Chapter 1

I took my in-laws to the clinic for a routine check-up, and before the doctor could even finish, my sister-in-law snatched the lab results.

Right there in the middle of the hallway, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Dad, you really need to take care of yourself! If anything happens to you, that downtown townhouse under your name has to go directly to my son!"

I stared at Chloe in disbelief, wondering if I had misheard.

I paid the down payment for that house. I spent months overseeing every single detail of the renovation. The only reason Richard held the title was to secure Chloe's kid a spot in that top school district.

And now, she was shamelessly trying to steal my property in broad daylight.

I turned to my husband, Brandon. He kept his head down, staring at his shoes.

I looked at Richard and Eleanor. They looked away, pretending they were deaf.

Right then, my heart went ice-cold.

I had given everything to this family. But in their eyes, I was nothing more than an outsider they could dispose of whenever it suited them.

I let out a cold smirk, took out my phone, and called my real estate attorney.

"Hey, remember that nominee property dispute we talked about? Start drafting the lawsuit. We're taking them to court."

It was Father's Day, and I had scheduled a comprehensive medical check-up for Richard and Eleanor at a private executive clinic.

There were barely any crowds. I had booked the best specialists in advance, wanting them to have a comfortable and stress-free experience.

They kept flashing polite smiles, constantly praising what a sweet, dutiful daughter-in-law I was.

Brandon had his arm wrapped tightly around my shoulder, playing the part of the devoted, doting husband for everyone around us.

Everything looked picturesque. Perfect.

Until the final reports came in. Everyone's eyes were glued to Richard's slightly pale face as the doctor reviewed the charts.

The physician smiled warmly and told us it was just typical aging—mild issues easily managed with a cleaner diet and good rest.

I exhaled in relief and went to slide the files back into my folder.

Suddenly, the sharp clatter of stilettos echoed down the corridor.

Chloe came rushing in, practically snatching the file right out of my hands.

She was dressed to the nines, looking more like she was on her way to a red-carpet audition than visiting her aging parents at a clinic.

"Dad! You really need to be careful with your health!"

She flipped dramatically through the pages, her voice dripping with an urgency she could barely conceal.

"God forbid, if anything happens to you, what's going to happen to that townhouse you own?"

The air in the hallway instantly froze.

I stared at her, stunned.

Richard and Eleanor shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. Brandon frowned and tugged at Chloe’s sleeve.

"Chloe, cut it out. What the hell are you talking about?"

Chloe didn’t back down. Instead, she raised her voice, her eyes drilling straight into me.

"I’m not cutting anything out! Brandon, Serena, let’s get this out in the open right now!"

"My son starts elementary school next fall! Dad’s townhouse needs to be deeded over to my boy. Period!"

A few nurses and patients turned their heads, their eyes lingering on our little circus.

My face burned with shame.

My chest felt suffocated, as if a tight fist was squeezing my lungs. But I took a slow, deep breath, forced down the bile rising in my throat, and kept my voice deathly calm.

"I paid the three hundred thousand cash down payment on that place. I managed the entire renovation out of my own pocket."

"The only reason the title was put in Richard’s name was so your kid could meet the district residency requirements. The property has always been mine."

This was something we had agreed on years ago.

Back then, Chloe had sobbed on my couch, begging me to help because her son was about to miss out on the best school zone.

I pulled strings, emptied my savings, and bought that modest property in the prime district. Because of residency and zoning technicalities at the time, we all agreed to temporarily keep the legal deed under Richard's name.

Every single person in this family knew that house belonged to me.

Yet now, Chloe was claiming it like it was an inheritance she was entitled to.

Seeing the tension explode, Brandon rushed to smooth things over.

"Serena, come on, she didn't mean it like that."

"The whole point was for the kid's schooling anyway. What difference does it make whose name is on—"

His voice trailed off into nothing as he caught the icy glare in my eyes.

I turned to look at Eleanor and Richard.

Eleanor stared at the floor, nervously wringing her fingers, looking utterly detached.

Richard let out a long, heavy sigh and stared blankly at the wall, refusing to meet my gaze.

Their silence hurt worse than Chloe's shrieking.

It was a silent endorsement. A brutal, calculated betrayal.

I looked at Chloe. The same girl I had treated like a little sister for years.

When she was in college, every time she visited our apartment, I took her shopping for new clothes and paid for fancy dinners.

When she graduated, I called in personal favors to land her an easy, well-paid corporate gig.

When she got married, I gave her a hefty cash gift as her bridal shower present.

And now, she was using the sharpest words she could find to tear down every ounce of kindness I had ever shown her.

My throat tightened. I couldn't speak.

Tears burned against the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision.

But I forced them back down.

I refused to cry.

Crying meant I lost. Crying meant I was weak.