Chapter 1 · Useless Housewife Secretly Became a Billionaire

Chapter 1

"Margaret, my maternity leave ends next month. Could you come over during the day to help me look after Lily? Only for a month," I said.

I stood in my mother-in-law's living room, holding my three-month-old daughter in my arms.

Margaret Carter sat on the couch with her legs crossed, the TV blaring in the background.

She didn't even look up.

"How many times do I have to say it? Taking care of the baby is your responsibility. It's not my job," she said.

I opened my mouth. "But David's salary alone can't cover a nanny—"

"If you can't pay for one, then do it yourself. It's your choice to have a kid, so deal with it," she snapped.

My daughter, Lily Carter, started crying in my arms.

I gently soothed her and took a step back.

"Then what if I quit my job and take care of her at home?" I asked.

Margaret finally glanced at me, crunching on a snack.

"Do whatever you want. Don't bother me," she said.

I nodded and turned to leave.

When the door closed behind me, I heard her talking on the phone.

"Jessica, what brand of formula does Max use? I'll swing by tomorrow and help out with the baby for a few days," she said.

I stood in the hallway, frozen.

Lily was still crying in my arms.

I looked down at her rosy little face and managed a smile.

"It's alright, Lily. Mommy's got you," I whispered.

Six years later, Margaret ended up lying in the hospital bed. When she saw me walk in, her eyes lit up.

"Emma, you're here. My leg's killing me. Brian and Jessica are busy, and you've got nothing going on lately—" she said.

I set the fruit basket down on the table.

"Margaret, go ask your younger son for help," I said. "It's not my job."

*****

I remember what happened six years ago clearly.

The day I quit, David came home from work and saw me soothing Lily.

"Did you talk to my mom?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

"What did she say?"

"She said I should handle it myself."

He was quiet for a moment.

"Then quit your job for now. You can find another one when Lily's a bit older," he said.

I agreed. No one asked if I wanted to quit. No one cared that I'd worked there for three years and had just been promoted to supervisor.

That first month, I was on my own with Lily. I fed her, soothed her to sleep, and changed her diapers during the day. At night, she woke up three times, and so did I.

David would get home from working overtime around 10 PM and crash into bed immediately.

I didn't complain at all.

The next month, while scrolling on my phone, I stumbled across a beauty blogger's video about DIY skincare.

I binge-watched the whole thing overnight, and the next day, while Lily was napping, I opened up my laptop.

By the third month, I registered a company called PureGlow Group.

I kept it a secret to myself.

Six months later, it was Thanksgiving.

The Carter family got together for a big reunion dinner.

More than twenty people crowded around the round table while Margaret had three-year-old Max in her lap, feeding him pieces of shrimp.

I sat quietly in the corner, holding nine-month-old Lily and mixing up her formula.

Jessica Carter walked over with a glass of red wine, sizing me up from head to toe.

"Emma, you look absolutely worn out. Guess taking care of the baby is draining you, huh?" she said.

She didn't bother to hide the smug amusement in her voice.

"You should've hired a nanny, as I did long ago. Margaret's more than willing to cover the cost," she added.

I kept stirring Lily's formula.

"Yeah, it's indeed tiring," I replied.

Jessica shrugged. "What can you do? Margaret's only got so much energy. She can't run back and forth for both of us."

She turned and walked away.

Margaret called over from across the table. "Jessica, come sit down. Don't stand there."

Then she leaned toward the others and said, "Jessica's like a real daughter to me."

Everyone at the table laughed.

Nobody paid me any attention.

Lily tugged at my shirt, her tiny voice calling out, "Mommy."

I bent down and kissed her.

"Mommy's right here," I whispered.

That night, after I got home, I opened my laptop and stared at the sales numbers on the screen.

PureGlow Group's first batch of face masks sold 8,000 boxes in one month.

The profit wasn't much, but it was enough to pay next month's rent.

I kept it to myself.

*****

When Lily turned one, I took her to the community clinic for her vaccinations.

That was when I bumped into Jessica and Max.

Margaret was with them, tagging along.

