Chapter 6 · The Heir's Regret After Divorce

Linda Ford.

When Jay said her name, I was momentarily thrown off.

I'd always thought she was just Daniel's accomplice, a nasty mother-in-law, blinded by her son and fixated on the idea of a grandson.

But now, it was clear she wasn't just an accomplice.

She was the mastermind, the most ruthless player in this years-long con.

No wonder she was so obsessed with Ava's pregnancy.

No wonder she lost it when I brought up divorce.

Because if we got divorced, all that money she'd hidden under her name would come to light.

"I get it now." I felt a cold chill settle deep inside me. "Daniel hustles for the cash, and Linda stashes it away. Those two are a perfect tag team, covering each other's tracks without missing a beat."

Jay's face was grim. "This is way messier than we thought. Linda is Daniel's mother, they can just say Daniel gave his mom the money as a gift.

"Sure, we can prove the cash came out of your marital assets, but actually taking that house back for you? That's gonna be one hell of a fight."

I said, staring out the window at the city's gray twilight. "I understand. So, we can't take the usual route. To deal with people like them, we need to use unconventional methods."

Jay looked at me. "So, what's your plan?"

"I want to meet her," I said. "Just me and Linda one-on-one."

Jay looked worried. "Are you sure? She's probably got it out for you right now. You really want to face her alone?"

"Relax," I cut him off. "I'm not going to go toe-to-toe with her. Sometimes, playing weak is the sharpest weapon."

I shot Jay a quick smile. "Plus, I'll need you to cover me from outside."

Jay and I spent the next half hour hashing out the details.

After he left, I picked up my phone and dialed a number I used to call every single day, but now it felt like a stranger's.

Linda's number.

The phone rang for ages before she finally picked up.

Linda's voice came through, sharp and impatient. "What do you want? I've got nothing to say to you, you jinx."

I didn't bother responding to her insults.

My voice was barely more than a whimper, on the verge of tears. "Mom, it's me, Emily."

There was a long silence on the other end.

Me sounding so fragile clearly threw her for a loop.

I kept my voice shaky as I went on, "Mom, I know I messed up. I was totally out of it that day, saying all that nonsense to Daniel.

"I can't live without Daniel. I can't divorce him.

"Could you come over? I really want to talk to you. I'll sign anything, please don't abandon me."

I played the part of a desperate, abandoned wife, reduced to begging her mother-in-law for mercy, and I nailed it.

Linda went quiet for an even longer pause.

I could practically see the smug look on her face right now.

"Hmph, finally realize you messed up? Too late." she snapped, but her tone was already softening. "Alright, I'm getting a spa treatment nearby anyway. I'll swing by and see you in a bit."

With that, she hung up.

I set my phone down and let out a long, slow breath.

Got her.

An hour later, Linda strutted in, her high heels clicking against the floor.

She'd changed into an even flashier outfit, looking smug as ever, grinning like she'd already won.

She took one look at me lying there all alone, and didn't even bother to hide the contempt and scorn in her eyes.

"Finally come to your senses?" she said, settling into the chair by my bed and crossing her legs with practiced elegance.

I struggled to sit up, and the movement tugged at the wound on my face, and I winced in pain, hissing through my teeth.

I looked at her, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Mom, I get it now. There's no way I can beat you and Daniel.

"Please, I'll do anything, just let me stay with Daniel.

"I'll sign the agreement right now. Please, put in a good word for me with Daniel."

Linda looked at me, clearly loving every second of my groveling.

She let out a cold laugh and pulled out the divorce agreement from her Hermès bag, the same one Daniel had ripped up, and she'd taped it back together herself.

"Now you're begging me? Why didn't you come crawling sooner? Emily, listen up. If you want to stay with the Shaw family, you better know your place.

"Not a single cent of the Shaw family's money is yours. And that apartment you're living in? Don't even think about it."

There it was.

She finally showed her true colors.

I put on my best shocked face. "Mom, what do you mean? Didn't Daniel say that apartment was supposed to be my compensation?"

Linda's gaze cut across my face like a knife. She sneered, "Compensation? You still want compensation?

"You useless hen, hogging the spot of my daughter-in-law all these years, it's a miracle we haven't charged you for all the youth you stole from our family.

"Let me make this clear. That apartment? Forget it. Everything you own has to be transferred to Daniel. If you don't, then get out of the Shaw family."

I sneered inside, but my face stayed pale, showing nothing but despair. "Mom, you can't do this. The house my parents gave me when we got married, and my savings, those are mine, from before the wedding."

Linda laughed like it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "Premarital assets? You married Daniel, so you belong to the Shaw family now. Your money? That's Shaw money now.

"My son's got what it takes, so his money is my money. That big house in Eastshire? He bought it for me, that's how it should be.

"Who do you think you are? You think you deserve to talk about money with us?"

Her words got nastier with every sentence.

Each one hit harder than the last.

Crystal clear, the phone under my pillow recorded every word she said.

Just as Linda was in the middle of her nastiest rant, completely carried away by her own viciousness.

The hospital room door burst open with a loud bang.

Before I could even react, a figure stormed in like a madwoman, making a beeline for Linda.

It was Ava.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair wild and disheveled, looking like a vengeful ghost. "You old hag! How dare you hide a house from me!"

