Chapter 1

**Tags:** Billionaire Heiress, Secret Identity, Cheating Husband, Mistress Drama, Epic Slapdown, Revenge, Divorce Glow-Up

The Vance family was a matriarchy, but carrying a pregnancy had always been our curse. My mother made it crystal clear: the day I gave birth to an eldest daughter was the day I’d officially inherit our multi-billion-dollar empire.

I kept this secret from my husband, Sean, for six whole years. Six years of scraping by, living on a shoestring budget by his side.

The day I delivered, I was lying exhausted in the hospital bed, mentally rehearsing how to break the incredible news to Sean.

He would never have to sweat over a mid-thirties tech crisis or live in constant fear of layoffs again. And I would never have to pinch every single penny to pay off our mortgage, terrified to buy even one new sweater.

Instead, the door swung open, and in walked his pregnant mistress.

My mother-in-law, Mrs. Miller, gently supported a heavily pregnant Vera Collins. Behind them, Sean walked in and tossed a stack of divorce papers straight onto my chest.

"Vera is pregnant. We’re getting a divorce."

Holding my newborn daughter, I suddenly burst out laughing.

There's an old joke about the ultimate fantasy: get promoted, get filthy rich, and lose the deadweight husband.

Lucky me. I just hit all three at once.

Seeing me laugh with our baby in my arms, Sean assumed I was having a mental breakdown.

With a cold, irritated scoff, he shoved a pen into my hand.

"Just sign it. It's better for both of us."

I gripped the pen and stared him down. "How long has this been going on between you and Vera?"

"You told me she was just a new hire on your team. An alumna from your college. You said you were just looking out for her."

Sean curled his lip, visibly annoyed that I was digging into the details.

"We’re splitting up anyway. What’s the point of asking all this crap now?"

"Just hurry up and sign."

I didn’t budge. I just kept my eyes locked on his. If he didn't give me an answer, this paper was staying blank.

After an awkward standoff, Sean threw up his hands in defeat.

"Fine! Since you’re so desperate to know, I’ll give it to you straight."

"Vera was my first love. If her parents hadn't shut us down back then, we would’ve been married years ago. I only pursued you—and married you—because your face looked like hers."

I tilted my head, glancing toward Vera.

Our features really did share a slight resemblance.

Except at the exact same age, Vera looked noticeably younger and glowing. Probably because she didn't spend every waking hour inhaling cooking grease, stressing over the utility bills, and clipping grocery coupons.

I turned back and flipped through the divorce agreement.

Terrified I would drag this out, Sean pointed out the terms himself.

"You get full custody of the girl. I don't want her. The most I'll pay is five hundred bucks a month in child support."

"And out of courtesy for the kid, remember that fifty-thousand-dollar wedding gift money my family gave you? You only have to pay me back twenty grand."

A dry chuckle escaped my lips. My heart went completely numb.

I snapped the folder shut.

"Sean, I gave you six years of my life. I just pushed your child out of my body, and you have the audacity to demand your wedding cash back?"

"On top of that, according to this paperwork, I get zero rights to the house, the car, or our savings. You’re the one cheating, yet you expect me to walk out on the streets with nothing?"

Sean looked away, clearly aware of how shameless he sounded. He didn't utter a word.

His mother immediately chimed in.

"Evelyn, don't be so greedy. Vera is the only daughter of Sean’s division head. If Sean marries her, she comes with a five-hundred-thousand-dollar dowry! With her dad backing him up, he doesn't have to worry about layoffs, and he'll be promoted to senior manager in no time."

"You’re just a low-level corporate clerk. You can't help Sean’s career at all. Let him go."

A low-level clerk?

Back then, Sean and I had both received offer letters from the very same corporation. It was Sean and his mother who took turns brainwashing me.

*A couple can't both be swamped with overtime,* they had argued. *Someone has to take care of the home. Just find a cozy desk job with zero stress so you can look after Sean and the house.*

I completely ignored my mother-in-law and fixed my gaze on Sean.

"Two hundred thousand dollars in cash right now, plus a thousand a month in child support. Otherwise, my signature doesn’t touch this paper."

"And by state law, you can’t force a divorce through litigation while I'm still in my postpartum recovery window."

Sean’s face turned purple with rage.

"Two hundred grand?! Evelyn, you’ve lost your damn mind!"

"I let you keep the rest of the wedding money, and now you want to rob me blind? In your dreams!"

*Rip!*

I tore the divorce agreement straight down the middle and glared right back at him.

"Then let’s drag it out. I’ve got all the time in the world. Does Vera’s growing belly have time?"

"As long as I don’t sign, she remains a home-wrecking side chick, and your baby is an illegitimate bastard. If you push me, I’ll carry my newborn straight to your headquarters and stage a scene. Let’s see who loses more face: me, you, or her big-shot director dad."

Sean was choked with fury, his knuckles popping as he clenched his fists.

Ironically, Vera broke first.

She stepped forward, speaking in a sickeningly sweet voice:

"Evelyn, look, I know Sean and I did you wrong."

"But two hundred thousand is insane. Sean and I have a mortgage and a baby on the way. Life is expensive everywhere. Can't you be a little considerate, parent to parent?"

"We won't fight you on child support. But cash... how about a hundred grand?"