Chapter 1

My husband and I were planning to buy a simple commuter car.

However, my mother-in-law screamed at me, calling me a low-life who didn't deserve it.

Later, she demanded my husband give the money to his younger sister so she could buy a car instead.

I didn't argue. I just made one phone call to my father and had her son fired from his job.

I left a divorce agreement on the table and revealed my true identity.

I'm done playing house with a gold-digger.

I'm going back to my family mansion to live my best life!

1

The plan was to pick up our new car next week!

I just hung up the phone with my husband and opened an app to look at some car reviews.

Suddenly, my bedroom door was kicked open.

My mother-in-law, Martha, stood there looking like a demon.

I was stunned. Usually, we all played the part of a loving, happy family.

Seeing me dazed, Martha barely suppressed her rage. "Selena, I heard you're buying a car?"

I blinked and corrected her calmly. "Martha, it's not just me. Landon wants a car for work."

Martha realized she was losing her cool. "Selena, a car is a liability. Landon is always at construction sites. Buying a car is a waste."

I didn't think much of it and tried to laugh it off.

"Landon feels bad about me taking the bus in the rain when we visit my parents. Plus, it's hard for me to get around here without one, so he…"

She cut me off with a scream. "You don't even work! You're just a housewife. Why do you need convenience?"

I! WAS! STUNNED!

This woman always claimed she treated me like her own daughter.

I snapped back. "This was Landon's decision. If you have a problem, talk to him."

"I don't care! You are not buying that car. You don't have the right! You're not worthy!"

Martha spat those words at me and slammed the door.

I don't have the right? I'm not worthy?

Those words played in my head for a long time. It was just a regular car, not a private jet.

I couldn't understand why she was acting like it was a life-or-death situation.

Whatever. I'd let Landon handle his own mother.

I tried calling Landon. It was busy.

Thirty minutes later, it was still busy.

Fine. I guess I'd let Martha finish her lecture.

I tossed my phone aside and took a nap. When I woke up, I heard Martha calling her husband and daughter for dinner.

She didn't call me. But I didn't care―I have thick skin.

If there's food, I'm there.

My arrival at the table clearly caused a stir.

Martha seemed happy all of a sudden. She put some greens on my plate and tried to play the "good person" card.

"Selena, you're a sensible girl. In a couple of years, once you give us a grandson, I'll make sure Landon buys you a car."

My father-in-law, Arthur Senior, chimed in. "Exactly. If you have an emergency, just tell me. You can use my old truck."

Me? "?"

Lexi, my sister-in-law, sneered. "I don't know what you're thinking, Selena. You stay home all day. A car is a waste of money!"

"Luckily, my parents have the final say in this house," Lexi added.

"Eat your food, Lexi," Martha said, giving her a quick look while handing her a huge piece of ribeye.

I honestly couldn't believe my ears. Did they even hear what they were saying?

"Wait, are you guys confused? We're picking up the car next week. We aren't waiting two years."

The atmosphere at the table turned ice cold.

Martha's face dropped. "Pick up the car? Let's see if you actually have the guts to do it!"

I held back my anger and went back to my room.

I checked my phone and saw a text from Landon sent two hours ago. "Babe, maybe we should wait two years to buy the car."

No call. No voice note. No explanation.

Just those few words to cancel the decision we'd spent a week making.

My blood boiled!

My hands shook as I called him over and over. No answer.

I put the phone down and realized it was all a performance. The whole family was in on it.

Fine. I guess I really was blind.

Landon and I were college sweethearts.

It was a typical campus romance. He fell for me on a lazy afternoon, and after a year of chasing, he caught me.

I was young and blinded by love. We eloped right after graduation.

My father didn't sleep for two days when he found out.

My dad is Arthur Sterling, a real estate mogul in NYC.

He retired when I started college and handed everything to my brother, Sebastian.

He moved to a quiet, secluded village in Vermont with my mom.

They lived a very low-key life. Their number one rule was "don't flash your cash."

I followed that rule. To the world, I looked like a girl from a normal, working-class family.

But that didn't mean my family liked Landon.