Chapter 1

Over the weekend, I went to the aquarium with my mother-in-law. Amid the jostling crowd, an impeccably dressed woman snapped furiously:

"Are you two blind? You bumped into my purse! Do you have any idea this is a limited edition?! If you damage it, can two broke bums like you even afford to pay for it?!"

I replied calmly:

"This is a public space, not your private property. If you're that terrified of someone touching your bag, why didn't you build your own private aquarium to admire in peace?"

Humiliated and enraged, the woman sneered:

"As a matter of fact, my husband did build this aquarium! What I say goes around here! I order you two to get the hell out right now! Don't dirty my floor!"

Both my mother-in-law and I froze.

This aquarium was clearly built by Julian. Since when did he become her husband?

When reality hit, I trembled all over.

Julian was actually keeping a mistress on the side!

My mother-in-law was shaking with rage too. Pointing right at the woman’s nose, she snapped:

"Where did this lunatic come from?! Julian is my son! His lawfully wedded wife is standing right here! Who do you think you are to come here and talk such utter trash?!"

Confronted by my mother-in-law’s sharp reprimand, the woman didn't panic in the slightest. Instead, she acted like she had just heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Two pathetic hoboes like you dare to impersonate the dowager Mrs. Vance and the young Mrs. Vance? Don't make me laugh!"

My mother-in-law had deliberately dressed down today just to have a low-key, pleasant outing. Who could have imagined her identity would be questioned over it?

"Believe it or not, we don't like throwing our weight around, but this is Vance territory. The one who needs to get out is you!" my mother-in-law said sternly.

A mocking sneer curled onto the woman’s lips. Her gaze swept over the simple canvas tote in my mother-in-law’s hand like a scanner.

"Ha." She snorted through her nose. "You put on quite an act. Everyone knows the old Mrs. Vance lives a secluded, quiet life, and the young Mrs. Vance is always glued to Julian's side at high-end galas. Why would they dress in cheap rags like yours and come squeeze through a crowded public aquarium? Who are you trying to fool?!"

Bystanders around us had already stopped to watch, whispering among themselves.

The hushed murmurs felt like sharp needles stabbing into my mother-in-law and me.

Her face drained of color, turning pale, and her breathing became ragged. I quickly grabbed her arm, terrified she might collapse from pure fury.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Seeing our silence, the woman grew even more arrogant. She pulled out her phone, swiping dramatically. "How about I call Julian right now and let him expose you two frauds in person? Oh, wait. He’s very busy right now. He doesn't have time to deal with pointless garbage like this."

My mother-in-law was so angry her lips turned purple. I gripped her hand tightly, feeling her body shake violently.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.

Getting into a brawl with a woman like this in public would only drag us down to her level and play right into her hands.

"Call him," I said, my voice quiet but laced with an undeniable, freezing chill. "Call Julian right now. Put it on speaker. Let’s all hear why he's too busy to talk to his lawfully wedded wife and the mother who raised him."

My composure caught her off guard.

She paused for a second, but quickly regained her aggressive edge. "Oh, really leaning into the role, huh? Refusing to cry until you see the coffin?"

She scoffed, flashing her phone screen at us. Right there was Julian’s private number.

"See that? Julian's private line! Do you think fakes like you could ever get your hands on this?"

My heart felt like it was seized by an icy claw, aching so severely I could barely breathe.

Julian... He even gave his private number to this woman.

All those nights he claimed he had to work late, those business dinners, the lingering unfamiliar perfumes... everything rushed back like a tidal wave, turning into razor-sharp blades cutting through me.

More and more onlookers gathered, and the chatter grew louder.

The woman demanded that we show Julian’s number, but my mother-in-law and I had rushed out the door and left our phones behind.

Seeing that we couldn't produce our phones, the skeptical glances from the crowd shifted into judgment and mockery.

She lifted her chin smugly, like a peacock spreading its feathers.

"I knew two broke nobodies like you wouldn't have it. Still standing here making fools of yourselves!"

My mother-in-law was trembling violently—not from fear, but from absolute, overwhelming rage.

She had lived an elegant, dignified life. When had she ever been subjected to such public humiliation? To be pointed at and have her status as the matriarch of the Vance family questioned by a shameless homewrecker?

"You... You..." Her voice shook so hard she couldn't form a full sentence.

Seeing this, the woman sneered, pouring fuel on the fire: "You what? Can't keep up the act anymore? If you know what's good for you, get lost right now. Don't wait for me to call security to kick you out. That would look really ugly."

Just as the tension hit a breaking point, a man in a manager's uniform pushed his way through the crowd.