Chapter 3

In my previous life, I never had any kids of my own, so I treated Lucas like he was my own flesh and blood. He always came first in my mind, no matter what.

Claire always had some excuse for not having time to take care of Lucas, so she'd just dump him on me.

I handled everything for Lucas: his meals, his clothes, his toys, his school stuff, and even his tutoring. I paid for it all out of my own pocket and took care of it myself.

When it came to Lucas, my conscience was clear. I watched over him and raised him with my own hands, making sure he had everything he needed.

But right before I died, Lucas shouted at me, teeth clenched, "Why won't you just die already? If it weren't for you, I could've reunited with my dad ages ago.

"If you hadn't been around, my mother and I could've lived with my dad as a family a long time ago."

Lucas never mentioned a single thing I did for him, just like James now, who never said a word about all the good things I'd done for him.

If it weren't for me, never asking for a dime, bringing a six-figure dowry into the marriage, and paying for the entire wedding myself, he and his mom never could've held their heads high in front of their relatives.

The only reason James was so desperate to avoid divorce now wasn't me; it was my family's money and those cash wedding gifts.

Thinking about that gift money, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Sure, I was blinded by love, but thankfully, my parents had the foresight to deposit all that wedding cash straight into my bank account after the ceremony.

James saw my expression soften and probably thought I was finally listening to him.

He walked over and grabbed my hand.

He softened his tone as he said, "Quinn, don't say things you don't mean when you're angry, okay?"

I pulled my hand away, ice-cold.

I said, "James, this isn't something I'm saying out of anger. I want a divorce."

"You!" James blurted out, frustration clear in his voice.

He stood up, looking annoyed, and quickly pulled on his clothes.

He said, "Quinn, I don't want to argue with you on our wedding night. Take some time to think it over."

James walked out without even glancing back.

He was convinced I was just being dramatic and that if he gave me the cold shoulder, I'd come to my senses eventually.

I didn't even bother arguing. I just locked myself in the bedroom and shut the world out.

At six in the morning, there was a heavy pounding on the bedroom door.

Anna was yelling from outside, "James, why did you lock the bedroom door? Didn't I tell you not to lock it?

"Quinn, get up. It's time to make breakfast for the family."

I ignored her completely, put my phone on silent, pulled the pillow over my head, and went back to sleep.

In my previous life, James and I were up until the middle of the night on our wedding night before we finally fell asleep.

But at six in the morning, Anna barged straight into our bedroom, yelling at me to get up and make breakfast for the family.

Back then, she said, "Now that you've married into the Harrington family, you're one of us. Before, I was only polite because you weren't family yet. But now that you're part of the family, there's no need to keep up appearances anymore.

"We have rules in the Harrington family: the daughter-in-law's job is to get up early, make breakfast for the whole family, and take care of the cleaning."

Before I married James, I was a spoiled heiress who never had to do a single chore.

My hands were made for sketching fashion designs, not for scrubbing floors or cooking breakfast.

In my previous life, when I first married into the Harrington family, Anna made my life a living hell.

Every time I complained, all James would say was, "She's my mom."