Heard Your Evil Thoughts, Bitch

I made this specially for you. Please, drink it while it's hot. Gemma offered the bowl of soup, smiling like an absolute angel.

My mother-in-law was just reaching to take it when a vicious voice suddenly exploded out of nowhere.

[ Drink up, you old fossil. Sooner or later, I'm dumping two bottles of bleach and rat poison into your soup. Drink it and die! ]

My entire body went rigid. It was Gemma's voice, but the Gemma standing right in front of me hadn't moved her lips at all.

I whipped my head toward my mother-in-law. Her face had drained of color, turning a furious, ashen gray. Clearly, she heard it too.

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Gemma leaned in, her face the perfect picture of innocent concern.

[ Why hasn't this old hag croaked yet? Just die already! Stop blocking my way to becoming the CEO's wife! ]

Gemma's malicious inner thoughts were absolutely deafening.

My mother-in-law paced the floor like a trapped animal, visibly trembling with rage.

I dug my nails deep into my palms, biting the inside of my cheek until it tasted like copper just to keep myself from dying of laughter.

Chapter 1

Three years of marriage, and my husband and I had simply hit a dead end. No massive blowouts, no cinematic betrayalsthe spark had just fizzled out. We were mutually indifferent and entirely childless. Lately, we'd been quietly circling the idea of pulling the plug and getting a divorce.

Before we could even iron out the logistics, his childhood sweetheart showed up at our doorstep. Gemma. She and Hayes had grown up side-by-side, practically joined at the hip until she left the country to study abroad and ghosted everyone. She reappeared last year, tracking Hayes down with the obvious intention of rekindling their old flame.

Except, my husband had been wearing a wedding band for three years.

Gemma froze when she found out. Her eyes had raked over me, calculating and sharp, before she finally turned on her heel and left.

Now, she was back. She had just bought the house right next door to ours and was currently standing on my porch, knocking.

It was just me and my mother-in-law at home. I was working remotely from the living room, while she was meticulously flipping through a stack of gourmet cookbooksher latest obsession. I walked over and pulled the front door open.

My eyebrows shot up.

A blindingly enthusiastic smile stretched across Gemma's perfectly round, innocent face. "Maren! It's been so long. I just moved into the neighborhood, so I guess we're officially neighbors now."

"Here," she thrust a pastel box forward. "I just stood in line for these organic handmade macarons. A little housewarming gift."

I glanced past her shoulder at the open door of the property next door. "You moved right next door to us?"

"Yeah! I've been renting since I moved back to the States. I actually asked Hayes about it a few days ago, and he recommended this subdivision."

"Crazy coincidence, the place right next to yours just went on the market. The price was an absolute steal, so I just closed on it."

As she spoke, her eyes darted past me, shamelessly scanning the interior of my house. Searching for my mother-in-law, no doubt.

I didn't say a word. I just stared at her, paralyzed. Not because of her flawless makeup, but because her voice was echoing loudly in my ears, even though her mouth was clamped shut.

[ You absolute idiot, Maren. Your husband is going to be mine sooner or later. He even fronted half the cash for my down payment. The second you two sign the divorce papers, I'll be sitting on two pieces of prime real estate! ]

I blinked hard, my brow furrowing. Footsteps sounded behind me as my mother-in-law stepped into the entryway. The second she registered Gemma standing on the porch, her expression instantly iced over.

My mother-in-law despised Gemma. She had warned me before that Gemma was a serial opportunist with a messy track record. According to her, Gemma had likely partied her way through Europe, burned all her bridges, and came crawling back to the States looking for a safe, reliable guy to lock down. My husband, unfortunately, was that exact guy.

"Hi!" Gemma chirped, completely ignoring the frost radiating from the older woman. "I just bought the place next door."

"You know, it really makes me nostalgic for the old days when my dad and Walter used to hang out and fish every single weekend. It's so nice to be neighbors again. Please look out for me!"

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, playing the role of the sweet, helpless girl to absolute perfection.

But that loud, disembodied voice exploded in my head again.

