Steal My Man Not My Money

I never made a scene about Lucas Dickerson's infidelity.

On our wedding night, when I walked in on that unbearable scene, my heart didn't breakit was sawed apart by a dull blade, the pain radiating in dense, rhythmic waves.

Yet I remained silent. I still brought him warm water to soak his feet. The next morning, I prepared breakfast as I always did.

From that day on, I applied to work at the Dickerson Group. Guilt made him agree.

Over the next three years, the women around him rotated like a revolving door. They understood the rules of survival for a rich man's mistress and never crossed the line.

Until now.

Lucas had actually brought a woman home.

Evelyn Gilbert, his childhood sweetheart, jabbed a finger in my face, her tone dripping with arrogance. "Daniela Bates, I told youeven if Lucas marries you, the only one in his heart is me. I *will* replace you and become Mrs. Dickerson!"

Displeasure coiled in my gut.

You can cheat on me. But you cannot touch my money.

After a grueling day at the Dickerson Group, all I wanted was a hot shower and a good night's sleep. But the moment I pushed open the door to the master suite's bathroom, the unmistakable sounds of passion slammed into me like a physical blow.

In the bathtub, Lucas held Evelyn tightly, kissing her with an intensity that suggested the rest of the world had ceased to exist. His eyes were squeezed shut, completely lost in their private universe.

Evelyn, however, snapped her eyes open.

Her gaze was pure provocation. Her lips curled into a smug, victorious smile as she stared straight at me.

This was the first time Lucas had brought an outsider home. The game had changed.

"Lucas, Daniela is back!"

Evelyn feigned terror, shrinking deeper into his embrace, her voice trembling with a fabricated sob. "I'm scared. My chest hurts..."

"Daniela! Are you a ghost?"

Lucas whipped his head around, his voice sharp with impatience. "Why didn't you make a sound? Apologize to Evelyn immediately! You scared her!"

"I'm sorry."

I lowered my head obediently, slowly backing out of the bathroom. "I won't disturb you. Starting tonight, I'll sleep in the study."

I had a rule: I never touched anything that had been soiled.

After Lucas cheated the first time, I never let him near me again. Now that the master bedroom had been tainted by Evelyn, it was dead to me as well.

I showered in the guest room and retreated to the study to work.

Currently, the weight of the Dickerson Group rested entirely on my shoulders. Even after leaving the office, idleness was a luxury I couldn't afford.

The study door swung open without warning. Evelyn, wrapped only in a bath towel, sauntered in and perched herself directly on my desk.

Dark love bites marred her exposed thighsevidence of Lucas's well-known *bad habits*.

"Daniela, I told you long ago. Even if Lucas married you, he loves *me*." She looked down at me with naked ambition. "We grew up together. When your family went bankrupt, the Dickersons only let you marry in out of pity. Now that I'm back, you should return the title of Mrs. Dickerson to its rightful owner!"

"Sure. No problem."

I smiled and nodded. "As long as Lucas makes the decision, I agree to everything."

"You think he can't bear to let you go?" Evelyn's voice sharpened, clearly dissatisfied with my lack of resistance. "I know everythingyou've been married three years, and he hasn't touched you once!"

"That's not what I meant."

I maintained my gentle facade. "I mean that divorce isn't up to me. You have to ask him. If he agrees, I'll fully cooperate."

Heavy footsteps approached from the hallway.

"Daniela, I know I was wrong! Please, don't hit me anymore!"

Evelyn's hand flew up and viciously slapped her own face several times. Then she threw herself off the desk, collapsing onto the floor and bursting into loud, theatrical sobs.

I glanced at the wet mark her towel had left on my documents.

Bile rose in my throat. I felt nothing but disgust.

"Evelyn?"

Lucas rushed in. Seeing Evelyn crumpled on the floor, weeping hysterically, his eyes reddened with instant heartache. Rage clouded his judgment.

"Daniela Bates, you have some nerve!"

He pointed a trembling finger at me and roared, "Kneel down and apologize to Evelyn! Now!"

I stood immediately.

Walked over to Evelyn.

And without a moment's hesitation, dropped to my knees. My voice was eerily calm. "Evelyn, I was wrong. Please forgive me, okay?"

Evelyn's sobbing cut off abruptly. She froze, tears still streaming down her face, her eyes wide with shock.

Even Lucas stood stunned, a flicker of guilt flashing through his gaze before he could mask it.

"Husband, can I get up now?"

I looked up, my expression soft and submissive. "The project Dad assigned has just started. He's old, and I don't want him to worry."

"Huh?" Lucas blinked, snapping back to reality. His voice dropped. "Get up. Hurry and go work."

The fire in his eyes extinguished instantly.

Evelyn wanted to escalate the situation, but I had already knelt and apologized. I had robbed her of her momentum. She had no choice but to swallow her frustration.

Lucas carried her out of the room. I sat back in my office chair and returned to my unfinished work as if nothing had happened.

