but when Robert returns, we’ll call the police and let them thoroughly investigate Daniel’s family.”

My dad nodded. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”

We transferred the ransom money to the account designated by the kidnappers. About three hours later, Daniel called me and said Robert had returned safe and sound. He made sure to emphasize, “Mary, don’t call the police. The kidnappers said if we involve the police, they’ll come for our entire family.”

At that moment, my family and I had just landed from our flight home. Hearing Daniel’s warning only solidified my suspicion that the whole thing was a setup. From the beginning, Daniel’s family obsessively repeated one thing: Don’t call the police. Their tone practically screamed that they were more worried about the kidnappers getting caught than about Robert’s safety. So the moment we landed, I went straight to the police station and reported the incident along with my suspicions.

The police worked quickly. In less than three days, they uncovered the truth. Robert’s kidnapping had been entirely staged by Daniel’s family. It was all a ploy to scam me out of money. They apparently wasted no time spending the ransom. Melanie and Susan used $5 million to repurchase their previous home in full. Then they spent another million on jewelry. Daniel, now plunged into despair over his life failures, had acquired a gambling addiction and lost $3 million at the tables. As for Robert, he had fallen in with the wrong crowd and splurged tens of thousands of dollars on parties. When the authorities stepped in, they could only recover a portion of the stolen money. In the end, Robert, being a minor, was sentenced to three years in prison. The rest received ten years in prison for fraud.

Before the sentencing, I went to see them one last time. They pleaded for mercy, crying that they had simply lost their way, and begged me to forgive them. I refused. These people had no moral grounding. If they were capable of faking Robert’s kidnapping just to extort me, what would stop them from kidnapping Olivia in the future to force my hand? For my family’s safety, the best place for them was behind bars.

On the day of the sentencing, Robert was in the courtroom and looked at Olivia, who was standing next to me. She was radiant, confident, happy, and full of life. Seeing this, he finally broke down. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably.

“Mom, I was wrong. Mom, I was truly wrong.”

I felt nothing. I will never forget the cold, detached way he once looked at me. Did Robert truly realize his mistakes? No, he was only regretful because he had made the wrong choice—because he hadn’t chosen me. If he had, he would be living the luxurious life he had always dreamed of. But deep down, he was still the same selfish person he had always been.

A year later, Olivia achieved her dream of getting into one of the top design schools overseas. I personally drove her to the airport to see her off. As we watched her leave, my parents sighed.

“Olivia has grown up,” my dad said. “She’s leaving on her own now.”

My mom looked at me and added, “Mary, you should consider getting married again. It would be nice to have someone by your side so you don’t feel lonely.”

I laughed. “Why would I bring unnecessary trouble into my life? I feel happier than ever. I have wealth, freedom, and a family that truly loves me. And if I ever feel a little lonely, well, I have the always capable young pool boys to keep me entertained. Not to mention, I could always meet new friends and travel the world. Honestly, life couldn’t get any better.”