Alle Kapitel von Turned Away at My Son’s Birthday Party, I Cut Off the Whole Family: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 10

My business partner, Rachel Hartwell, immediately sent a barrage of voice messages."Thank God you've finally come around! The AI world better brace itself!""I'm so excited! The mystery genius everyone's been speculating about for three days is finally going to show her face!""I originally predicted our company's valuation would quintuple after the launch, but if you show up in person, we're talking at least ten times!""Wait... I think I know why you're doing this..."She sent a screenshot.Just then, the door opened.Nathan walked in carrying a sleeping Lucas, slipping off his shoes as quietly as he could.He spotted me on the couch and barely lifted an eyelid. "Waiting up for him? Go to bed. He had a great time today."His tone was impossibly casual.I laughed, though nothing was funny."I was turned away at the door of my own son's birthday party. Did you know that?"He adjusted his hold, shifting Lucas into a more comfortable position. "Why didn't you call me..." He paused, as i

The moment I stepped through the front door of the family estate, I heard the bright laughter of a child.Sienna was sitting cross-legged on the couch, game controller in hand, eyes locked on the screen.Lucas was nestled in the crook of her arm."Left, left, Auntie! You're gonna crash!"Sienna made an exaggerated swerve to the left.Lucas giggled and toppled sideways with her.The two of them dissolved into laughter.Patricia, a woman who normally prided herself on rigid propriety, sat in the front hall.She watched them with open affection.Then she turned and saw me. The smile vanished from her face in an instant.Her eyes raked me from head to toe. "Why did you leave in the middle of the event?""Lucas came in last because both parents weren't there.""You have no skills, no talents. The Caldwells support you even though you're nothing but a freeloader. But you can't even manage the bare minimum of being a present mother?"I took a deep breath.Six years.Not once in six years had

The MUSE AI 2.0 launch was set for two weeks out.I moved into a new apartment near the office and threw myself into preparations.Rachel was worried. "After the launch, your net worth is going to skyrocket. Won't the Caldwells try to claim a share of your assets acquired during the marriage? The family's loaded, sure, but what if they just want to make things difficult?""Don't worry." I took a sip of coffee. "Before we got our marriage certificate, Patricia made me sign a prenup. Both parties' assets remain completely separate."Rachel stared at me for a second, then burst out laughing so hard she doubled over."The Caldwells thought of everything. They were so worried about you taking advantage of them.""And they have absolutely no idea that you, Maren Quinn, are a walking money machine.""I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces.""By the way, it's been a week. Nathan still hasn't signed?"I shook my head. "I've already had my lawyer reach out to him. If he still won't cooper

(Third person’s POV)Nathan and Sienna were summoned back to the family estate by a call from Patricia.The moment she saw them, she surged to her feet, her voice rising sharply. "I watched the livestream. That woman abandons her husband and child, and now she's out there strutting around? How did she pull that off?"Nathan walked straight upstairs. "You're asking me? I don't know either."His voice carried more exhaustion than irritation.Patricia hurried after him. "Will she interfere with your government contract?"Sienna gently guided Patricia back to the couch. "Don't worry."She swept a glance at the livestream replay on the tablet, and the corner of her mouth curled. "Remember when that Magic.Q business card fell out of her bag? My guess is she latched onto the guy, used the connection to parachute into the company. They're probably sleeping together."The tension drained from Patricia's face, replaced by a cold sneer. "I knew it. She doesn't have that kind of talent.""Actually

"Second. I did not have an affair."I spread my hands toward the camera with a helpless smile. "I am Q. I can't exactly cheat on myself, can I?"Laughter rippled through the hall.Only three people couldn't find it funny."My marriage to Mr. Caldwell began six years ago, but from the moment he moved overseas to expand the business three years ago, we were effectively living separate lives."My pace slowed. "Earlier this year, after he returned home, I initiated the divorce. I don't think that's unreasonable, legally or otherwise."The panel members nodded.I felt a searing gaze land on me and turned.Nathan.I met his eyes without flinching.The fact that I hadn't exposed his arrangement with Sienna was already more mercy than he deserved.What more did he want?What I hadn't anticipated was that the internet would tear apart my sanitized version of events all on its own."I found the tea! Someone dug it all up!""Before the Maren story broke, everyone in the upper crust thought the fa