[ You miserable old hag, how are you still breathing? Better go hit up that senior water aerobics class at the community pool. Let's see how many years those old bones have left. ]

My mother-in-law physically jolted. Her head snapped left, then right, her eyes wide as she searched the empty porch for whoever had just cursed her out. I pressed my lips together. She had clearly heard it too.

Interesting.

The moment Gemma finally left and the front door clicked shut, my mother-in-law grabbed my arm. She demanded to know if I had heard someone talking. I forced down a smirk and explained exactly what had just happened.

She stared at me in sheer disbelief before her face flushed dark red. "That little viper. If her father hadn't done our family such a massive favor back in the day, I would have dragged her off this porch by her hair!"

Gemma's dad and my father-in-law, Walter, were old army buddies. They had literally taken bullets for each other. Back when Hayes's family was dead broke, it was Gemma's dad who had bailed them out financially and kept them afloat.

Both of Gemma's parents had passed away a few years ago, leaving her with practically nothing. Because of that old debt, my father-in-law felt a moral obligation to act as her safety net. He threw money at her problems and tolerated absolutely everything she did.

Having Gemma right next door was going to make him ecstatic.

Sure enough, the second Walter got back from his weekend fishing trip and heard the news, he sprinted straight over to her house. He spent hours over there catching up. He even whipped out his checkbook on the spot and signed a fat cash check to help her settle in.

My mother-in-law was furious. She immediately laid into him, calling Gemma exactly what she was.

Walter just sighed, putting his hands up in a placating gesture. "Her dad saved our lives, honey. We owe them. Cut the kid some slack and don't make a big deal out of it."

My mother-in-law hated it, but she was a woman who honored her debts. She swallowed her anger and dropped the argument.

I certainly wasn't going to accept this arrangement. But then again, I was already one foot out the door to divorce Hayes anyway. It really didn't matter to me.

Chapter 2

When Hayes got back from the office, I walked right into his bedroom. "Your childhood sweetheart just moved in next door. Aren't you going to go see her?"

Hayes didn't even look up from his screen. "None of your business. Just worry about yourself."

He was always like thisice-cold and emotionally unavailable, playing the role of the aloof CEO. Then again, he was a CEO. If he wasn't, Gemma wouldn't have set her sights on him in the first place.

I shrugged. I didn't bother asking him about the down payment he fronted for Gemma's house. We practically lived separate lives anyway, and our finances were strictly separated. He could burn his cash however he wanted.

"Once you're done with this current project, have your lawyer contact my private attorney so we can sign the divorce papers," I reminded him before turning on my heel and walking out.

He was swamped with work lately and probably would be for the next two weeks. Hayes just gave a low grunt of acknowledgment, his eyes still glued to his laptop.

Bright and early the next morning, Gemma showed up again. She held out a steaming ceramic tureen of chicken soup to my mother-in-law.

"I'm such an early bird! I was up at five today, so I just decided to simmer some soup. It's been going for three hours. Please, try some."

Gemma's face was the picture of earnest expectation. With those big, innocent eyes, almost anyone would feel guilty turning her down.

But my mother-in-law's face was completely thunderous. Because Gemma's inner voice was absolutely infuriating.

[ Drink up, drink up. I hope you choke on it, you old bat. What are you acting all high and mighty for at your age? Go drink toilet bowl cleaner! ]

Standing behind them, I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from bursting into laughter. My mother-in-law took a sharp, jagged breath, rubbing her temples while her jaw clamped shut so hard her teeth ground together.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? Do you need to see a doctor?" Gemma leaned in with a look of frantic concern, but her mind was screaming:

[ Oh, hell yes. Drop dead and do us all a favor. Right now, this second. Die! ]

My mother-in-law was very much alive, and she opened her mouth to unleash hell, but I quickly stepped in front of her.

"Wow, this smells amazing. Let me have it." I snatched the tureen right out of Gemma's hands.

Honestly, I was craving something savory. I took a massive gulp. It was undeniably goodexactly what you'd expect from something simmering since five in the morning.

"Thanks, Gemma. That hit the spot." I downed the rest in three gulps and shoved the empty ceramic bowl right back into her chest.

