I had given up everything to marry into Brent’s family. I stood by him through every storm. I became the woman behind his success.
And in the end, I was nothing more than a stranger in his life.
Feeling numb, I closed my phone and made a call.
“I’ll take the offer to expand the northwest market. And find me the best divorce lawyer you can.”
At my father-in-law’s birthday party, Shalane arrived in a custom dress, her face glowing and perfectly maintained.
She whispered something that made my in-laws burst into laughter.
The twins, dressed in crisp navy suits with matching ties, looked elegant and adorable.
Regina, my mother-in-law, held their hands, her eyes filled with affection.
Afraid they’d be hungry or thirsty, she had the hotel servants bring out Michelin-star pastries.
When Regina saw me, she barely acknowledged my presence with a grunt and tossed the gift I brought onto the pile without a second glance.
She had never liked me. In her eyes, I was never good enough for her son—just a woman as useless as a hen who couldn’t lay eggs.
Meanwhile, Shalane handed the old woman a pearl bracelet with a sweet smile, and my mother-in-law’s face instantly lit up. Regina slipped it onto her wrist, admiring it as she beamed.
“Oh, Shalane, you always know what I like! I love pearls—it makes my mood light up!”
Then, she turned to me with a sneer.
“Not like some people, always looking like they’re at a funeral. Even their gifts bring bad luck.”
Just then, Brent’s grip on my hand loosened. The moment he saw the children, he let go completely and rushed toward them.
“Galvin! Devin! Did you miss Daddy?”
He knelt and pulled them both into a tight hug.
Shalane watched them with a soft, satisfied smile—like a wife watching her husband with their children. Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she reached out and kissed my husband’s cheek.
Brent’s hand lifted to brush aside the loose strands of hair at her temple as he asked gently, “Was the flight exhausting? Were Galvin and Devin well-behaved?”
And then, as if suddenly remembering his actual wife was still standing there, he cleared his throat, took the little boy’s hand, and led him toward me.
“Camryn, this is Galvin. He’s the big brother.”
The boy looked almost exactly like Shalane, with just a faint resemblance to Brent in the shape of his thin lips and almond eyes.