Chapter 2

I transferred two thousand dollars to Elaine without a second thought. Although she declined it, her reply came almost immediately. "Don't worry, Ms. Larson. Leave it to me," she messaged.

With that, I set my phone down and started the car.

Since the two of them were so fond of putting on an act, I would be more than happy to play along.

I'd barely driven two blocks when my WhatsApp notification chimed. It was a voice message from Elaine.

Her hushed voice filled the car when I played it out loud. "Mr. Haynes was just in the hallway with Ms. Cortez…"

There was a brief pause before Elaine continued, "I think it's better if you see the security footage for yourself."

…

I'd barely settled onto the couch after reaching home when my phone lit up with a notification of Summer's new Instagram post.

It was a heavily edited side-profile shot of her cradling Noah. But despite the picture being the very image of a peaceful life, the caption was laced with venom.

It read, "A modern woman doesn't need a man. What she does need, however, is to distance herself from emotionally unstable friends who spread negativity.

"I hope my baby grows up in a warm environment surrounded by love, free from the influence of certain twisted individuals."

The post was instantly flooded with likes. Moments later, the group chat I shared with Summer and our mutual friends started blowing up.

My college roommate, Bianca Walters, was the first to tag me. "Sylvia, did you cause a scene at the postnatal retreat today? Have you been depressed since the car accident? You should get yourself checked out instead of bullying Summer," she had written.

Another friend immediately chimed in, "Exactly. Summer's already suffered so much going through IVF. As her best friend, how could you be so heartless? I heard you even lashed out at her baby. You've gone too far this time, Sylvia."

One message after another flooded the chat with criticisms aimed at me. Thanks to the persona she'd carefully cultivated over the years, everyone sided with Summer without hesitation.

I simply stared at the messages scrolling across my screen without replying to a single one. Just then, the smart lock at the front door beeped before clicking open.

Adrian strode in carrying a few boxes of cheap supplements. He tossed them onto the coffee table, his face dark with anger. "You've got some nerve, Sylvia. I can't believe you actually blocked me," he snapped.

"I'll let the matter slide for today. Why the hell did you deactivate the credit card? Hurry up and reactivate it! I also need you to transfer next month's mortgage payment to me in advance. I'm short on cash right now." His voice was thick with condescension as he towered over me.

I looked up at him as I took in the sheer entitlement on his face.

I'd bought that five-million-dollar mansion with my own money before we even got together. To spare his pride, I'd always told everyone that we were paying the mortgage together.

Now, he wasn't even trying to keep up appearances when he was living off my money.

Just then, Adrian's phone chimed from his pocket. He pulled it out and played a voice message from Summer.

"Adrian, Noah's been spitting up today. Can you come back soon?" Summer's sickeningly sweet voice was accompanied by Noah's cries in the background.

To my ears, however, the cries turned into a crystal-clear childish voice. [Daddy's going to trick Aunt Sylvia into giving us the mansion so I can live there. Mommy says it's worth five million dollars. Once the mansion's ours, we're going to kick her out!]

My heart sank at his words. It turned out they weren't just after my money. They'd even set their sight on my most valuable asset, too.

Suppressing the wave of nausea rising inside me, I rubbed my temples and feigned a pounding headache.

"It's true that my head's been killing me lately. Maybe I haven't fully recovered from the accident yet," I said.

I softened my tone as I discreetly tapped the record button on my phone. "I can reactivate the credit card, but you'll need to give me the invoice from the postnatal retreat so I can file for an expense claim at work," I continued.

The fury on Adrian's face instantly eased the moment he heard my words. His face lit up with delight as he readily agreed. "Sure. I'll give you the invoice tomorrow."

He walked over to me and gave my shoulder a patronizing pat. "Just behave yourself and stop making a fuss. Summer's had it tough raising Noah all by herself.

"Once Noah turns one month old, why don't you sign an agreement and transfer the mansion over to our godson as his one-month celebration gift? That way, he'll look after you when he grows up. I'll also take care of you for the rest of your life," he said.