"All done. You can go wash the dishes now."

Gemma froze, the corner of her mouth twitching violently.

I was treating her exactly like the hired help.

"You have quite the appetite, Maren" she forced out through gritted teeth. "I'll go ladle out some more for you." She spun around and stalked back to her house.

The second she was gone, my mother-in-law whirled on me. "Why the hell did you stop me? That little viper is absolute trash!"

"Didn't Walter say we owe them a debt? Let him pay it off," I explained smoothly.

"You know how stubborn he is. If you rip into Gemma right now, he'll just have a coronary. And there's zero chance he's going to believe we can hear her inner thoughts."

My mother-in-law crossed her arms, her expression tightening as she realized I was right. "That stubborn old mule," she cursed.

"Fine. Let him see exactly what kind of trash Gemma really is. What does an old army debt have to do with that spoiled brat anyway?"

Right on cue, Gemma walked back in, holding another steaming bowl.

"Here you go! Try this bowl," Gemma chirped, flashing a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Oh, and I saved plenty more. Once Hayes is up, have him come over and get some. He's loved my soup since we were little kids."

My mother-in-law's face was deadpan as she coldly took the bowl from her hands.

Gemma used the handoff as an excuse to scan our living room, her perfectly plucked eyebrows knitting together in a frown. "Wow, your place is kind of a mess, isn't it? There's a massive pile of laundry on the couch, shoes everywhere, and the TV is literally covered in dust."

Her inner voice immediately chimed in:

[ Maren is such a lazy slob. She clearly doesn't lift a finger around here, and she actually had the nerve to snatch that old hag's soup right in front of her. Absolutely zero class. This is my perfect chance to shine! ]

The corner of my mouth twitched. I locked eyes with my mother-in-law.

We never did chores in this house because we were all too busy enjoying the high life. We usually just hired a top-tier housekeeping agency to do a deep clean every week. Besides, as a senior partner bringing in tens of thousands of dollars a month, I was used to calling in a professional premium housekeeping team. Why the hell would I do chores?

"The house doesn't get tidied up very often. It can't be helped, my daughter-in-law just isn't very good at it." My mother-in-law actually let out a heavy, dramatic sigh. I clearly saw the wicked gleam of amusement dancing in the corners of her eyes.

Gemma was absolutely thrilled. "I have plenty of free time! I'll do it," she offered eagerly.

"It's totally fine that Maren isn't good at keeping house. In this day and age, daughters-in-law are mostly just here to be spoiled anyway."

Chapter 3

"It's true. Back in the day, I had to wait on my in-laws hand and foot. Now that I'm the mother-in-law, I'm still the one doing the serving. It's exhausting," my mother-in-law sighed, though the corners of her eyes crinkled with suppressed amusement.

Gemma immediately practically skipped into the living room, rolling up her sleeves with sheer, unadulterated enthusiasm.

Her inner voice was absolutely giddy:

[ Hahaha, the old bat actually hates Maren! I knew it! There's no way Hayes would just suddenly divorce her without a reason. This is my opening. I'm going to be the CEO's wife before the year is out! ]

I met my mother-in-law's gaze again. The smirk on her face was even more wicked than mine.

Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she leaned into me. "Maren, you still haven't dry-cleaned those expensive silk nightgowns and cashmere sweaters, right? Go drag them all out. Let Gemma wash every single one of those delicate pieces by hand."

Then, she turned back to Gemma, her face melting into an expression of warm, maternal affection.

"Gemma, sweetheart, you're just too hardworking. Let me help you. I actually need to do a load of laundry anyway, but the washing machine is broken. I'll have to hand-wash them."

"Oh, no, please!" Gemma beamed, waving her off. "Just bring it all out, I've got it."

"Your hands are far too delicate for this. If I let you scrub clothes, Hayes would never forgive me."

My mother-in-law pretended to hesitate before finally, reluctantly, agreeing.

Minutes later, dozens of heavy cashmere sweaters and sheer silk slips were dumped into a massive pile. Three large laundry tubs and five deep basins weren't even enough to hold it all.

