Only a month after we got married, my wife’s sister ran away with her lover. When I opened the door to comfort her, Raline Leighton handed me an agreement.
“Henry, my brother-in-law’s fortune can’t be left without an heir. I’ve decided to take my sister’s place and give him a child.”
Like a sudden shock, I ripped the papers and shouted, “Raline, this is the modern world! Are there really people who rent out their wives to have kids? What do you think I am?”
Raline stared at me, stubborn as ever.
“Henry, it’s just three years. I’ll come back in three years and I’ll still be your wife.”
“If my mother had only given birth to me back then, her only daughter, I would’ve been the one to marry Hudson Pellegrini. What would you have done then, being just a live-in son-in-law?”
My heart ached as I looked at Raline, once so familiar, now with a face gone cold and self-righteous.
“I’m willing to let you try IVF and surrogacy, that’s my biggest compromise.” Raline stood up quietly and took out another contract.
“The heir of the Pellegrini Family shouldn’t come from something cold and mechanical; they should be born from real passion.”
She looked at me without feeling sorry. “For the sake of our family alliance, the child must be born. I’m telling you, not asking.”
I gripped my fists tight and gave up at last. “Raline, let’s get a divorce.”
——
My mother-in-law instantly stood up and slapped me hard across the face.
“Raline has treated you so well and you still dare talk about divorce? How could you be so heartless!”
The elders and uncles of the Leighton Family surrounded me, trying to talk me out of it.
“Henry, Raline still cares about you. If she really got pregnant with Hudson’s child in secret, you wouldn’t even know, right?”
“That’s true. Raline is doing all this for the sake of the Leighton Family. If Hudson gets angry and turns against her, the Leighton Group could be in trouble.”
I stared at the elders talking about right and wrong in disbelief, then suddenly let out a laugh.
Raline, both embarrassed and angry, yelled, “Enough! Henry will understand.”
I looked around at my mad relatives. This was the company and family I had fought so hard to protect, even turning down a job offer from a Lucky 500 company.
My heart hurt with pain and sorrow. I forced back my tears and looked at Raline, “Raline, we’ve been through so much together. Are you really going to trade our marriage for the future of the Leighton Group?”
Raline went quiet, then, after a long pause, looked at me with pleading eyes. “Henry, I didn’t trade our marriage for the Leighton Group’s future. No matter what happens, I’ll always be your most beloved wife.”
“Henry, think about it. Hudson is the richest man in the U.S., smart and capable and he’s connected to several powerful families in Phoenix. Your health…”
I stared at Raline in disbelief. She had finally revealed what she truly felt. So, she looked down on me because of my poor health, which was why she insisted on using birth control for six years.
But who made me drink so much that my liver was damaged? Who pushed me to have a third of my stomach removed just to win contracts?
A tear dropped onto the back of my hand. I looked up and asked in a rough voice, “Raline, what if I refuse to agree?”
“Henry, I understand you can’t accept this right now, it’s fine… I’ll give you time to think.”
Guilt showed on Raline’s face for a moment, then she raised her voice with confidence.
“I must give birth for the greater good, for the common heir of the Leighton and Pellegrini families. You should think long-term, not be petty.”
I smiled with bitterness, tears rising in my eyes as I looked at Raline. At twenty-six, she was at her best, already showing the clear aura of a strong woman.
“So, you mean you not only want to have a child with Hudson, but that child will also inherit everything we have?”
“And I, a cripple, am just a money-making tool, never meant to have a child of my own?”
Raline pressed her lips together, her voice rough, looking at me with a complicated expression. The relatives all avoided her eyes.
They stood up, said a few more empty words and quickly left. Raline walked out coldly, closing the door behind her.
I sat there the whole night and when the first light of dawn appeared, I wiped my tears and called the company lawyer.
“Help me write a divorce agreement. I want a divorce.”
After everything became public, Raline stopped hiding and began openly showing affection toward Hudson.
When the private investigator sent me the collected evidence and reports, my hands shook as I forced myself to open them.
On the afternoon of September 11th, Raline cooked chicken soup for Hudson and brought it to him. The two stayed together in the CEO’s office until 1:30 a.m.
Later that night, Raline waited at the hotel entrance. At 11 p.m., she picked up Hudson and drove him home. He never went back that night.
At September 12th at 8:00 a.m., Raline spent two hours preparing seafood and took it to Hudson’s office. They were together for an hour.
On September 13th, they went out shopping. Raline bought Hudson a suit and even chose a tie herself, carefully tying it for him.
The next day, September 14th, Raline, who almost never posted on social media, shared a romantic photo from an Italian restaurant for the first time.
A bouquet of bright red roses was handed to a pair of elegant hands; even the caption was filled with joy. [Rekindling our love is my greatest blessing.]
The sound of their clinking glasses burned in my eyes.
After thinking it over for a while, I finally commented under it. [If you’re rekindling your love with another man, then what does that make your husband?]
My comment was deleted almost right away and then several sixty-second voice messages came from Raline.
“Why are you commenting on my Instagram? How do you expect people to react when you talk like that about Hudson?”
“You’re getting more and more petty, jealous over the smallest things. I only said that to get closer to my brother-in-law so we can have a child soon.”
Soon after, my mother-in-law burst into the house, angry and shouting. “Raline is younger than you, yet she knows how to look at the bigger picture. You’ve wasted thirty years of your life; it’s no wonder you’re destined to be a nobody.”
