Chapter 1

I was perfectly content with my arranged husband, Andrew Lawson. He was loyal and respectful, the kind of man who knew where the lines were.

So at the company dinner, when I watched him peel a shrimp for his female assistant, I stayed quiet.

But that night, I stopped by the store and bought ten pounds of shrimp. I dumped the bag on the counter in front of him.

I crossed my arms. "Go ahead and peel them. You seemed pretty good at it earlier."

Men without boundaries could either learn or be replaced.

I had standards, and I wasn't about to lower them.

*****

When I walked in, an unfamiliar girl was placing a piece of grilled steak onto Andrew's plate with her own fork.

She wasn't using the serving utensils.

I smiled and greeted the managers seated around the table, then turned my attention to the girl who hadn't bothered to stand.

ted around the table, then turned my attention to the girl who hadn't bothered to stand. The sales manager beside her caught her eye and said, "This is Mrs. Lawson."

The girl stood up and flashed me a smile. "Hi, Mrs. Lawson. I'm Emily, the new executive assistant. Nice to meet you."

I smiled back without saying anything and took a seat nearby.

I made small talk with everyone like usual, but I kept my eyes on Andrew and Emily across from me. I watched him eat the steak she'd served him without hesitation.

Then Emily picked up a shrimp and stared at it like she didn't know what to do with it. Her eyes drifted toward Andrew for help.

Andrew frowned slightly and took the shrimp from her. He put on a disposable glove, peeled it smoothly, and dropped the shrimp into her plate.

I narrowed my eyes and pulled out my phone to text our housekeeper, Alice Reed.

[Buy ten pounds of fresh shrimp and cook them.]

Right after I hit send, Emily, who'd been quiet this whole time, suddenly spoke up. "Mrs. Lawson, you're so lucky.

"You married such a successful man like Mr. Lawson, so you can just stay home and be a trophy wife while the rest of us have to grind away at work to pay our bills."

I looked up at her young, pretty face. "You really are new here. You have no idea how things work, do you?"

Emily froze. She probably hadn't expected me to call her out so directly. Still, she quickly arranged her expression into something flustered and wounded.

She said softly, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lawson. I didn't mean any offense. I just speak my mind without thinking sometimes. Please don't hold it against me."

Her gaze landed directly on my designer purse and Chanel suit, and she spoke with false concern.

"I just noticed how well you dress and spend, and I can't help but feel bad for Mr. Lawson. After all, he's worked so hard to build Lawson Group into what it is today."

I couldn't help but laugh and pressed my hand to my forehead, but I didn't say anything.

The others at the table looked panicked, and the product director snapped at her. "Watch your mouth! Do you think Mrs. Lawson is just some housewife? We call her Mrs. Lawson in here, but outside this building, everyone addresses her as Ms. Nolan with respect."

Emily looked confused, like she still didn't understand.

The sales manager beside her leaned in and whispered urgently, "Ms. Nolan and Mr. Lawson came from two powerful families and their marriage was a merger of equals.

"Ms. Nolan is the only heir to Nolan Enterprises, so what the hell are you talking about? Apologize to her right now!"

Emily's face went pale, and she bit her lip. Tears welled up in her wide eyes as she looked at Andrew for help.

Andrew met my amused gaze and shook his head with a hint of resignation. He spoke firmly but gently. "Apologize to Mrs. Lawson. Watch what you say and know your place. If you don't understand something, ask. If you don't know, learn."

Emily had no choice but to turn to me and speak softly, looking pitiful. "Mrs. Lawson, I'm sorry."

I stood up and didn't even look at her. I smiled at everyone else and said, "I still have things to finish up, so you all enjoy yourselves. We'll get together another time."

By the time I finished, it was already 10 PM. When I walked to the parking lot, Andrew was still waiting there, and when he saw me, he opened my car door like he always did.

We chatted casually on the drive home, and the atmosphere felt warm. When we got home, Andrew went to shower first. When he came out, I dropped the massive pile of lobster Alice had prepared right in front of him.

The cooked shrimp was neatly arranged in several large plates and covered the entire dining table.

I smiled sweetly as Andrew stared at me in confusion.

"Honey," I said. "Peel them for me."