"That should be everything. Have at it," I said, dusting off my hands.

A violent twitch rippled across Gemma's cheek.

My mother-in-law stepped forward, rolling up her own sleeves. "Actually, Gemma, your hands are the delicate ones here. Maybe I should just do it."

"No, no it's fine! I'll wash them!" Gemma snapped back into character instantly, playing the role of the capable, hardworking daughter-in-law to perfection.

But inside, she was absolutely screaming:

[ Go to hell, Maren! Go to hell, you old fossil! My hands were made to wear a massive diamond ring, not to act as your unpaid maid scrubbing cashmere! Aaaaargh! ]

You had to give it to herGemma was a hard worker. Even as she mentally cursed my entire bloodline into the dirt, her hands never stopped moving. She scrubbed piece after piece, not even blinking when soapy water splashed directly onto her face.

I crossed my arms, watching her.

[ Is she seriously going this hard? Who exactly is this performance for? ]

A second later, I got my answer. It was for Hayes.

Hayes finally emerged from his bedroom. He had been up half the night working and was just now starting his day. The second he stepped out, the rhythmic sound of frantic scrubbing caught his attention. He frowned, his gaze landing on his childhood sweetheart, who was currently elbow-deep in suds, playing the martyr as she washed our winter wardrobe.

"Gemma? What are you doing?" Hayes stood tall and imposing, yet his tone carried a faint, unmistakable softening. A softness that, naturally, had long since stopped applying to me.

"Oh! Hayes, you're up." Gemma offered him a bright, breathless smile, using the back of her wrist to wipe a streak of suds from her cheek. "Your washing machine is broken, and I had some free time, so I figured I'd help out with the laundry."

Hayes's frown deepened into a severe scowl. He shot a piercing look directly at me.

I just held my hands up. "She volunteered."

"Exactly," my mother-in-law chimed in, laying it on thick. "Gemma is just so thoughtful. She didn't let studying abroad turn her into a spoiled brat. So considerate."

Hayes's jaw tightened; he clearly didn't know how to respond to that. But Gemma wasn't done playing her hand. Suddenly, she pulled a sheer, incredibly expensive silk slip straight out of the basin. It was what I had worn to bed last night.

"Go wash up and grab some breakfast, Hayes. I made chicken soup." Gemma kept her head down, scrubbing my silk slip with tragic dedication. "Let me just finish up Maren and your mom's clothes, and then we can catch up on work stuff."

In her head, she was cackling:

[ You are so dead, Maren. Making me wash your dirty nightclothes? Let's see how Hayes punishes you for this! ]

Predictably, Hayes took the bait. He glared at me, his eyes cold and hard.

"Maren, this is incredibly disrespectful. Gemma is our guest. How could you possibly make her wash your personal clothes?"

"Hayes, please, it's fine! I had to wash the sweaters anyway, so throwing this in is nothing."

Gemma flashed a blinding, totally fake smile, a dollop of suds now resting perfectly on the tip of her nose. It was the ultimate pick-me aesthetic.

"I can handle a little hard work. When I was studying abroad, I used to wash dishes in the back of a diner next to a motel every single day. I'm used to it."

I rolled my eyes. My mother-in-law mirrored the exact same eye roll right beside me.

Hayes didn't say another word. He just strode past me, grabbed Gemma by the arm to pull her up, and then reached over and pressed the power button on the washing machine.

The control panel lit up instantly with a cheerful beep.

The machine wasn't broken.

Chapter 4

"Who said it's broken? It's working perfectly fine," Hayes bit out, his jaw tight. He was a smart man; he obviously knew we were deliberately making things difficult for Gemma.

Gemma was absolutely thrilled, her inner voice practically doing cartwheels:

[ Hahaha, so it really wasn't broken! I don't even have to fake being wronged now. I actually am the victim here! ]

She immediately dropped her chin, letting out a soft, strained, bitter laugh. She didn't utter a single syllable, yet she played the role of the tragic, bullied martyr to absolute perfection.

Hayes exhaled sharply, opening his mouth to tear into me.

