Chapter 1

Daniel Shaw paused for a beat, then let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Honey, it’s not April Fools’ Day.”

“Cut it out. This isn’t funny.”

I forced down the anger rising in my chest. “Sophia Blake, that new intern...”

“Alright, I’ve got a meeting to prep for,” Daniel cut in. “We’ll talk after I’m done.”

He hung up before I could finish.

The dead hum on the line filled my ears, and all I could see was my sister’s tear-streaked face from a week ago.

She had grabbed my hand, crying. “Do you have someone named Sophia Blake joining your company?”

I rarely involved myself in day-to-day operations. Daniel handled everything, so I shook my head, confused. “I’m not sure. Why? Do you know her?”

She nodded, visibly shaken. “She’s my roommate.”

“Can you talk to… to Daniel? Ask him to cancel her offer?”

My heart skipped. “Sophia Blake… is she the one who’s been bullying you?”

On graduation day, I’d driven to pick her up. That was when I noticed the cigarette burns on her arm.

I’d been furious. It took a lot of pressing before she admitted one of her roommates had been tormenting her.

My sister Lily isn’t the kind of person who picks fights, but she’s not someone who just lets people walk all over her either.

Yet when I asked why she hadn’t fought back, she only shook her head, refusing to say a word.

Over and over, she begged me, “It’s over now. Please don’t go after her.”

Out of respect for her wishes, and because I didn’t even know the girl’s name, I forced myself to let it go.

So when she told me Sophia would be interning at my company, every alarm in my head went off.

“She told you she’s coming to my company?”

She nodded helplessly, then leaned against my shoulder. “I really don’t want to see her. But… don’t cause trouble for her either.”

I agreed almost immediately.

Then I called Daniel. He sounded completely unfazed.

“If she’s someone my sister-in-law hates, there’s no way I’m letting her in.

“Trust me, I’ll take care of it.”

Hearing that, Lily visibly relaxed.

But now…

Why was Sophia in the company?

And worse, why was she calling herself the boss’s wife?

The thought made my chest tighten. I hurried through signing the contract with our partners and immediately called my driver.

“Get me a ticket back. Now. Take me to the airport. Hurry!”

Daniel and I met in college. We dated all the way through to marriage.

Six years. I trusted him completely.

When I decided to expand the business, he supported me, and at the same time, said he was worried about me.

“You’ll be managing two companies on your own. That’s too much.

“I studied finance. Let me take some of the load.”

We were family, after all. I didn’t hesitate. “Alright.”

“You can take over this company.”

To his credit, nothing had gone wrong after he stepped in.

Until that phone call from Lily.

Sophia’s arrogant voice kept echoing in my head.

If no one was backing her, there was no way she’d dare act like that.

I immediately texted Daniel’s assistant, asking him to take Lily to a lounge to rest.

Ten minutes passed. No reply.

What made it worse wasn’t just the silence.

Three minutes ago, he had shared a livestream in the company group chat.

The title was oddly catchy: “Rules of Mrs. Shaw.”

A chill crept up my spine as I clicked in.

The image sharpened.

Lily’s face filled the screen.

She was kneeling on the floor, carefully removing someone’s shoes. Sophia rested her leg on my sister’s head as if it were nothing.

At a small gesture, Lily placed her hands on Sophia’s calf and began massaging.