Not long after, Lucas returned.

"Why did you hit her?"

I glanced at him but didn't argue. I simply stood up and lowered my head like a child caught stealing candy.

"Do you know how heartbroken she was?"

"If she's still not satisfied, I can go apologize again." My absolute obedience left Lucas with nowhere to vent his anger.

"Did you *really* hit her?" Skepticism crept into his tone.

"I didn't..."

I paused, then corrected myself. "I hit her. It's all my fault."

"Who are you trying to fool?"

Lucas strode to the computer and pulled up the study's surveillance feed. On the screen, Evelyn's provocation, my silence, and her self-inflicted violence played out in crystal clarity.

"You were obviously wrongedwhy didn't you say anything?"

His voice carried a slight tremor.

A bitter smile crossed my lips. "I don't want to trouble you."

When my family first went bankrupt, I was bullied constantly. Back then, Lucas would stand in front of me, frowning as he asked the same question: *Obviously you were wrongedwhy didn't you say it?*

But things were different now.

Back then, he pitied me. Truly wanted to protect me.

Now? He betrayed our marriage first and only offered scraps of guilt afterward.

"Evelyn loves me very much. You know that."

Lucas sighed, helplessness seeping into his tone. "I can't let her down, so don't take her behavior to heart."

"Don't worry, I won't." I nodded lightly.

He walked to the door, then stopped. Turned back to me. "Old Li on the board of directors has a family emergency and plans to withdraw his shares. I'll provide the capitalyou buy the shares under your name."

I sat back in my chair, my fingers drumming a rhythmic beat on the tabletop. With my left hand, I picked up my phone and sent a quick WeChat message: *Put the Li deal on hold.*

After sending it, I deleted the chat history and threw myself back into work.

Evelyn didn't come to trouble me again that night, but her voice echoed through the thousand-square-meter villa. With that kind of vocal projection, it was a pity she wasn't an opera singer.

Early the next morning, after preparing breakfast, I left for the Group ahead of them. Lucas and Evelyn sat at the dining table, feeding each other and sharing intimate kisses between bites.

"Lucas, I just got back to the country and I'm bored. Can I work at the Dickerson Group?"

Evelyn asked suddenly.

Lucas froze for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I'll have Daniela arrange it for you."

"Will my position be lower than Daniela's?" Her eyes went wide.

"Daniela is the CEO." Lucas frowned slightly. "Unless you want the Chairman's seat, it will definitely be lower than hers."

"Am I going to be beneath her again?"

Evelyn's eyes rimmed with red, and she let out a pitiful whimper. "In school, she had better grades and was prettier than me. Later, we both loved you, but you favored her. Lucas, will I *never* be able to beat her?"

Lucas furrowed his brow and sent me a WeChat message: *Daniela, arrange for Evelyn to be a CEO as well. No distinction between primary and secondary.*

A dry chuckle escaped me as I read it.

From the moment I saw Evelyn, I knew she wasn't just here to steal a manshe was here to steal the fortune.

My bottom line had always been clear: infidelity I could ignore, but my property was sacred.

Evelyn had crossed the line.

I was handling paperwork when my office door was shoved open.

Evelyn strutted in wearing a pink professional skirt suit, head held high, chest thrust out. She aimed for imposing but landed squarely on gaudylike a cheap secretary trying to seduce the boss in a bad movie.

"Daniela, Lucas agreed. My position won't be lower than yours!"

She tossed her handbag onto my desk with a heavy thud.

"I know."

I stood up immediately, grabbing my laptop. "Then I'll go find a spot in the general office area, okay?"

"No!"

Evelyn sneered, arrogance unchecked. "You aren't worthy of being on the same floor as me! I'll tell the cleaning departmentyou go work there!"

"Okay. I understand."

I tucked my computer under my arm and walked out of my own office without a fight.

Evelyn dropped into my chair, spinning around smugly. Her lips curled into a sinister smile. "It won't be long before the Dickerson Group is mine. As soon as I give Lucas a son, my status will be unshakable! Daniela, you're just a washed-up heiress from a bankrupt familywhat right do you have to compare yourself to me?"

Not long after, Lucas's voice drifted in from the hallway. "Daniela, how is the land acquisition in the southern suburbs coming along?"

He pushed the door open, only to find Evelyn wearing headphones, playing video games on the CEO's computer.

"Lucas!" Evelyn ripped off the headphones and jumped up to greet him.

"Where is Daniela?" He scanned the room, confused.

"Daniela... she..." Evelyn stammered, then put on a distressed face. "She *insisted* on working in the cleaning department. I couldn't stop her!"

Her eyes filled with instant tears. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have made so many demands. I made her unhappy."

"Stop crying. I'll go talk to her." Lucas sighed and turned to leave.

He found me working in the storage room a few minutes later.

"You're unhappy, so you deliberately came here to work to spite me?" His voice was tight.