But my mother-in-law cut him off. "I could've sworn it was acting up earlier Well, since it's running, just throw it all in the machine."

Hayes swallowed the reprimand. He couldn't exactly snap at his own mother.

Gemma kept her head bowed, but inside she was spitting venom:

[ You decrepit old fossil, defending Maren? Just wait until I have Hayes wrapped around my finger. Once I run this house, I'll make your life a living hell! ]

Hayes couldn't hear a word of her internal screaming. My mother-in-law and I, however, heard it loud and clear.

My mother-in-law's expression darkened into pure murder. She leveled a finger directly at Gemma's face.

"What did you just say? Say it again." She used to run her own business back in the day and commanded absolute authority; this time, her composure completely shattered.

Gemma physically recoiled, her eyes widening in panicked innocence as she stammered that she hadn't said a word.

Hayes immediately stepped between them, his brow furrowed in confusion at his mother's sudden outburst.

I stepped in to defuse the ticking bomb. "Alright, that's enough. Mom, I still have to take you to your Pilates class at the clubhouse, remember?"

"If we're late, we'll lose our spots." I grabbed my mother-in-law by the arm and practically dragged her out the front door.

Once outside, she was still seething. "That little snake actually thinks she's marrying into my family? Over my dead body."

"I'm having a serious word with Walter tonight. He needs to cut her off entirely!"

I let out a heavy sigh. "If only it were that easy. You forgot that Walter secretly wrote Gemma a fifty-thousand-dollar check behind our backs, and when you confronted him about it, he practically destroyed the house?"

Walter was way too invested in Gemma. He practically treated her like his own flesh and blood, all to repay some ancient brotherhood debt from the army.

Since Gemma moved back to the States, she had only technically set foot in our house a couple of times, but both Walter and Hayes were constantly in contact with her. One throwing cash at her, the other throwing affection. What exactly could my mother-in-law and I even do?

After finishing the hour-long Pilates session, we headed back home.

Walter was, predictably, not home. He was usually at the office or out fishing and playing poker with his buddies.

Shockingly, Hayes was still there. The busy CEO hadn't left for the company. Taking one look at his dark, stormy expression, I instantly realized he had stayed behind specifically to wait for me. Sure enough, he motioned for me to follow him into the bedroom.

I stepped inside, and he shut the door with a firm click. He leveled a serious gaze at me. "I only see Gemma as a younger sister. There's zero need for you to deliberately target her."

"Our families go way back. Both of her parents are gone now, and she's out here all by herself. It's completely normal for me to look out for her."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway since we're getting a divorce." I genuinely didn't care.

Lately, my mental energy had been entirely consumed by calculating the asset split. Who had the time to care about Gemma? If it weren't for my solid relationship with my mother-in-law, I would've packed my bags and moved out months ago.

"If it doesn't matter, then dial it back," Hayes warned, his tone sharp. "You're making it way too obvious, and it's going to piss my dad off."

Irritation flared hot in my chest. I shot right back, "Maybe you should dial back how good you are to her. Once I'm gone, your mom might not be able to handle her on her own. Don't come crying when she completely tears your family apart."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hayes's face darkened instantly.

"With your IQ, there is no way you don't see exactly how manipulative and fake she's acting. But you insist on playing right into her hands, so knock yourself out," I mocked, letting out a sharp scoff.

Hayes narrowed his eyes. "Gemma is entirely alone in the world. She's called me her older brother since we were kids."

"I know she plays mind games sometimes, but I don't think it crosses the line. She just lacks a sense of security. She needs the attention."

I physically gagged. I knew Hayes couldn't possibly be that stupid. He knew exactly what kind of toxic game she was playing, yet he still willingly gave her a free pass.

"Just hurry up and sign the divorce papers so we can split the assets. I refuse to let Gemma get her hands on a single cent of my money." I didn't want to waste another breath on him. The divorce and the payout were the only things that mattered now.

Chapter 5

Hayes didn't want to waste another breath on it either. He gave a clipped nod, shrugged on his suit jacket, and walked out the door, heading straight back to work.

