Chapter 1

Everyone in Seraville knew that Maximus Drake, the so-called "saintly heir," was cold, restrained, and famously loyal to his first love.

I proposed to him anyway, not for him, but for his mother, who was destined to become my perfect mother-in-law.

On our wedding night, I declared thoughtfully, "You pursue your spiritual purity. I'll spoil your mother. We each get what we want."

But Maximus suddenly pressed me gently onto the rose-covered bed, his gaze dark and amused. "Then I'd like to know," he said slowly, "what exactly makes me inferior to my mother?"

A week later, I was holding my waist and complaining tearfully, "Please take your son back to his quiet, disciplined life. He's not a saint at all. He's a starving wolf."

*****

I was Annabelle Michael, a twenty-six-year-old woman planted deep in Seraville, though my life motto is definitely a little unconventional.

My mom started preaching her ultimate truth to me back when I first caught feelings, starry-eyed over sweaty guys on the school basketball court.

She'd say, "Girl, it's not about the man you marry. It's all about the mother-in-law you pick. Choose wrong, and even the best guy will twist your life into a pretzel and turn your rom-com into a horror flick."

I couldn't agree more.

Just look at my aunt and my cousin, walking cautionary tales. Their blood-and-tears stories alone could fill three volumes of a tragic family saga.

Men could be clueless, but a nightmare mother-in-law? She would make me rethink my whole life.

So when I ran into Jessa at that exclusive charity gala, where the air practically shimmered with money and power, it all suddenly made sense.

All my romantic luck must've been hoarded just for the day I met her.

Jessa, who was also Mrs. Drake, was the ultimate icon and living legend among Seraville's high society.

She was past fifty, but looked like she'd been preserved in time. Draped in a deep green velvet gown and a string of luminous pearls, even the fine lines at her eyes radiated elegance and wisdom when she smiled.

While the others busied themselves with networking, showing off wealth, or dropping subtle hints of status, she sipped her champagne and effortlessly wove together insights and references.

One minute she was tracing the Renaissance, the next she was marveling at murals, then exploring quantum physics, and before you knew it, she was casually speculating about when her new crabapple tree in the backyard would bloom.

What really stood out was the way she looked at you, no judgment, no sizing you up, just genuine interest and a gentle warmth.

We got into a debate over some obscure painting, and just couldn't stop.

We talked for two hours straight, from art to philosophy, travel tales to health tips, laughing nonstop and drawing plenty of curious looks from the crowd.

It was total kindred spirits. Age didn't matter one bit.

By the end of the night, as I held Jessa's cool, soft hand, the idea just exploded in my mind, wild and unstoppable.

I wanted this woman. I wanted her as my mother-in-law. I wanted to spend every single day with her, drinking coffee, gossiping, and hitting up every museum in town.

Then there's her son… Oh yeah, she had a son, Maximus Drake, Seraville's famous "noble saint."

Word on the street was that he was icy and untouchable, so good-looking it hurts, but his heart had been locked away by some first love who skipped town ages ago.

Since then, he'd built a fortress around his feelings, avoided women like the plague, and always had that vibe like he was one step away from shaving his head and going full monk mode.

The Seraville socialites all whispered, "If you marry Maximus, it's like booking yourself a spot as a living widow, stuck in a luxury nunnery for life, endless candles, endless self-restraint, and zero romance."

When I heard all that gossip, my eyes lit up like jackpot lights.

Seriously, this was perfect.

A husband who hung up on someone else and was busy chasing enlightenment? That means he would leave me alone, wouldn't crash my bonding time with his mom, and wouldn't expect any awkward couple stuff.

And with a mother-in-law who's fun, wise, and just plain awesome, my future happiness is basically guaranteed.

This setup was such a win, I could laugh myself awake at night just thinking about it.

So I made a move that shook Seraville to its core: I went straight to the Drake family and proposed a marriage alliance, with Maximus himself.

My parents were so freaked out, they almost shipped me off to a shrink that very night.

But I hit them with my mom's ultimate truth, then launched into a passionate, dramatic speech about all the reasons why Jessa was the best, and finally declared, "Relax, Maximus is just the background. Jessa's the real prize! This is a total win, no way we lose!"

I had no idea if my parents were actually convinced, or if they just thought it was impressive that I had the guts to go after the Drake family, but either way, they didn't put up a real fight.

On the Drake side, rumor had it Jessa really liked me, and as for Maximus. He didn't object, didn't care enough to say no.

To him, marrying anyone was all the same. His heart had been spoken for long ago, so whoever stood next to him didn't matter. If it made his mom happy, he'd just go with the flow.