Chapter 2

By nighttime, a howling wind began to blow, whistling through the cracks of the old window.

When Carter pushed the bedroom door open, Lily and I were already getting ready for bed.

He rubbed his hands together, a fake, flattering smile plastered on his face.

"Chloe, you're not asleep yet?"

He sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch my shoulder. I coldly swerved to avoid him.

Carter's hand froze in mid-air, and he pulled it back awkwardly.

"Well, Chloe... Mia’s health has always been weak. Now that she's in the city and winter is coming, I was thinking of buying her some good food to nourish her."

"Like what?"

"Give me the cash you got from your bonus last month. I want to buy a couple of pounds of beef and some imported cheese."

That money was my hard-earned bonus, earned after pulling multiple all-nighters at my accounting job.

I had saved it specifically for Lily's preschool tuition next month.

And he was asking for it so casually.

[The audacity! He wants to take his wife's hard-earned money to buy cheese for his mistress, while his own daughter gets kicked out of preschool because he won't pay her tuition!]

Lily, who had been lying under the blanket, suddenly sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Daddy, didn't you already buy Mia beef yesterday?"

Carter's face darkened instantly. "What does a kid know? Mia had plain noodles yesterday. Where would she get beef?"

Lily tilted her head, her face full of genuine confusion.

"But I saw you pull a thick stack of cash from your pocket and give it to her. You told her to buy whatever meat she wanted, even a whole pig if she liked."

Being exposed again, Carter jumped up, pointing a finger at Lily and screaming.

"You little liar! Who taught you to make up stories? Where would I get a stack of cash? Did your mother tell you to say this?!"

His voice screamed anger, but his eyes were filled with sheer panic.

Watching his frantic reaction, suspicion bloomed in my chest.

I was the one managing our family budget.

Every month, after leaving enough for basic expenses, I put the rest into a savings account.

Carter's monthly allowance was only fifty dollars. Where on earth did he get a thick stack of cash to give to Mia?

[The scumbag has been doing illegal side-deals! He’s been stealing scrap metal and copper wires from the company warehouse and selling them. The cash is hidden right inside the lining of that ragged sofa in the living room!]

I sneered inwardly but kept my face neutral and troubled.

"Carter, why are you screaming at a child?"

"The money is already in the high-yield savings account. If I withdraw it now, we’ll lose all the interest."

"Who told you to lock it up in savings?!"

Carter hissed impatiently. "I need cash now! Where am I supposed to get it?"

"Do you even care about our family's situation?" I pulled the blanket up, turning my back to him.

"Lily's tuition is due next month. I saved that money for our family. If you want to buy fancy food for Mia, find your own way."

Carter stood there for a moment. Realizing he wouldn't get a dime out of me, he spat, "Selfish bitch," and slammed the door as he left.

As soon as his footsteps faded, I slipped out of bed.

Without turning on the lights, I crept to the corner of the living room, right where that old, peeling leather sofa sat.

Carter had brought this second-hand couch home when we got married. The leather was completely worn out.

I reached my hand deep into the gap beneath the sofa frame, feeling along the wooden support beams.

In the deepest, most hidden corner, my fingers brushed against something thick and plastic.

With a hard tug, I pulled out a heavy black trash bag.

Inside was a massive stack of hundred-dollar bills. A quick count revealed it was easily over fifty thousand dollars.

For a working-class family like us, this was an absolute fortune.

Staring at the money, a wave of cold fury washed over me.