Chapter 7

“Mr. Foster hopes that once you accept the property, you’ll settle down and stop causing trouble for the family.”

Karina stared out the window, a cold smile tugging at her lips.

What gave Mark the right to act so superior?

They were married. She had every right to a share of their marital assets.

“Mark chose to marry me. No one held a knife to his throat. As his wife, I’m legally entitled to part of what he owns.

“I gave birth to his son, and it took a serious toll on my body. Who compensates me for that?

“Mark is barely ever home. I’m the one who’s spent all these years taking care of the house day and night. Does none of that have any value? How much has he actually done for his own son or this family?”

Her anger rose with every word.

“After everything I’ve put into this marriage, I’d be fully justified in asking for half.”

Why should everything she’d done be treated like it meant nothing?

Yet in Mark’s eyes, anything he gave her was charity.

As if she should be eternally grateful for whatever scraps he tossed her way.

It was insulting.

Ethan’s expression shifted slightly, his hands tightening around the steering wheel.

If Mr. Foster ever heard her talking like this, Ethan couldn’t imagine what would happen.

In his eyes, Karina had already been unbelievably lucky to marry into the Foster family.

And now she was talking about taking half of Mark’s assets?

She really had lost her mind.

This was also the first time Ethan had ever heard her speak so sharply.

In the past, Karina had relied on him for any news about Mark.

She had always been polite, even overly careful around him.

Something serious must have happened at the Foster estate yesterday.

Otherwise, Mark wouldn’t have left the mansion out of sudden.

He didn’t dare speculate further, so he looked ahead and fell back on the usual diplomatic response.

“Mr. Foster is extremely busy and doesn’t have much time to handle things at home. That’s why he has to rely on you to take care of the household, Mrs. Foster. But when it comes to money or your daily needs, he’s never deprived you of anything.

“Old Mrs. Foster isn’t in good health either. Everyone in the family just hopes you can keep things peaceful and live quietly…”

“What he does has nothing to do with me.”

Karina cut him off.

“Drive. Take me to Fulton Tower.”

Ethan wisely stopped talking and continued driving.

Karina looked out the window.

“Oh, and give your boss a message for me.

“If I spend my husband’s money, that’s perfectly legitimate.

“But whatever he willingly gives Serena Chandler? She has no title, no legal standing, nothing.

“That’s what you call keeping a mistress.”

Ethan’s heart nearly stopped.

The car almost drifted out of its lane.

He didn’t dare say another word.

At this point, he was afraid Karina might say something even more outrageous and somehow drag him into it.

Serena’s return had clearly hit her hard.

From Ethan’s perspective, Karina seemed completely beyond reason, almost as if she had nothing left to lose.

Karina couldn’t have cared less what he thought.

She took out her phone and sent Jenny a message.

‘Jenny, the clinic will be closed today. Come to the top floor of Fulton Tower.’

After sending it, Karina looked out at the busy city streets, her thoughts drifting back through the years.

When she first married into the Foster family, she’d made a promise to herself.

She wouldn’t take a single thing that wasn’t rightfully hers.

She had kept track of every cent the Foster family spent on her.

Once she started earning her own money, she repaid them with gifts worth even more.

She knew the Foster family didn’t care about any of that.

But she did.

She had never forgotten everything Judy had done for her and her mother all those years ago.

That was why she had poured so much of herself into this family.

But seven years was enough.

Whatever debt of gratitude she owed them had long since been repaid.

And even if she was getting divorced, there was no chance she was walking away with nothing.

Whatever rightfully belonged to her, she would take.

Every last bit of it.

She wasn’t about to leave everything behind for her cheating husband and his mistress to enjoy.

Back then, her mother had been too softhearted. She’d asked for nothing and expected nothing in return.

In the end, the man she loved betrayed her, then turned the tables and let everyone believe she was the mistress.

But Karina refused to make the same mistake.

She would become stronger.

She would build a life no one could take from her.

And one day, she would stand in front of the bastard who had hurt her mother and tell him to his face that he had never deserved her love.

More than that, Karina would prove that Serena and her mother were the ones who had come between other people’s marriages.

Just because she was putting up with Serena for now didn’t mean she was weak.

One day, she would make them pay for everything.

If she had no one to rely on, then she would rely on herself.

She would get justice for her mother.

The car stopped in front of Fulton Tower.

Karina pushed her thoughts aside and got out.

Fulton Tower was one of the most prestigious landmarks in the heart of downtown.

Its top floor had never been available for lease or sale.

Mark had certainly spared no expense if his goal was to keep her from going after Serena.

Karina walked into the building and headed for the elevator, drawing curious looks along the way.

“Did you see that? She’s going to the top floor. Isn’t that off-limits? Who is she?”

“Some people just get lucky. She married into the Foster family. They own the whole building, so if she wants a floor, all she has to do is ask.”

“So the rumors about Mr. Foster marrying a gold digger really were true. She doesn’t look all that special to me.”

The whispers reached Karina's ears.

She stepped into the elevator without reacting.

Years ago, one of the reasons she’d held on to hope for their marriage was because Mark had married her openly.

He hadn’t hidden her away like some wealthy men did with their wives.

In front of everyone, he’d publicly acknowledged her as his wife.

Only later did she realize it had all been for appearances, and to keep Judy satisfied.

Mark had given her a position.

He had never given her respect.

Everyone in the Foster family looked down on her. Even the household staff felt free to mistreat her.

And because Mark had made their marriage public, she had become the target of countless women who wanted him for themselves.

With no one willing to stand up for her, Karina had spent years walking on eggshells in that world, making herself smaller just to survive.

Everyone on the outside saw the wealth and prestige.

No one knew what those years had actually been like for her.

If she could go back, she would never marry him again.

The elevator opened directly onto the top floor.

Karina stepped out and surveyed the space.

The view was spectacular.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city.

She had to admit, it was an incredible property.

At least she wasn’t getting a bad deal out of this.

She was already mentally planning the renovations when a commotion came from the entrance.

“That wall, and that doorway too. Tear it all out.”

Serena swept in with a crew of contractors behind her.

“Starting today, this is going to be my private retreat.

“Be careful with everything. I don’t want anyone ruining the energy of this place.”

Karina turned toward her, her expression instantly turning cold.

Serena pretended she’d only just noticed her and let out a mocking laugh.

“Well, look at you. Do you have no shame at all? Do you have to follow me everywhere I go?”

She lifted her chin contemptuously.

“Mark already gave this place to me. It’s mine.

“If you leave now, I’ll let it go.

“But if I have to throw you out myself, don’t start crying afterward.”

Every word was deliberately provocative.

Anger surged through Karina, humiliation burning through her.

Mark had just had Ethan transfer ownership of the entire floor into her name.

And now, barely any time later, Serena had shown up with contractors, acting as if the place belonged to her.

Was Mark deliberately trampling on her dignity?

Was this his way of punishing her for what happened yesterday?

Whether Mark knew Serena was here or not, the situation was humiliating either way.

He had transferred the property to Karina, yet apparently hadn’t bothered informing building security.

Instead, the woman trying to steal her husband had been allowed to walk right in and claim the place as her own.

What kind of compensation was that?

It felt more like he was making a fool out of her.

Karina clenched her fists and immediately called Ethan.

“You have thirty minutes to remove Serena Chandler and every unauthorized person from the top floor.

“If they’re still here in thirty minutes, tomorrow’s headline will be: ‘Mark Foster Cheats on Wife and Lets Mistress Seize Her Property.’”