Chapter 3

Before dawn broke, I hauled my suitcase to the Department of Education to finalize my international transfer.

The clerk behind the counter looked up and gasped in surprise. "Mrs. Vance? Is that you? It’s Lucas! You’re... deploying overseas for humanitarian education?"

It was one of my former students, now working for the state board. We shared a warm conversation, exchanged Snapchats, and I walked out into the crisp morning air.

At the shopping mall, I browsed the aisles to pick up notebooks and art supplies for the children in the war zone. Suddenly, a familiar entourage blocked my path.

"Evelyn? What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're working retail now?"

Cecilia was draped in a backless burgundy gown, dripping with gold and smelling of expensive perfume.

Helen exploded immediately. "Evelyn, have you lost your damn mind?! If people see you bagging groceries, our family’s reputation is completely down the drain!"

Julian’s face twisted in disgust. "I told you not to throw away your school district tenure! What did you get out of it?"

"Rotting in jail for a year wasn't embarrassing enough? Now that your name is cleared, instead of teaching, you’re stocking shelves like a dropout!"

I smiled faintly at the irony.

Once upon a time, Julian told me he admired nothing more than a humble soul who dedicated their life to education.

Now, his voice dripped with shame and revulsion.

Time changes people. Or rather, love had simply died.

Arthur, cradling the baby, sneered at me. "From now on, don't tell a soul you know us. Tell people Julian divorced you! Disgraceful! Let's get out of here, she's bad luck."

Cecilia smirked behind her manicured hand. "Julian, don't be so harsh. Maybe Evelyn is just trying to earn formula money for our son."

"Come on, Cecilia," Julian said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "That's the bare minimum she owes us if she wants to be called his mother."

Surrounded by his parents, they strutted away without looking back.

Birds of a feather indeed.

Fine. If that’s what they wanted, I’d grant them a clean divorce!

An hour before the welcome banquet, a notification popped up from my attorney.

She had extracted a confession from the bribed student: my mother-in-law, Helen, was the mastermind who paid him off. The lawyer asked if I wanted to file criminal charges immediately.

"Helen paid him to frame me?"

I stared at the screen, a freezing chill creeping down my spine.

The year of hell I endured, the public witch hunt, the three hundred and sixty-five days in a cold steel cell... were all orchestrated by my own mother-in-law?!

My knuckles turned white around the phone. I wanted to tear her apart.

Just then, the Vance family arrived at the banquet hall.

Helen’s smiling face instantly turned venomous the moment she spotted me.

"Evelyn, you are the baby's legal mother today! How dare you show up in cheap jeans and a coat?!"

"Look at Cecilia! Can't you show some respect? You’re humiliating us!"

I glared at her, my throat burning. Before I could speak, Cecilia cut in smoothly.

"Exactly, Evelyn. Did prison make you forget basic etiquette? It’s my son’s big day, and you dressed like a vagrant. Even if he’s mine, he still has to call you Mom!"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "What do you expect? She's a retail cashier now. Cheap clothes are all she can afford."

Julian grabbed my wrist, dragging me roughly toward a deserted corner.

"Stay here and keep your head down. Don't embarrass me."

"And the second this party is over, quit that damn retail job! Beg the school district on your knees if you have to, but get your teaching post back. Stop humiliating me!"

He turned on his heel and walked away.

My blood boiled in my veins.

Framing me, tossing me in prison, mocking me, and expecting me to fund their bastard child?

Did they truly believe they held me by the throat?

Just wait. Your big day is about to turn into a nightmare.