"I didn't..." I started, then stopped and nodded. "Sorry. I was being willful."

"I knew itEvelyn is talking nonsense."

Lucas looked at me with reproach, but his tone held a trace of something softer. "But you know how it is. She loves me too much, that's why she acts like this. Don't be too calculating with her."

I had given up on Lucas the moment he first cheated.

But now, seeing him defend Evelyn so blindly, ignoring logic and reason, a familiar ache throbbed in my chest.

After all, this was the man I had once loved deeply.

The man who had once protected me against the world.

"Don't worry, I'm not that petty." The practiced smile slid into place like armor. "What's the status of the land in the southern suburbs?"

Lucas Dickerson shifted gears seamlessly. "That plot has hit its ceiling. Zero room for appreciation. We need to offload it immediately."

"Selling now would be a bloodbath." A sigh escapedconvincingly reluctant. "We'd be taking a massive loss."

"Even so, it has to go. Holding onto it will only bleed us dry." With that final verdict, he turned and walked away.

The moment he disappeared around the corner, the concern melted from my face. My phone was already in my hand, thumbs flying across the screen: *The land is available. Press the price down another thirty percent.*

When I returned to the villa after work, an unpleasant surprise waited at the door.

My in-laws had arrived.

They had never looked at me with anything other than disdain. Even before my family went bankruptwhen I was funneling resources to save the Dickerson empirethey felt their precious son deserved a woman with a more prestigious pedigree. Consequently, they rarely set foot in this house.

Their presence today wasn't a social call.

In the living room, my in-laws flanked Evelyn Gilbert on the sofa like bodyguards protecting royalty. The three of them chatted animatedly, laughter ringing off the crystal chandelier. The picture of a perfect, happy family.

Lucas sat opposite them, peeling a tangerine. When I entered, a flicker of guilt passed through his eyes.

Gone in an instant.

"You actually remembered you have a home?"

My mother-in-law launched the first strike, her voice shrill enough to shatter glass. "A woman who shows her face in public all day and neglects her family is a *disgrace*!"

My father-in-law kept his expression stony. "Go cook. Evelyn is hungry."

"Okay."

I nodded submissively, turned on my heel, and headed for the kitchen.

Lucas followed moments later. He stood beside me at the counter, hesitating for a second before lowering his voice. "I know this is unfair to you."

"I don't mind." The gentle, sacrificial smile came easilyI'd worn it for years. "Lucas, the kindness you showed me back then... I'll spend my whole life repaying it."

"You won't need to do much." His tone was dismissive, almost bored. "Evelyn is moving in. You just need to handle the daily chores and take care of us."

"No problem."

Soon, a table laden with intricate dishes was ready.

"Stand over there. We'll call you if we need anything." My mother-in-law pointed to the corner. Her tone brooked no argument.

I obeyed. Standing silently like a statue, ready to pour tea or refill water at a moment's notice. After the meal, they demanded tea and snacks. I served them with unwavering patience.

My absolute compliance left Evelyn frustrated; the schemes she had prepared to humiliate me were useless against a wall of submission.

Unwilling to let the moment pass, she suddenly burst into tears.

"Evelyn, honey, why are you crying?" My mother-in-law was instantly frantic. "Did that *wench* Daniela give you a dirty look?" A venomous glare shot in my direction.

Years ago, before my family fell, she had treated me like her own daughter.

Now I was just a *wench* in her mouth.

"No," Evelyn sobbed, gasping for air. "It's... it's my mother. She scolded me today."

"Tell us, why would she scold you?" My father-in-law leaned forward, brow furrowed with concern.

"My parents think I'm an embarrassment." She choked on the words. "They said I have no status, no title. They said I'm no different from a *mistress*, and because of me, they can't show their faces in public!"

"Don't cry, Evelyn. I'll handle this!" My mother-in-law's finger trembled as she pointed it at me. "You. Divorce Lucas immediately! Agree quietly, and we might let you stay in the servant's quarters. Refuse" Her eyes narrowed. "and you're out of the Dickerson family tonight."

My father-in-law's voice was ice. "Hurry up and sign the papers. Stop occupying the position of Mrs. Dickerson."

Lucas looked at me, his eyes heavy with guilt, yet his words were ruthless. "Daniela, a marriage certificate is just a piece of paper. We don't need it to be family. In my heart, you'll always be one of us." A pause. "You've held the title of Mrs. Dickerson long enough. Just give it to Evelyn."

"Okay. As you wish."

My face was a mask of calm.

But Evelyn wailed even louder. "If we just divorce like this, people will still say I stole your husband! They'll call me a homewrecker!"

Lucas thought for a moment, then turned to me. "Daniela, post a statement on Weibo. Say that you were the one who pursued me aggressively back then, and that *you* were the third party who ruined my relationship with Evelyn."

"Okay."

Of course, *what* I actually posted would not be up to him.