Chapter 1

As soon as Arvid Hans reached the doorway, he heard the aggrieved sobs of his housekeeper, Rebecca Lane, coming from the entryway.

“Mr. Hans, what am I going to do? The mutual fund I bought has lost money again.”

Arvid chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry, Becca. Just think of it as a learning experience. I have more than enough money to cover your losses.”

“But…” Her voice was sickeningly sweet. “Yesterday, the madam mentioned that she wants to take flower-arranging lessons. I’m afraid the fees won’t be cheap…”

“Her?” Arvid sneered coldly. “She wastes her time on such useless things. What’s the point of fiddling with those twigs and leaves all day? Don’t worry, I won’t give her that money.”

I froze in place. My heart felt like it was sinking into an icy abyss.

He had repeatedly ordered me to behave myself and abide by the household rules.

Yet in the blink of an eye, he had taken our joint assets to invest in the housekeeper.

Things that had once puzzled me finally seemed to make sense.

Rebecca always had the latest phone model six months before I did.

She had all those branded Valkyrie necklaces around her neck.

Not to mention, there was also the lighthearted tone she used when she casually mentioned how she “stockpiled another 3.5 ounces of gold bars” again.

Back then, I had been curious. However, she always said it was because of the Hans family’s luck.

I naively believed she was simply basking in our good fortune.

After all this time, it turned out she had been reaping the benefits of my wealthy family’s fortune.

It was truly… utterly absurd.

The faint sound of lips locking came from behind the door, piercing my eardrums like fine needles.

I gave a self-deprecating smile.

Three years of marriage, and I, the legitimate wife, had been living a life worse than that of a housekeeper.

I stiffly fished my phone out of my coat pocket and booked a luxury suite at a top-tier hotel.

The moment the payment went through, I should have felt happy. Instead, I could not help but let out a bitter laugh.

So, Rebecca had been living this leisurely life on my behalf all along.

In the next moment, the phone rang abruptly.

“You’re back in town?”

Arvid sounded impatient.

“You’re already home, so why did you book a hotel? Cancel it immediately. Don’t waste money.”

I grimaced. “If I don’t book a hotel, where am I supposed to stay? It’s probably not very convenient for me to be at home right now.”

After a moment of silence, he asked suspiciously, “Where are you right now?”

I did not answer. I just hung up and walked into the house, all while dragging the cheap suitcase I had gotten as a credit card bonus.

The moment he saw me, a crack appeared in his composed expression.

The lipstick stain on Arvid’s collar stung my eyes.

I walked silently toward Rebecca.

Arvid moved swiftly and pulled Rebecca behind him, as if to shield her from me.

“Layla Sanz, don’t make a scene.”

“A scene? I’m someone who has to check with the housekeeper just to sign up for a flower arranging class. What right do I have to make a scene?”

At the word “housekeeper,” Rebecca nervously clutched the hem of his shirt. “Madam, please don’t misunderstand… It’s all my fault.”

The last shred of patience vanished from his face.

“What’s gotten into you today? You used to be the most sensible and obedient person. How did you become so aggressive? Have you forgotten the decorum and dignity expected of my wife?”