By evening, Walter finally returned. He rushed back looking ecstatic, hauling two massive fish. But instead of walking into our house, he headed straight for Gemma's place.

My mother-in-law was absolutely furious. She immediately grabbed my arm and dragged me over to spy on them.

Gemma was pouring Walter a glass of water, while Walter was buzzing with excitement. "Haha, look at these, Gemma! Massive, right?"

"I was out on the lake all day for these. Hurry up and make a stew out of them. You've loved eating fish since you were a little kid."

"Walter, you're too sweet. I can't believe you still remember that," Gemma gushed, looking incredibly touched.

But her inner voice was already cursing:

[ You absolute moron. How the hell am I supposed to clean fish this big? Doing your family's laundry was exhausting enough, and now you want me to scale fish? ]

She clearly loathed the idea of scaling fish. One mental curse wasn't enough; she had to go for round two:

[ Fishing, fishing, always freaking fishing. Why don't you throw your own mother into a swamp to feed the gators? Feed her to the gators, maybe you'll catch more! ]

Walter had absolutely no idea she was cursing his bloodline. He just kept chuckling, happily rambling about the best way to cook the catch.

Gemma flashed a sweet, dimpled smile. "Walter, why don't you stay for dinner? I'll go get this stew started right now. You can have some to warm upit's getting chilly out."

"Sure, sure. You've really grown up, Gemma." Walter sighed deeply, his eyes actually getting a little misty.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he added, "Oh, by the way, I bought you an expensive leather sofa. It should be delivered tomorrow."

"An expensive leather sofa? Thank you so much, Walter!" Gemma looked positively overwhelmed with emotion.

But inside, she was screaming again:

[ You cheap old bastard. You only bought one sofa? Couldn't you afford to buy more designer furniture? Just wait until I marry Hayes. I'm going to cram all the trashy, broken-down thrift store furniture into your room, and keep all the new leather sofas for myself! ]

My mother-in-law let out a dry, bitter laugh, muttering that Walter completely deserved it. She couldn't stomach listening to another second of it and dragged me right back home.

Over an hour later, Walter finally stumbled back in, reeking of alcohol. The second he walked through the door, he made a beeline for me.

"Maren, what exactly did you do to upset Gemma? Let me make this clear."

"Gemma is my brother-in-arms's daughter. She's practically my own flesh and blood. You are not to pick fights with her."

Walter used to run a company too, and he still carried that heavy, authoritative tone.

I didn't bother arguing back, but my mother-in-law immediately snapped. "You brain-dead old fool! Your precious 'flesh and blood' is planning to hoard all the new leather sofas for herself and dump all the broken, trashy thrift-store furniture into our room! And you're still defending her?"

Walter didn't react at all. He had already face-planted onto the couch and passed out, snoring loudly.

Gemma stayed relatively quiet for the next few days. She was probably busy settling in. Her new place needed some redecorating, and she spent the week fussing over it.

Once she finally had it sorted, she deliberately picked a time when I was out of the house to corner my mother-in-law alone. I only found out about this because my mother-in-law told me later.

Gemma had tracked her down, pulling out a black card to a top-tier Beverly Hills medical aesthetics clinic, insisting on treating her to a full Thermage anti-aging session.

"You have absolutely stunning bone structure," Gemma had apparently fawned. "True beauty is in the bones, not the skin. With your looks, just a quick spa treatment and you'll look like a supermodel."

My mother-in-law tried to casually add that Gemma's inner thoughts matched her wordsthat true beauty never fades.

I immediately broke character, snorting out loud. "Her inner thoughts actually said that?"

Under my piercing stare, my mother-in-law looked incredibly guilty. She finally broke, scowling deeply.

"Like hell she thought that! She called me a shriveled-up mummy dragged straight out of a basement! She said if I took a walk through the Sahara Desert, I'd suck up all the groundwater!"

I lost it again, doubling over with laughter. "So, did you go to the spa?"

"Of course I went. Gemma said she had a secret to tell me, so I went to listen."

"What secret?"

"She said you're infertile. That's why Hayes is divorcing you. Apparently, Hayes got drunk and confessed it to her." My mother-in-law locked her eyes squarely on mine.

