Chapter 2

Uncle Vic, outwardly decent-looking, claimed to be the CEO of some company and boasted about owning twenty properties across different countries. With his charm and sweet-talking ways, he quickly captured Laura’s heart.

However, I knew better. Uncle Vic had borrowed a significant amount of money from Laura, claiming it was for cash flow issues. Whatever went on between them was none of my business, but I couldn’t let their relationship affect Sophie.

I planned to discuss the situation with Henry once he returned from his business trip. But during dinner, Laura made an announcement that took me by surprise. She declared that Uncle Vic would be moving in with us the next day.

I immediately refused.

“Mom, Uncle Vic is a stranger. It’s not appropriate for him to move in.”

If he truly moved in, I couldn’t even imagine how many inappropriate scenes would play out in front of Sophie.

Laura, however, was unyielding. “This is a notification, not a discussion!”

Her sudden outburst startled Sophie, who was quietly eating her meal. She fumbled her chopsticks, and they clattered to the floor.

Laura turned her anger toward Sophie. “You little brat! You must have tattled to your mother!”

Sophie’s eyes welled up with tears as she started crying. “Grandma, I didn’t…”

My expression darkened.

“Mom, this house is fully paid for by me, and the deed is in my name.”

Neither Henry nor Laura had contributed a single penny to this home—not even for the wedding costs. I had essentially paid my way into this marriage.

Before the wedding, Henry came to me with a pitiful story about growing up in a single-parent home. He explained how hard Laura had worked to raise him and said he couldn’t possibly ask her for money. As for himself, he was just starting out in his career and had no savings.

Henry said he wanted us to have a home of our own, so he asked if I could cover the cost. I came from a well-off family and didn’t mind spending the money, thinking it was just a small expense. After all, it was going to be our home, a place for the two of us to live together.

I spent $750,000 to buy a house in the best part of town.

But on the second day after the wedding, Laura showed up at the door with a small bag, crying and throwing a tantrum.

She accused me of stealing her “dutiful son” away and said it wasn’t right for her son and his wife to live in such a nice house without inviting her to stay. Laura had sold her old home, leaving herself no safety net, and demanded to move in with us.

Out of respect for her as Henry’s mother, I apologized repeatedly and invited her to live with us. But Uncle Vic was a different story. He was an outsider. I was not going to agree to let him move in.

When I made my stance clear, Laura slammed her bowl onto the table.

“We didn’t have money back then, but haven’t I treated you well since you married in? It’s just a little bit of money—why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

I scoffed, my voice cold. “Treated me well? Funny, because as the person involved, I’ve felt none of it.”

Laura always claimed she moved in to take care of me and the household. She took $3,000 a month in living expenses from me but only ever bought cheap vegetables and tofu. Meanwhile, she secretly indulged herself with better meals.

After Sophie was born, her disdain for me only grew. She muttered under her breath that I was bad luck, blaming me for her dream of having a grandson being crushed.

During my postpartum recovery, she complained about my smell, called me lazy for lying in bed all day, and sneered that I should stop being so dramatic and get back to work to support the family.

Laura slapped the table with her hand. “You’re blind if you can’t see how much I’ve done for you! I’m your elder, and you will listen to me!”