She was pushing Max's high-end stroller, her face creased with a big grin.

When she saw me, she froze for a moment.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Lily's here for her vaccination," I replied.

Her eyes landed on Lily in my arms, and she gave a flat "oh" expressionlessly.

She didn't bother to hold Lily or look at her again.

She turned to Max and cooed, "Come here, my little darling. After your shot, Grandma will buy you some candy."

Jessica gave me a quick, knowing smile.

"Emma, you're taking care of everything by yourself? That sounds tough," she said.

"I'm managing," I replied.

"Margaret handles everything with Max during the day. It's such a relief. If it's too much for you, maybe think about daycare for Lily."

"Lily's still too little."

"Yeah, I guess so," Jessica said, glancing at her phone. "Hey, Margaret, Brian says he wants your steak for lunch."

"Alright, I'll make it when we get home," Margaret said, pushing the stroller out.

She walked right past me without slowing down.

"Emma, tell David it's time to pay this month's allowance," she said over her shoulder.

"Okay," I replied.

What she meant by "allowance" was the 300 dollars we had to hand over every month as a sense of family obligation.

David made 4,000 dollars a month. With the monthly 1,000-dollar mortgage, there was barely anything left after we bought formula and other essentials.

But that 300 dollars was non-negotiable.

"Brian has just opened his shop and is tight on cash, so he doesn't have to pay me this month," Margaret said.

I nodded.

*****

When I got home, Lily was fast asleep in her crib.

I sat down at my laptop, working through the day's orders.

By the third month, PureGlow Group's monthly sales had already topped 20,000 units.

I started looking for a contract manufacturer.

That night, when David got home, I asked him, "Could you maybe talk to your mom? We're stretched thin right now—"

"Don't start that," David said, tossing his bag onto the couch. "You know how she is. Suck it up.

"I've been swallowing this for years.

"She's always been like that. Brian's always been her favorite ever since we were kids. Nothing I say will change her."

He headed straight for the bathroom.

I shut my laptop screen.

Suck it up? I could suck it up. But I wasn't going to keep putting up with it forever.

Chapter 1

"Margaret, my maternity leave ends next month. Could you come over during the day to help me look after Lily? Only for a month," I said.

I stood in my mother-in-law's living room, holding my three-month-old daughter in my arms.

Margaret Carter sat on the couch with her legs crossed, the TV blaring in the background.

She didn't even look up.

"How many times do I have to say it? Taking care of the baby is your responsibility. It's not my job," she said.

I opened my mouth. "But David's salary alone can't cover a nanny—"

"If you can't pay for one, then do it yourself. It's your choice to have a kid, so deal with it," she snapped.

My daughter, Lily Carter, started crying in my arms.

I gently soothed her and took a step back.

"Then what if I quit my job and take care of her at home?" I asked.

Margaret finally glanced at me, crunching on a snack.

"Do whatever you want. Don't bother me," she said.

I nodded and turned to leave.

When the door closed behind me, I heard her talking on the phone.

"Jessica, what brand of formula does Max use? I'll swing by tomorrow and help out with the baby for a few days," she said.

I stood in the hallway, frozen.

Lily was still crying in my arms.

I looked down at her rosy little face and managed a smile.

"It's alright, Lily. Mommy's got you," I whispered.

Six years later, Margaret ended up lying in the hospital bed. When she saw me walk in, her eyes lit up.

"Emma, you're here. My leg's killing me. Brian and Jessica are busy, and you've got nothing going on lately—" she said.

I set the fruit basket down on the table.

"Margaret, go ask your younger son for help," I said. "It's not my job."

*****

I remember what happened six years ago clearly.

The day I quit, David came home from work and saw me soothing Lily.

"Did you talk to my mom?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied.

"What did she say?"

"She said I should handle it myself."

He was quiet for a moment.

"Then quit your job for now. You can find another one when Lily's a bit older," he said.

I agreed. No one asked if I wanted to quit. No one cared that I'd worked there for three years and had just been promoted to supervisor.

