Chapter 1

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When the wedding car reached the edge of town, I saw my future mother-in-law standing there, with my husband's relatives gathered around her.

The moment she saw me, she flagged the car down.

At the same time, she pulled out a document and held it out to me.

"Lavinia Dickerson, you've married into my family now, so let me lay out the rules of this house for you!"

"Around here we have a custom. The savings you bring into the marriage have to be handed over and split among the relatives!"

"Keith Henson told me you brought a million dollars!"

"That's two hundred thousand per family!"

"And this is a document you need to sign!"

"You're our daughter-in-law now, so every cent you earn belongs to this family!"

"That's not up for discussion!"

I looked at the document she was holding out. It didn't just require me to handle three meals a day for the whole family, it listed every obligation I was supposed to fulfill.

The real point was this: if I fell short in anything, they could fine me for it.

Even the company shares my father had handed to me before the marriage were supposed to go to my husband's family.

I turned to look at Keith, hoping he'd say something for me, but he just kept his head down and said nothing.

Looking at him, I knew this so-called document was something the whole family had planned out long ago.

"There's no reason for me to hand my money out to anyone. And what is this, has your family gone broke? Demanding money from me right to my face!"

1

"Lavinia, my mom's only teasing you. Why say something so harsh?"

The words had barely left my mouth when Keith, beside me, jumped in quickly: "Everyone's just joking with you!"

"This is just a little ritual we have around here!"

"Every new bride has to get through it!"

He looked at me and hurried on: "Just apologize to my mom now, then take out your savings and split it among my relatives, that's all!"

"And this agreement, all you have to do is sign it!"

"I'm your husband. Don't you know me by now?"

He looked at me and said, "How could I ever be scheming for your money?"

"Signing this agreement won't affect you at all!"

His words came out rushed and frantic, but listening to Keith, I laughed in anger.

I hadn't imagined Keith could actually say these things.

I looked at him now, my eyes full of disappointment.

"Keith, this is not something I'll ever agree to!"

I fixed my cold gaze on him. "And besides, who takes a wife and blocks her at the edge of town, then forces her to sign an agreement like this!"

The moment he heard that, his face changed.

"Lavinia, I already explained it to you!"

"It's just going through the motions. Once you sign it, my parents can hold their heads up in front of relatives, friends, and the whole town!"

"It takes you a second to sign your name. Why won't you do it?"

As he said it, his eyes went stern, fixed on me. "Hurry, sign it!"

"If we miss the auspicious hour, that'll look even worse!"

And with that, he moved to yank me down out of the car.

Feeling the force of his grip pulling at me, along with the way he looked right now, I already understood everything.

Keith had no idea, but he was a bad liar. Whenever he lied, his face went red to the ears in front of me.

Just like now.

"Keith, there's no way I'm signing this. And that money I brought into this marriage, there's no way I'm splitting it among those relatives of yours!"