Chapter 1

I just came home from work, and Vivian Hartley rushed over the moment I walked through the door.

She took my briefcase without a word and crouched down to help me change into slippers. I stood there like some lord of the manor, letting her fuss over me without a hint of gratitude.

She wore an apron with a bandage on her elbow and wispy strands of hair falling across her forehead that she clearly had not had time to brush back.

The wound on Vivian's arm might have stung, but it did not hurt nearly as much as my cold rejection.

"Honey, I've got dinner ready. I'm going to pick up Noah. Eat while it's hot, okay?"

She tried to take my arm playfully, but I moved away without acknowledging her.

Vivian awkwardly rubbed her hands on her apron, her lips pale as she spoke.

"My hands probably smell like cooking oil, so I won't touch you. Just leave your coat there and I'll hang it up for you.

"Don't worry, I'll wash it until it's spotless. There won't be any smell on it at all."

Vivian waited for me to respond, as if the smallest acknowledgment from me would be some kind of reward. I washed my hands and sat down to eat, not even sparing her a glance.

When Vivian posted this video online, the comments section erupted on her behalf.

"What, does your husband have evidence of you committing murder or something?"

"Girl, you need to take off those rose-colored glasses. He doesn't deserve how good you are to him."

"Seriously. If my wife treated me even a third as well as OP treats her husband, I'd wake up laughing in my sleep."

"What exactly does marriage give women? After watching this, I'm scared to get married."

Vivian defended me in the comments section.

"My husband is the pillar of our family. He's just in a bad mood. You can't really understand unless you're in his shoes."

Vivian thought I could not see her posts, but every time she uploaded something, a notification popped up on my phone.

She changed clothes in the bedroom and got ready to pick up our son from preschool.

Just then, Claire Thompson, the teacher from the preschool opened the front door.

Vivian's expression froze. Out of instinct, she forced a smile onto her face.

"Sweetie, why did you have Ms. Thompson bring you home?"

Our son, Noah, clung affectionately to Claire's leg without even turning around.

"Because I like Ms. Thompson, and Ms. Thompson likes me. Mommy, why don't you let Ms. Thompson stay for dinner with Daddy? She hasn't eaten yet either."

With that, our son grabbed Claire's thighs with both hands and tried to pull her inside.

Vivian looked rattled. She tilted her head back to keep her tears from falling.

"Sweetie, I made dinner for you and Daddy. If we add another person, there won't be enough food."

Noah pouted and looked at her with contempt. "Then why didn't you make more? Ms. Thompson would be a better mom than you."

Vivian lost her temper, her voice breaking. "Elijah Bennett, aren't you going to say something? I've worked so hard for this family, and you're all acting like the three of you are the real family here."

I poured myself a glass of wine and said indifferently, "Kids say thoughtless things. Why are you getting so worked up?

"Did I ask you to make dinner? Don't do something and then come looking for praise.

"Don't bother next time. It's annoying just looking at it."

Vivian's fingers went white from gripping them so hard. She turned and ran back to her room, then uploaded the video.

That single video gained her another 20 thousand followers. The comments section exploded.

"What's wrong with this family? The husband is heartless, the kid is ungrateful, and the preschool teacher has no sense of boundaries either!"

"Those two are probably having an affair. While the kid is still young, you should get out now. They're treating you like you don't even exist."

"I felt that in my soul. You clean, you cook, and all you get is accused of looking for praise. Your husband doesn't take your side, and your kid has been turned against you. Girl, this son is beyond saving. Leave and have another one."

"Remember, you need to have your eyes wide open when choosing a husband. If a kid isn't close to their mother, it's usually because the other parent taught them that way. In this situation, cutting your losses is the best choice."