She's is not part of us!

Entering the majestic metallic-themed living room, Maelie glanced around at the impeccably clean space furnished with modern and expensive furniture dominated by shades of gray and black. The family room appeared spacious, complete with sofas, decorative cabinets, a fireplace, and even a large aquarium. A black staircase with a silver carpet led upstairs, and several doors indicated the number of rooms there.

"This is too big just for two people," she remarked.

"No..." Erland hugged her from behind. "It's not for two people, but eight."

"Eight?"

"Yes... You, me, Amanda, the driver, maid, gardener, security guard, and our baby," Erland explained with a smile, then kissed Maelie's cheek before releasing her and turning to face her. "Please... Don't be angry... I apologize for only providing this... I know it doesn't mean much... But... I'm trying my best to give you a life equal to... My first wife," he continued cautiously.

"First wife," Maelie whispered, turning her face away, her eyes empty as she imagined how Tiffany would react if she knew about her. "This still feels like a nightmare. I wanted wealth and health, I wanted to rise from the financial difficulties we've been facing... Now I get that but... But it feels like it's not mine... And I'm just a mistress."

"No, you're not a mistress..." Erland took Maelie's hand, holding it. "You are my beloved wife... You own my heart. You mustn't continue to feel low..."

"But that's the reality..." Maelie withdrew her hand and then walked towards the living room. "I want to rest!"

Erland sighed heavily, watching Maelie walk away from him. He felt dizzy and conflicted and didn't know how to restore things to how they were before.

"Boss..."

He turned, seeing Tommy entering the room with three men and one middle-aged woman who immediately bowed to him.

"They're the ones who will work here," Tommy said, looking smart in his blue suit. "He's the gardener, his name is Russell, then He's Erik, he'll be the security guard, then Ben will be the driver, and Susanne will be the maid," he explained, pointing to each of them.

"Good... Now you all can start working," Erland replied with a stern look. "Do what you need to do, and never accept any strangers or give information about this family to anyone," he continued.

"Yes, Sir."

They all nodded, then left immediately.

"Now I'll go back to the office," Tommy said casually. "You can spend time with her as Amanda will be going to her campus soon," he added.

Erland shook his head anxiously. "That seems unlikely. She hates me."

"It's understandable because you've been lying to her all this time. You shouldn't be resentful of her attitude now, it's the result of your behavior," Tommy said, then patted Erland's shoulder. "Don't give up!" He said with a smile before leaving.

Erland frowned, then turned to Maelie lying on the living room sofa, worrying him, and approached her immediately.

"Hey, you rest in the bedroom," he said.

Maelie remained silent with a vacant stare.

Erland sat beside her and stroked her hair. "Please stop overthinking our problems... It will only hurt you."

"I'm already hurt," Maelie whispered. "But... Your wife might be even more hurt."

"She's fine..."

"No... She might seem fine, but all this time she must have been sad because of your attitude," Maelie said, then curled up. "She must have felt strange about your behavior all this time... Maybe she had a hunch as a wife. When you uttered wedding vows with me at the aisle... What was she doing there? On our wedding night... Everything... It's a betrayal, a nightmare for her... I don't know how to go through my days haunted by this guilt," she continued with an empty gaze, imagining Tiffany's face.

Erland sighed, then leaned his head back on the sofa.

"Tell me about her," Maelie asked.

"I don't want to tell you," Erland replied lazily. "From the beginning, I didn't intend to bring her into our relationship, our love... She's just..." He clenched his lips tightly, as if very annoyed.

"How could you think that? She will always be part of our love story... Unless you divorce her before marrying me." Maelie sat up, looking at Erland, who looked exhausted. "This relationship is not just about us but also her..."

"But I only love you!" Erland asserted, furrowing his brows. "Please... stop talking about her. I'm here, I married you because I want to get away from her... I want to find true love, and that's you!" he continued angrily.

Maelie was stunned.

"Please..." Erland cupped Maelie's cheeks. "I only want you... She's just a parasite... And I will soon get rid of her!"

"But..."

"No..." Erland shook his head, cutting off Maelie's sentence, then hugged her. "There's nothing I need to hold onto her anymore. I choose you, and it's also good for her, she will be happy to find another love instead of being with me!"

Maelie immediately released herself from Erland's embrace. "Are you sure?"

He just nodded.

"But... It will hurt her, it will make her angry, and even your family will be disappointed," Maelie said anxiously.

"It..."

Erland stopped his sentence as his attention was drawn to his phone ringing in his pants pocket. He took it out and saw a call from Tiffany.

"Who?" Maelie asked.

"Tiffany," Erland answered, immediately ending the call.

"Oh my, why did you turn it off? It could make her angry!" Maelie exclaimed in frustration, immediately grabbing the phone, only to find Tiffany calling again.

"I don't want to talk to her, if you want, you can answer that call," Erland said sulkily, then got up from the sofa.

Maelie stood up. "Erland!"

Erland continued walking up the stairs, ignoring Maelie's call.

"Erland, don't be crazy!" Maelie exclaimed, quickly following Erland but her steps halted when the phone stopped ringing. "Huh, she, she's not calling anymore? She must be angry!"

She looked at the phone anxiously, a few seconds later there was a message from Tiffany.

Alright, if you're too busy, I'll never bother you. I know you don't like me... You should have said this from the beginning so we didn't have to have this kind of marriage relationship! I'm tired of fighting alone!

Maelie was stunned, feeling that Tiffany and Erland indeed no longer had compatibility.

"Maelie," Amanda called out, just arriving from another room with a large bag. "I have to go to campus... There's a presentation I have to do," she continued, approaching Maelie.

"Um..." Maelie shifted her attention to Amanda. "Okay, you can go. Just be careful... don't flaunt too much of what you've just acquired."

"Why?"

"Because we don't deserve all of this," Maelie explained anxiously.

"Oh, come on..." Amanda sighed, staring at Maelie with frustration. "Are you going to keep feeling guilty about Erland's first wife? Can't you think of something else? Do you want us to go back to poverty?" She wondered, raising her eyebrows.

Maelie fell silent, her gaze shifting to the glass wall displaying the green scenery outside.

"You're pregnant... You can't work, and you'll need money for your baby. We're not here just for our pleasure but for your baby's future!" Amanda exclaimed angrily. "I don't want to dwell on this. I have to go!" She continued, leaving without caring about her sister's response.

Maelie remained silent, watching Amanda, her recent words ringing true, but thoughts of Tiffany brought back the feeling of being a burden.