All Chapters of When Love Became Ledger: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

It was our daughter's celebration, but most of the food had gone cold. I was in my seat, quiet and holding my sleeping baby. Everyone around me was lavishing fake praise upon my mother-in-law."It must be hard, taking care of the baby." That was what most of them said. They even said my husband had it hard, working by day and taking care of the baby by night. There was only one person they left out of the story.Me.My mother-in-law and her son had never lifted a finger when it came to childcare. Not once had they helped me since my daughter was born.I had to care for the baby and do the chores at the same time right after childbirth. On top of that, I had to cook for my mother-in-law, whose legs were partly disabled.Just then, the door swung open. But Jonathan was not the only one who walked in.His secretary, Winona Wood, was there as well. A limited-edition designer bag slung from her shoulder, and she was holding Jonathan's arm, her body leaning onto his tightly.Winona

And now I was paying for my mistake. My daughter was innocent, and she was dragged into this against her will. She was unloved by her father and had to suffer with her mother.It took a lot of effort, but finally, the medics did their job, and my daughter's fever went down. It was already daylight when I returned home. The weekend had swung by, and so did my mother-in-law. Of course, she was not here to care for my sick daughter. She was here to make sure we actually split the bills.She handed me a sheet of paper filled from top to bottom with clauses written in print barely larger than fine text. "Here's everything about the bill splitting. Sign it, but remember to read through the whole thing. I don't want any complaints about abuse." She clearly had no intention of backing down."You'll split the expenses, utility, and property taxes. I'm recording every single grocery purchase. You'll be charged at the end of the month."I held my daughter as I scanned through the whole li

If embarrassing people were an Olympic sport, the three of them would have taken gold every year in a row.Winona's arm was looped around Jonathan's. Every word that came out of her mouth next dripped with mockery."It's not his fault. There are a lot of unwritten rules in events like this one. We're here for work, but you're used to the housewife life. You won't be of use here."Winona would love to meld into Jonathan and be one forever.The sight only made me chuckle. At best, these people were court jesters."The Winsleys invited him and his family, Ms. Wood. I don't believe that includes you. I'd say you're closer to his mistress. If garbage like you can befoul this place, I see no reason why I can't be here."Winona stomped her foot and tugged at Jonathan's arm like a bullied child demanding justice from a parent. Then the rims of her eyes went red."Mr. Shamrock, I'm trying to do my job, but your wife is insulting me. I guess she hates my guts. A shame you got me this gown

There was no satisfaction in watching it happen. There was only disgust. Disgust for both of them.Winona's performance did not escape Jonathan either. After everything he had done for her, she was now cutting ties with him without hesitation. And now his own fate was lying in the balance. Fury took over his mind.He lunged at Winona and grabbed her, his voice dripping with malice as he snarled, "You bitch! You seduced me! I never would have cheated on Rachel if not for you. None of this would have happened. You told me to split the bills with her!"He turned to me. "You need to sue her right now! It's her fault! I didn't mean it!"Panic gripped Winona's heart, and she thrashed wildly. She cursed, "You bought those things yourself, Jonathan! You were the one who looked down on Rachel. It's none of my business, you heartless bastard! You did this to yourself. Don't make it my fault!"Jonathan's mother pulled herself back up and lunged at me, trying to grab my leg. The servants stop

Then I looked at my sleeping daughter. Memories of my past replayed in my mind—those moments when I had been weak, when I had always given in to the pressure around me.Somehow, that gave strength back to my soul.I was no longer the weakling whose livelihood depended on the whims and fancies of another soul. I wanted to be a woman my daughter could count on. I wanted to be the best version of myself.…Six months later, our products went online, and the customers adored them. The numbers were promising. Orders kept coming in, and my team members had smiles on their faces. A deep sense of accomplishment washed over me.This success was something I had built with my own hands. It felt real, solid, completely different from relying on someone else.It was at an event that I met Joseph Lawson. He was handsome, loyal, and gentle. We both fell in love with each other at first sight.Unlike selfish Jonathan, Joseph made the first move. He was soft-spoken, but he never tried to flatt