My brow furrowed deeply. "And you believe her?"

"That's exactly what her inner voice was saying too. She was mocking you for not being able to have kids and getting dumped by Hayes. Are you two really getting a divorce?" She kept her intense gaze fixed right on me.

Chapter 6

A bitter taste flooded my mouth. Honestly, a huge reason our three-year marriage had become so suffocatingly dull was the fact that Hayes and I didn't have kids. Both of my in-laws desperately wanted grandchildren, and Hayes wanted a baby too. But we just couldn't conceive.

We had been quietly negotiating the divorce for a while now, but we hadn't breathed a word of it to anyone outside the marriage. Not only did Gemma know about the divorce, but she also knew about my infertility. Hayes really didn't treat her like an outsider, did he?

"It's true. I can't have kids, and Hayes and I are getting a divorce," I admitted, seeing no point in hiding it anymore.

My mother-in-law stared at me for a long, heavy moment before suddenly reaching out to cup my cheek. "Who told you that you can't have kids?"

"Hayes did. We both got tested back then." Even though I had never actually seen the lab results with my own eyes, Hayes had been absolutely adamant that I was the problem.

My brain had been buzzing with static at the time, too overwhelmed to dig deeper. Eventually, I just gave up. If I couldn't give him kids, then a divorce made sense.

My mother-in-law pulled me into a tight, fierce hug. "Then divorce him. I'm adopting you as my own daughter. I'm giving you the luxury penthouse downtown and the mansion with the heated pool in the wealthy district."

"Giving them to me?" I blinked.

"Yes. Tomorrow, I'll have my private wealth advisor process the trust transfer papers. You need to get those properties locked down under your name first. Once the divorce is finalized, Gemma is going to start jumping around making demands. With your father-in-law and my son both backing her, I have to strip out the core assets in advance."

She was actually handing over the penthouse and the mansion. Those were easily the two most valuable pieces of real estate our family owned. Both were currently undergoing high-end renovations and would be move-in ready by next year. Both properties were legally under my mother-in-law's name. She bought the mansion five years ago and the penthouse two years agoright around the time she officially retired and handed the reins of the family business over to Hayes.

"If you give them to me, Walter and Hayes are going to completely lose their minds," I hesitated. I obviously wanted the properties, but in a standard divorce settlement, I would never have a claim to them since they technically belonged to her. Handing them over to me was like throwing a lit match into a powder keg.

"Don't you worry about them. I built this family's empire with my own two hands," she said with absolute ironclad certainty. "Walter is completely useless, and while Hayes is capable, he still answers to me." She was fiercely determined to make sure I wasn't left with nothing.

I tried to tell her to sleep on it, but she wasn't having it. Bright and early the next morning, she dragged me straight to her wealth advisor's office. Since both properties were fully paid off in cash and she had all the documentation ready, her ruthless efficiency made the transfer process incredibly fast.

Just like that, I was the sole owner of a luxury penthouse and a sprawling mansion.

"Maren, now that you have these properties, I can finally breathe easy," she said, patting the back of my hand affectionately, truly treating me like her own flesh and blood. "With your career and these assets, you'll live a very comfortable life."

My eyes stung with unshed tears. I didn't even know what to say. All I could manage was a choked-out, "Thank you."

When we got back to the house, Gemma was somehow in our kitchen, cooking. Hayes was leaning casually against the doorframe, watching her with a warm smile on his face. "The princess is actually cooking? It's been years since I've seen that."

"Shut up! You make it sound like I'm completely lazy," Gemma shot back, throwing a playful, exaggerated pout over her shoulder. It was nauseatingly cute.

A wave of absolute disgust rolled through me.

My mother-in-law exploded on the spot. "What the hell do you two think you're doing, flirting in my kitchen? Whose house do you think this is?!"

Hayes had always respected his mother's authority, so he immediately ducked his head, his smile vanishing.

Gemma, meanwhile, jumped like she had been shot. She clutched the spatula, looking completely panicked and helpless. "Mom I mean I was just talking to Hayes. He and Walter both said they missed my cooking, so I just came over to" Her face was a mask of pure innocence, but inside, she was seething.

