Chapter 1
My husband, Charles Newton, demanded I sign a postnuptial agreement as his birthday gift.
The terms were beyond humiliating. I'd even have to pay to use the toilet in my own home.
He threatened to divorce me if I refused, so in the end, I signed.
At his birthday dinner, the girl sitting across from him, Emily Carter, was his much younger close friend. Only nineteen, she acted like she had life all figured out.
She glanced around playfully and said, "I know Charles best.
"Since he married someone he doesn't even love, fate's gonna make it up to him—smooth sailing, smooth life, smooth money."
My face went pale.
Charles just grinned, half-rising to pinch her cheek.
"What do you know, Emily?" he said. "You're just a kid."
Emily straightened up.
"Wrong," she shot back. "I'm not just 'a kid.' I'm independent, blessed in the chest, and I know exactly how things work."
Her eyes drifted toward my chest, then back to Charles with a smirk.
"We get it, you're used to... modest portions," she said lightly. "But that doesn't mean you can't appreciate a full-course meal."
The table erupted in laughter.
Only I stayed quiet, quietly smoothing down my apron.
Emily gave Charles's hand a playful tap with her fork.
Charles frowned and pulled out a tissue with a look of distaste.
"Gross," Charles said, wrinkling his nose.
Emily bit down on her fork, arching her brows with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Come on. I bet you've been waiting to get a taste of my drool," she teased.
Charles wadded up the used tissue and tossed it at her.
The little white ball landed right down her shirt, slipping into her cleavage.
Emily rolled her eyes and said, "Seriously? Your wife's sitting right here, and you're already making a move on me?"
She fished the tissue out and threw it right back at Charles.
"Just you wait; when your wife gets mad and kicks you out, even if you get down on your knees and beg, I still won't let you crash at my place," Emily teased.
Then, with a smirk like she was watching a show, Emily turned to me.
"Why so quiet? Don't tell me you're really that petty and actually mad?" she asked.
I gripped my fork tighter.
"Couldn't care less, Auntie," I said.
Emily shot me a glare and slammed her fork down.
"What did you just call me? You're way older than me," Emily said.
I felt a weight lift off my chest and couldn't help but laugh.
I said, "Sorry, but you've been acting like the wise elder all night and giving everyone life advice.
"And you never introduced yourself. I honestly thought you were his fifty-year-old aunt who'd had one too many trips to the plastic surgeon."
Emily was glaring at me, but then her eyes shifted, and she grinned.
Without hesitation, she kicked Charles under the table, aiming right for his legs.
Emily said, "Whoa, your wife's definitely not someone to mess with. And look, she's already trying to stir things up between us.
"How could you ever hope to tame an old witch like her?
"You better thank me for making you sign that post-wedding contract; it's the only thing saving your sorry ass."
Someone got curious about the contract, so Emily whipped out her phone and started reading it out loud.
She said, "Every penny Party A makes goes straight into the family account, and she has to report her spending every single day.
"Party A even has to pay for the air she breathes, the trash she throws out, and the bathroom she uses.
"Whenever Party A or her relatives have a wedding or a funeral, Party B gets a free pass on giving any gifts.
"But if it's Party B or his family with a wedding or funeral, Party A has to help with all the planning and pay at least 30% of the costs.
"If Party A can't stick to any of these rules, she has to hand in a handwritten apology letter with at least ten thousand words, a whole week ahead of time."
Everyone at the table gasped in disbelief.
"Wait, so she even has to pay just to breathe?"
"Why is Party A the one footing the bill for everything?"
"But she's just a housewife; where's she supposed to get the money?"
"Come on, you can't just make her pay for everything and not let her get anything out of it, right?"
Emily laughed with abandon, shooting me a challenging look.
"Who says she doesn't get anything? Didn't I give her the status of Party A?" Emily said with a smirk.
She looked down at me like she was doing me a huge favor.
Emily said, "You've been around for ages, but I bet you've never gotten the chance to be Party A before, huh?
"I'm letting you have it; consider it my generous gift.
"At least you took care of Charles for three whole years. Maybe you didn't rack up any big wins, but you sure did the grind."