Chapter 1

The day I got home from my business trip, I went to collect the rent right on schedule.

But the tenant said he'd already given the money to my daughter.

I was stunned.

My husband and I were childless by choice and had no kids at all.

Just as I was about to call him to check, I received a divorce agreement from him.

That was when I understood: the person collecting my rent was his mistress.

I gave a bitter little laugh and, that very night, went and brought her mother out of the psychiatric hospital.

The next day, when my husband came walking out of the county clerk's office beaming with joy,

I slowly pulled open the car door, pointed at the mistress, and said, "There... that one is your new daughter-in-law!"

1

The day I got home from my business trip, I remembered it was time to collect the rent on the storefront.

So I sent a message to my tenant, Kevin Chavez: "Kevin, the rent's due to be transferred to me."

Less than two minutes later, Kevin replied, "Hey, didn't the rent already get transferred to your daughter? Did she not give it to you?"

I stared at the screen, blank for a couple of seconds.

My fingers flew across the keys: "What are you talking about? My daughter?"

"Yeah, your daughter... pretty tall, shoulder-length hair... she said you'd been busy lately and asked her to collect it for you." After that, Kevin sent over a screenshot of the transfer.

The recipient's profile picture was a selfie of a young woman.

All smiles, her eyes curved like crescent moons.

The date was last Wednesday.

The amount was exactly the rent we'd agreed on.

My head went "buzz," like someone had punched me square in the face, and I couldn't catch my breath for a long moment.

A young guy waiting for the bus nearby saw how bad I looked and asked with concern, "Ma'am, are you okay? Are you feeling sick somewhere?"

I waved him off, my throat dry and tight.

I was born with a uterine deformity, and the doctor said pregnancy would be very risky.

Back when I was dating my husband, Ronald Finch, we'd agreed not to have children.

Back then he held me and said, "It doesn't matter whether we have kids or not. As long as I have you, that's enough for me."

Even later, when the parents on both sides pushed us, we held a united front and wouldn't budge no matter how they pushed, gently or hard.

But who would have thought that one business trip later, a grown daughter would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles went white.

My first thought was to find Ronald and ask him who this girl was.

But no matter how many times I called, it kept showing that his phone was turned off.

Ronald worked as a construction supervisor; his phone was always on, twenty-four hours a day.

So why had it suddenly gone dark?

Just as I was puzzling over it, my phone buzzed.

It was an email from Ronald.

The attachment was labeled with two words: Divorce Agreement.

The blood in my whole body went cold all at once, chilling me from the top of my spine all the way down to my heels.

That was when I finally understood: the person collecting my rent wasn't his daughter at all, but his mistress!

I looked at my phone screen and tugged my lips into a bitter smile. "Ronald, oh, Ronald, I never expected you to play around like this..."

Then I hailed a cab and headed straight for the psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of the city.

You want a divorce?

Fine!

I'll give you what you want!