[ You decrepit old hag! So what if we're flirting? Does it shave years off your miserable life? I swear to God, I want to take this spatula and smash your face straight into this fried rice! ]

That vile thought was the absolute last straw. My mother-in-law wasn't going to hold back anymore, especially now that she had secured my future.

"You shameless little tramp! Do you really think I don't know exactly what goes through that twisted head of yours?" My mother-in-law stepped forward, radiating pure, undeniable authority. "Let me make one thing crystal clear. Even if Hayes and Maren get divorced, I will never, ever let you set foot in this family!"

Chapter 7

Gemma's perfectly round face darkened for a fraction of a second. Inside, she was screaming:

[ Did this old fossil swallow a grenade? Maren can't even give them a baby, so why the hell is she still defending her?! ]

Beside her, Hayes's expression shifted. A stiff, unnatural crease formed between his brows. "Mom, how do you know Maren and I are getting a divorce?"

"How could I not know? You whatever. You made your bed, now lie in it. Stop wasting Maren's time and just get the papers signed." My mother-in-law waved a hand, refusing to elaborate, only pushing Hayes to finalize it quickly.

Hayes's face turned a stormy gray. His eyes bored into me. "What exactly have you been feeding my mother?"

Feeding her? Did he seriously think I was running to his mommy to tattle?

"I don't have the time or the crayons to feed her anything," I fired back, my lips twisting into a sharp sneer. "Just hurry up and sign the damn papers so you can go play house with your precious little Gemma."

"Mom Maren, please don't fight. It's all my fault," Gemma whimpered, her voice trembling like a kicked puppy. "I overstepped. I didn't know my place. I'll just go" She turned and ran. Hayes called after her, but she ignored him, sprinting out the door.

Just then, Walter walked up the driveway. Seeing Gemma running back to her house in tears, he immediately dropped his fishing gear and chased after her. A little while later, Walter marched back inside. His hands were empty, his eyes dark and heavy. You could practically see the rage rolling off him.

"I'm back. Didn't catch a single fish today. Do you know why?" Walter's gaze swept the room, landing squarely on me like a dead weight.

"Spit it out if you have something to say!" my mother-in-law snapped. "You obviously gave your catch to Gemma. Stop putting on a show."

Walter completely ignored being called out. His eyes didn't waver. "I actually did catch one. But it was a female, full of roe. So I tossed it back. You know what they sayyou don't keep a fish with eggs. They need to reproduce and carry on the line. Otherwise, the whole river goes dead."

Walter stared right through me, his voice dropping an octave. "Fish are like that. People are too. A person is utterly useless if they can't carry on the bloodline."

A rush of white-hot blood roared in my ears. My vision actually blurred for a second. There was zero mistaking that pointed insult. Gemma had leaked my infertility to him too!

"Walter, shut your damn mouth!" my mother-in-law roared, instantly grabbing my hand and squeezing it tight.

But the degrading humiliation of it coated the back of my throat like ash. How was I supposed to just stand there and take that?

"Then go find yourself a fish with eggs." I ground the words out through a locked jaw. Taking a jagged breath, I spun on my heel and walked straight into the bedroom. It was time to pack.

I was done fighting. I was done breathing the air in this house.

Hayes watched me go, his face impassive. He didn't say a single word to stop me.

In the living room, my mother-in-law was screaming at Walter, but he was completely numb to it. He poured himself a cup of tea, smacking his lips. "A woman shouldn't be so aggressive at home. She needs to have a good temper. Be gentle. Honestly, I think Gemma is perfect"

I threw my essentials into a suitcase, zipped it shut, and dragged it out. Hayes and Walter were sitting on the couch, muttering to each other. Seeing me rolling my luggage toward the door, Hayes finally stood up.

"Maren, do you really have to be this dramatic? Nobody kicked you out," Hayes said, his tone dripping with cold irritation.

"Maren, so it turns out you and my son have been discussing divorce for a while now. Good. That saves us a lot of trouble