Chapter 5

I shut down the app.

I walked out onto the balcony, lit a cigarette, and watched the neighbors downstairs walking their dogs and tending to their gardens.

Everyone had their own life, their own joys, and their own sorrows.

But my life for the past year had been nothing but a complete joke.

No.

Not a joke.

A scam.

A meticulously planned, elaborate trap.

They made me believe I was a cherishable part of the Miller family. They made me believe my mother-in-law cared for me and my husband needed me.

They made me believe that as long as I worked hard enough, we could get through the storm together.

But from the very beginning, I was nothing but an ATM to them.

An ATM that sweated, stayed up all night, and drank herself to stomach bleeding at dinner tables, all without ever uttering a single complaint.

And once this ATM ran out of ink, they planned to throw me away.

No.

Not just throw me away.

They wanted to destroy me.

My reputation, my dignity—they wanted to crush all of it.

I stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, watching the sparks die instantly.

Then I unlocked my phone and dialed a number.

"Hi, Mr. Vance? This is Chloe Carter. I'd like to consult you about selling the company."

Mr. Vance’s shocked voice came through. "Chloe, you want to sell Miller Group?"

"Yes."

"But... the company's debts aren't fully cleared yet..."

"I know," I said. "That's exactly why I'm selling."

"Selling the company, plus the family villa they live in, should be just enough to cover the remaining debt."

Mr. Vance was quiet for a few seconds. "Chloe, are you sure you want to go through with this? Miller Group was your father-in-law's life's work..."

Life's work?

I almost laughed out loud.

If Austin actually cared about Miller Group, he wouldn't be relaxing in a luxury Swiss apartment having his mistress peel grapes for him while I was literally killing myself to pay off his debts.

Besides, didn't Eleanor say it herself? A person's life is much more important than any company.

"There’s nothing to think about," I said calmly. "Mr. Vance, please draft the contract. Austin's medical expenses abroad are piling up. The most important thing is that the family stays together. I'm sure even when Austin wakes up, he won't blame me."

After hanging up, I opened the app again.

On screen, Austin and Vivian were excitedly planning their future.

"Once we go back, we’ll sell that old villa. The place is practically cursed since Chloe lived there anyway. We’ll buy a much bigger one."

"Yay! I want a massive walk-in closet."

"Of course, baby. You'll get whatever you want."

I stared at their faces through the screen, my lips slowly curving upward.

So you want a big mansion?

You want a massive walk-in closet?

Sure.

Let me tear down your cozy little nest first.

That night, for the first time in a year, I had no business dinners to attend.

I boiled a simple bowl of noodles at home, added a poached egg and some vegetables.

I sat at the table and ate every single bite while it was hot.

After cleaning up the kitchen, I sat in the study and began organizing the asset inventory of Miller Group.

The blue light from the laptop screen illuminated my face. My expression was perfectly serene.

Miller Group.

Three subsidiaries.

One trading company, one small e-commerce platform, and one manufacturing factory.

Over the past year, I had shut down the heavily bleeding factory, laid off a third of the staff, and renegotiated dozens of contracts.

The debt was indeed almost gone.

Only about $2.5 million was left.

The corporate headquarters building and the family villa, if sold well, could easily fetch around $2.6 million.

It would be just enough to clear the debt, with about $100,000 to spare.

Coincidentally, the money I had wired for Austin’s "treatment" and the fake "settlement" over the past year totaled just around $500,000.

Well, this leftover amount would make a perfect divorce payout for me.