She yanked Linda's hair, her sharp nails slashing down Linda's perfectly pampered face. "Didn't you say all the money was mine? How dare you lie to me!"

Chapter 6

Linda Ford.

When Jay said her name, I was momentarily thrown off.

I'd always thought she was just Daniel's accomplice, a nasty mother-in-law, blinded by her son and fixated on the idea of a grandson.

But now, it was clear she wasn't just an accomplice.

She was the mastermind, the most ruthless player in this years-long con.

No wonder she was so obsessed with Ava's pregnancy.

No wonder she lost it when I brought up divorce.

Because if we got divorced, all that money she'd hidden under her name would come to light.

Jay's face was grim. "This is way messier than we thought. Linda is Daniel's mother, they can just say Daniel gave his mom the money as a gift.

"Sure, we can prove the cash came out of your marital assets, but actually taking that house back for you? That's gonna be one hell of a fight."

I said, staring out the window at the city's gray twilight. "I understand. So, we can't take the usual route. To deal with people like them, we need to use unconventional methods."

Jay looked at me. "So, what's your plan?"

"I want to meet her," I said. "Just me and Linda one-on-one."

Jay looked worried. "Are you sure? She's probably got it out for you right now. You really want to face her alone?"

"Relax," I cut him off. "I'm not going to go toe-to-toe with her. Sometimes, playing weak is the sharpest weapon."

I shot Jay a quick smile. "Plus, I'll need you to cover me from outside."

Jay and I spent the next half hour hashing out the details.

After he left, I picked up my phone and dialed a number I used to call every single day, but now it felt like a stranger's.

Linda's number.

The phone rang for ages before she finally picked up.

Linda's voice came through, sharp and impatient. "What do you want? I've got nothing to say to you, you jinx."

I didn't bother responding to her insults.

My voice was barely more than a whimper, on the verge of tears. "Mom, it's me, Emily."

There was a long silence on the other end.

Me sounding so fragile clearly threw her for a loop.

I kept my voice shaky as I went on, "Mom, I know I messed up. I was totally out of it that day, saying all that nonsense to Daniel.

"I can't live without Daniel. I can't divorce him.

"Could you come over? I really want to talk to you. I'll sign anything, please don't abandon me."

I played the part of a desperate, abandoned wife, reduced to begging her mother-in-law for mercy, and I nailed it.

Linda went quiet for an even longer pause.

I could practically see the smug look on her face right now.

"Hmph, finally realize you messed up? Too late." she snapped, but her tone was already softening. "Alright, I'm getting a spa treatment nearby anyway. I'll swing by and see you in a bit."

With that, she hung up.

I set my phone down and let out a long, slow breath.

Got her.

An hour later, Linda strutted in, her high heels clicking against the floor.

She'd changed into an even flashier outfit, looking smug as ever, grinning like she'd already won.

She took one look at me lying there all alone, and didn't even bother to hide the contempt and scorn in her eyes.

"Finally come to your senses?" she said, settling into the chair by my bed and crossing her legs with practiced elegance.

I struggled to sit up, and the movement tugged at the wound on my face, and I winced in pain, hissing through my teeth.

I looked at her, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Mom, I get it now. There's no way I can beat you and Daniel.

"Please, I'll do anything, just let me stay with Daniel.

"I'll sign the agreement right now. Please, put in a good word for me with Daniel."

Linda looked at me, clearly loving every second of my groveling.

She let out a cold laugh and pulled out the divorce agreement from her Hermès bag, the same one Daniel had ripped up, and she'd taped it back together herself.

"Now you're begging me? Why didn't you come crawling sooner? Emily, listen up. If you want to stay with the Shaw family, you better know your place.

"Not a single cent of the Shaw family's money is yours. And that apartment you're living in? Don't even think about it."

There it was.

She finally showed her true colors.

I put on my best shocked face. "Mom, what do you mean? Didn't Daniel say that apartment was supposed to be my compensation?"

Linda's gaze cut across my face like a knife. She sneered, "Compensation? You still want compensation?

"You useless hen, hogging the spot of my daughter-in-law all these years, it's a miracle we haven't charged you for all the youth you stole from our family.

"Let me make this clear. That apartment? Forget it. Everything you own has to be transferred to Daniel. If you don't, then get out of the Shaw family."

Linda laughed like it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard. "Premarital assets? You married Daniel, so you belong to the Shaw family now. Your money? That's Shaw money now.

"My son's got what it takes, so his money is my money. That big house in Eastshire? He bought it for me, that's how it should be.

"Who do you think you are? You think you deserve to talk about money with us?"

Her words got nastier with every sentence.

Each one hit harder than the last.

Crystal clear, the phone under my pillow recorded every word she said.

Just as Linda was in the middle of her nastiest rant, completely carried away by her own viciousness.

The hospital room door burst open with a loud bang.

Before I could even react, a figure stormed in like a madwoman, making a beeline for Linda.

It was Ava.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair wild and disheveled, looking like a vengeful ghost. "You old hag! How dare you hide a house from me!"

She yanked Linda's hair, her sharp nails slashing down Linda's perfectly pampered face. "Didn't you say all the money was mine? How dare you lie to me!"