Chapter 3

My mother-in-law's 60th birthday gala was held at the Hayes family's suburban estate.

I had handled every detail of the decor, turning the venue into a warm, lavish space.

Right in the middle of the grand living room, I had set up a massive high-definition projector screen.

I claimed it was for a "memorial slideshow" celebrating her milestone birthday.

Relatives trickled in one by one. Everyone praised how capable and dutiful of a daughter-in-law I was, and Julian puffed out his chest with pride.

"That's my wife," he bragged to his cousins, resting an arm on my shoulder. "Always putting family first."

I wore a graceful smile and didn't pull away.

Soon, Chloe arrived. She wore a virginal white summer dress, styled with delicate makeup—the very picture of innocence.

The moment she stepped in, she chirped, "Mom, I'm here!"

Julian's mother beamed from ear to ear, rushing over to clutch her hands as if greeting her own flesh and blood.

"Oh, my sweet girl! You're finally here. Come, sit right next to me!"

She sat Chloe directly at her right hand—the seat that had belonged to me for the past four years.

Julian sat opposite Chloe. Across the round banquet table, the two exchanged flirtatious glances, acting as if everyone else in the room were blind.

I was shoved to the far end of the table among distant cousins, having to stand up just to reach the serving platters.

Julian playfully scolded Chloe, "What took you so long? You're drinking three extra toasts to Mom tonight as a penalty."

His words sounded like a rebuke, but his eyes dripped with undisguised adoration.

At the table, the three of them looked like the picture of domestic bliss.

My mother-in-law kept piling food onto Chloe's plate while Julian cracked jokes to make her giggle.

Julian's brothers and their wives gathered around her too, eagerly buttering up "Chloe."

I sat quietly in the corner, eating my dinner like an invisible ghost.

"Stella, why aren't you talking?" his mother finally noticed me, her tone dripping with annoyance.

"Today is my big celebration. Don't sit there with a sour face like someone died. Who are you trying to guilt-trip?"

Julian frowned as well. "Yeah, babe, what's wrong with you today? Not feeling well?"

I set my fork down, looked up, and offered a picture-perfect smile.

"Not at all, Mom. Seeing how wonderfully you and Chloe get along just fills my heart with joy."

Chloe jumped in immediately. "She's right, Mom. Stella has been so good to me."

"I was totally lost when I first moved in, and she helped me with everything."

The relatives murmured in agreement, praising our harmonious "sisterly" bond.

After dinner, it was time for the cake.

Everyone gathered around my mother-in-law, singing happy birthday.

Julian stood right behind her while Chloe held her arm affectionately.

After blowing out the candles, his mother grasped Chloe's hand and announced loudly to the entire room:

"Taking advantage of tonight's wonderful gathering, I want to formally introduce everyone to my new goddaughter, Chloe Vance!"

"From now on, she's considered half a daughter in the Hayes household. I expect everyone to treat her like family!"

Thunderous applause broke out.

As she spoke, she threw me a smug glare. I knew that look—it was a display of dominance.

She had always complained that I was "too cold" and "didn't know how to flatter people." Now that she found a sycophant, she could finally show off to her relatives.

Pity she didn't realize the sweet stray kitten she was petting had been chewing on her son's bones for years.

Chloe beamed with the smug grin of a victor, even shooting me a provocative smirk.

The time had arrived.

I lifted my wine glass and slowly stood up.

The room instantly quieted down. Every pair of eyes turned toward me in curiosity.

The smile on my mother-in-law's face stiffened. She asked impatiently, "What's so urgent that you have to interrupt right now?"

"Because it's wonderful news, and I want everyone to share in it."

My smile never wavered as I turned my gaze to the innocent-looking Chloe.

"I just found out that Chloe has become your goddaughter and is now officially family."

"As her sister-in-law, it would be terribly rude of me not to offer a welcome gift."

I paused, pulled my phone from my clutch, and set it lightly on the table.

"Then again, Julian has already been far more thoughtful than I could ever be."

"Over the past four years, behind my back, he has furnished you with quite a collection of 'welcome gifts.'"

"From a black lace negligee, to $137,000 in direct wire transfers, all the way to a hefty receipt from Cartier."

"By my calculations, the total sum is enough for a solid down payment on a luxury condo."

"Every penny of those 'welcome gifts' came directly out of our marital assets."

"Since the whole family is gathered here today, as his wife, it's only right that I present a final summary on his behalf."

I lifted my eyes, meeting Julian's face as it drained of all color. "Right, Julian?"

Before he could make a sound, I pressed on:

"Mom, have you seen the black lace nightgown your son bought for your sweet goddaughter?"

"It's gorgeous. Though the shipping label called it 'casual loungewear'—a bit of an understatement."

"The package was just signed for this afternoon. I suggest you check the tracking history right now. There might still be time for a seven-day refund."

"A black lace nightgown?"

The words exploded across the room like a bomb.

Whispers erupted as everyone darted their eyes between Julian and Chloe, their expressions turning from shock to scandalous intrigue.

Chloe’s face turned paper-white. She instinctively grabbed onto my mother-in-law’s arm.

His mother’s expression darkened instantly. She snapped at Julian, "Is what she saying true? Did you buy Chloe lingerie?!"

"Mom, don't listen to her crazy lies!" Julian jumped up, panicked and enraged, lunging forward to grab my wrist.

"Stella, what kind of manic episode are you having today?!"

I took a swift step back and swatted his hand away with crisp precision.

"A manic episode?" I scoffed, holding my phone high.

"Didn't you claim you only like modest wives?"

"Then explain to me why you're buying scandalous lingerie for another woman?"

"Did you think I couldn't pull it off, or did you just think she needed it more?"

Julian looked at the phone in my hand, his expression twisting in terror as he lunged to snatch it.

"What the hell are you doing?! Give me that phone!"

I was prepared. With a quick swipe of my thumb, I hit the screen-mirror button paired to the projector.

The giant screen in the center of the living room flickered.

Guests were still holding drinks, half-frozen in applause, when the screen cut to life.

The massive display illuminated the room with the raw chat history between Julian and Chloe.

"Babe, miss me yet?"

"Just got out of my meeting. You're the only thing on my mind."

"My frumpy nag of a wife is harassing me to come home again. She's so exhausting."

Disgusting dirty talk, explicit intimate photos, and that scathing line: "She's old and dowdy. She only deserves granny clothes."

A collective gasp echoed across the room.

Next came the hotel booking records, itemized lists of bank transfers, and receipts from high-end jewelry boutiques.

Every single slide landed like a stinging slap across the face of the Hayes family.

Julian's mother stared transfixed at the screen, wobbling on her feet, unable to believe her own eyes.

"Julian... this... is this all real?" her voice cracked.

Julian stood paralyzed. His face shifted from bright red to pale white, and then to a sickening gray. He couldn't squeeze out a single syllable.

Chloe burst into hysterical tears, covering her face as she scrambled toward the bathroom.

The entire hall fell into a suffocating silence.