Chapter 1

I landed a huge deal at the end of the year, bringing in a five-million-dollar bonus.

The company, in a gesture of goodwill, allowed me, eight months pregnant, to start my maternity leave early.

My mother-in-law, Brenda, asked why I wasn't going to work. Lying on the couch, I joked, "With the company cutting back, I was laid off."

"Guess I'll just be a stay-at-home wife and mom from now on."

To my shock, Brenda immediately slapped my heavily pregnant belly. "Then why aren't you off your butt doing laundry and cooking?!"

"Just because you're carrying a girl, you think you can freeload?!"

Mark, my husband, happened to walk in, pulling Brenda into the nursery. Feeling completely wronged, I opened the hidden camera feed they didn't know about, wanting to see whose side Mark would take.

But what I uncovered were chilling secret after chilling secret.

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Brenda, flung a raw, mud-caked potato at me, hitting my eight-month pregnant belly with a dull thud. A sharp, searing pain shot through me.

"Ashley! I've been wanting to tell you for ages, but I've been holding my tongue!"

"Parading around, all dressed up every day! Anyone who didn't know you were going to work would think you were soliciting on the street! What kind of boss would keep such a loose woman?!"

The sudden outburst stunned me.

Three months ago, Mark said my pregnancy was progressing, and Brenda would come to take care of me.

"I'm often on business trips. I'd feel better with Mom here."

Indeed, after Mark's promotion, his business trips became exceptionally frequent. Considering it would be inconvenient to be alone, and that my previous short visits with Brenda had been smooth enough, I happily agreed.

Brenda had, in fact, been meticulously caring for me during this time, preparing every meal herself. When I tried to help, she'd shoo me out of the kitchen.

"You're busy with work. Cooking is a small thing, don't worry about it."

I thought I'd never have to face mother-in-law conflicts in this lifetime, but one joke turned Brenda into a completely different person.

"Your elder is speaking to you! Don't you know to stand up?!"

"You orphan trash! No wonder you have no manners!"

Her words stopped me cold, just as I was about to explain, piercing me to the core.

My parents died in an accident when I was fifteen. The first time I visited Mark's family, Brenda held my hand, her eyes full of pity.

"My biggest regret in life is not having a daughter. From now on, you're my own daughter!"

At that time, I thought I finally had a family again. So over the years, even when Brenda and I had a clash of values, I tried my best to compromise and adapt. I couldn't understand why a single sentence could make her completely transform like this?!

I was still reeling when Brenda started nagging again, full of discontent.

"Living in the city is expensive! Now it'll all fall on my son!"

Seeing me still dazed, Brenda slapped my lower back.

"You still have the nerve to lie there?!"

The slap was incredibly forceful, sending me sprawling off the couch, my knees hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

My first instinct was to clutch my aching belly, desperate to explain.

I'd just managed to call out "Brenda," when Brenda had already settled onto the couch, placing her smelly feet right on my back!

Her weight, about 170 pounds, pressed down deliberately, leaving me unable to move.

"Brenda?! What are you doing?!"

I was utterly shocked and bewildered. Brenda snorted.

"Teaching you the rules of being a daughter-in-law in my family, of course!"

"Mark used to say you made good money, so for my son, I tolerated you, you damn girl, for so long!"

"Now you don't make money anymore! You better cut the attitude from now on!"

"Let me tell you! I've been furious since the first day I arrived! You threw out a whole pot of stewed chicken I brought!"