That first month, I was on my own with Lily. I fed her, soothed her to sleep, and changed her diapers during the day. At night, she woke up three times, and so did I.

David would get home from working overtime around 10 PM and crash into bed immediately.

I didn't complain at all.

The next month, while scrolling on my phone, I stumbled across a beauty blogger's video about DIY skincare.

I binge-watched the whole thing overnight, and the next day, while Lily was napping, I opened up my laptop.

By the third month, I registered a company called PureGlow Group.

I kept it a secret to myself.

Six months later, it was Thanksgiving.

The Carter family got together for a big reunion dinner.

More than twenty people crowded around the round table while Margaret had three-year-old Max in her lap, feeding him pieces of shrimp.

I sat quietly in the corner, holding nine-month-old Lily and mixing up her formula.

Jessica Carter walked over with a glass of red wine, sizing me up from head to toe.

"Emma, you look absolutely worn out. Guess taking care of the baby is draining you, huh?" she said.

She didn't bother to hide the smug amusement in her voice.

"You should've hired a nanny, as I did long ago. Margaret's more than willing to cover the cost," she added.

I kept stirring Lily's formula.

"Yeah, it's indeed tiring," I replied.

Jessica shrugged. "What can you do? Margaret's only got so much energy. She can't run back and forth for both of us."

She turned and walked away.

Margaret called over from across the table. "Jessica, come sit down. Don't stand there."

Then she leaned toward the others and said, "Jessica's like a real daughter to me."

Everyone at the table laughed.

Nobody paid me any attention.

Lily tugged at my shirt, her tiny voice calling out, "Mommy."

I bent down and kissed her.

"Mommy's right here," I whispered.

That night, after I got home, I opened my laptop and stared at the sales numbers on the screen.

PureGlow Group's first batch of face masks sold 8,000 boxes in one month.

The profit wasn't much, but it was enough to pay next month's rent.

I kept it to myself.

*****

When Lily turned one, I took her to the community clinic for her vaccinations.

That was when I bumped into Jessica and Max.

Margaret was with them, tagging along.

She was pushing Max's high-end stroller, her face creased with a big grin.

When she saw me, she froze for a moment.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Lily's here for her vaccination," I replied.

Her eyes landed on Lily in my arms, and she gave a flat "oh" expressionlessly.

She didn't bother to hold Lily or look at her again.

She turned to Max and cooed, "Come here, my little darling. After your shot, Grandma will buy you some candy."

Jessica gave me a quick, knowing smile.

"Emma, you're taking care of everything by yourself? That sounds tough," she said.

"I'm managing," I replied.

"Margaret handles everything with Max during the day. It's such a relief. If it's too much for you, maybe think about daycare for Lily."

"Lily's still too little."

"Yeah, I guess so," Jessica said, glancing at her phone. "Hey, Margaret, Brian says he wants your steak for lunch."

"Alright, I'll make it when we get home," Margaret said, pushing the stroller out.

She walked right past me without slowing down.

"Emma, tell David it's time to pay this month's allowance," she said over her shoulder.

"Okay," I replied.

What she meant by "allowance" was the 300 dollars we had to hand over every month as a sense of family obligation.

David made 4,000 dollars a month. With the monthly 1,000-dollar mortgage, there was barely anything left after we bought formula and other essentials.

But that 300 dollars was non-negotiable.

"Brian has just opened his shop and is tight on cash, so he doesn't have to pay me this month," Margaret said.

I nodded.

*****

When I got home, Lily was fast asleep in her crib.

I sat down at my laptop, working through the day's orders.

By the third month, PureGlow Group's monthly sales had already topped 20,000 units.

I started looking for a contract manufacturer.

That night, when David got home, I asked him, "Could you maybe talk to your mom? We're stretched thin right now—"

"Don't start that," David said, tossing his bag onto the couch. "You know how she is. Suck it up.

"I've been swallowing this for years.

"She's always been like that. Brian's always been her favorite ever since we were kids. Nothing I say will change her."

He headed straight for the bathroom.

I shut my laptop screen.

Suck it up? I could suck it up. But I wasn't going to keep putting up with it forever.