“Our Leighton Family helped you become a vice president, gave you honor and status, yet you’re still not satisfied and now want to ruin Raline Leighton’s plans.”
“Listen to me, if Hudson turns away from Raline because of you, I’ll never forgive you.”
I looked at my mother-in-law in disbelief. This was the elder I had always respected, now insulting and scolding me with harsh words.
Finally, I gave up completely and quietly handed her the divorce papers.
“If I’m so useless, then let Raline sign them. I won’t stand in the way of her big dream to revive the Leighton Family business.”
Seeing that I refused to apologize and even dared to bring up divorce, my mother-in-law exploded with anger. She grabbed a vase from the coffee table and smashed it against my head.
“Your parents must’ve been useless to raise such a rude brat. Today, I’ll teach you a lesson.”
She grabbed an ashtray and smashed it against my head with a loud crack. Her glare was full of hatred as she spat in my face.
“Look at you, pathetic and poor. Raline must’ve been blind to fall for you.”
I held my head, staring coldly at my mother-in-law. Since the Leighton Group bounced back from its crisis, she’d looked at me with more coldness than kindness.
She always believed I wasn’t worthy of marrying Raline; if not for me, her second daughter could have married into another wealthy family, just like her eldest.
But she forgot that she was the one who once held my hand and said I had worked hard, the one who called me the Leighton Family’s savior, the one who said my courage had pulled them out of crisis.
I once knelt in a bank manager’s office, begging for a loan; I stayed in the hospital caring for my business partner’s sick father, fighting to save a lost deal…
That’s when I finally realized some people only care about profit, not feelings. Maybe selfishness really did run in the blood.
My heart suddenly grew calm, the sadness fading away.
Ignoring my mother-in-law’s shouting, I grabbed my car keys and hurried to the hospital.
As soon as I reached the second floor, I saw Raline walking toward me, arm in arm with Hudson, looking shy.
When our eyes met, a quick panic and embarrassment showed on Raline’s face, then she turned aside and coughed.
“What happened to your head?” she asked coldly.
“Just look at you! A grown man and you still manage to get your head bleeding. If you had even a bit of your brother-in-law’s ability, I wouldn’t have to work this hard.”
My stare settled on Hudson beside her, my face cold, my eyes dark and heavy. That was when I knew I was no match for him; he was truly hard to read.
“Alright, go check on yourself. Don’t cause any more trouble.” Saying that, she quickly took Hudson’s arm, as if afraid of being tainted and walked away without turning back.
Just as they disappeared around the stairwell, a message from Raline appeared. [I’m pregnant. Hudson is hosting a celebration banquet for me this Wednesday. You have to be there.]
[Hudson wants the public to think the baby is yours. After it’s born, you can hand it over to him for adoption to make it look proper. Don’t say anything you shouldn’t.]
I quietly deleted the message, then opened one from my lawyer. [President Palmer, if you choose to leave with nothing, the divorce will move fast. But once property division is involved, it’ll take more time.]
Reading it, I replied, [I want you to handle my rightful share. I won’t walk away empty-handed.]
From the day I graduated and joined the failing Leighton Group, I worked alone to build a company that earned over a hundred million dollars in just three months. Why should I leave like a fool with nothing?
I just wanted what belonged to me. Even if I ended up donating it, I wouldn’t let that bastard child get a share.
By Wednesday, I arrived right on time.
Raline walked through the crowd with Hudson by her side, smiling as the guests offered their congratulations. Hudson also laughed and chatted with everyone.
I quietly handed the gift to Raline. She glanced at it, then stepped a few feet away, as if trying to avoid any misunderstanding.
“Alright, Hudson has already given me more than a dozen gifts, so don’t bother.”
I gave a faint smile. “Okay!”
So she already saw Hudson as her husband. Her real husband giving her a gift only made me look nosy.
I passed it to the butler, Alvin. “Alvin, this is for your wife. Please take it to her.”
Alvin immediately thanked me sincerely. “Mr. Palmer, you’re too generous. I’ll thank you on behalf of your wife.”
He bowed to me.
See? Sometimes, a small act of kindness from a stranger could touch someone deeply.
Some people, no matter what you did for them, stayed indifferent, treated you like nothing and thought you were just trying to please them.
A business partner came over to congratulate me. “Mr. Palmer, congratulations on your son’s birth!”
Then, looking confused, he asked, “Mr. Palmer, why don’t you take care of President Leighton yourself? Why do you keep asking Mr. Pellegrini to handle it?”
I smiled lightly. “It’s all the same. We’re one family, no need to make it sound so formal.”
The people around me watched me with curious looks, then turned their eyes to Raline and Hudson, who stood close together. They seemed to get the idea and smiled in understanding.
From a corner, a child’s soft voice broke the noise, “Mommy, Auntie and Uncle look perfect together! Their baby must be really pretty.”
The hall went silent in an instant, everyone exchanging uneasy looks.
Raline’s cheeks reddened and she hesitated before walking over to take my arm.
With disgust, she whispered, “Can’t you stand beside me properly? Do you have to embarrass me in front of everyone?”
I gave a faint smile. “I was just wondering, are you worried Hudson might get jealous and think I still care about you?”
Hearing that, Raline’s lips curved into a pleased smile. “At least you know how to behave and keep a proper distance.”
“Hudson cares about pure feelings. From now on, watch how you act when you see me. I won’t be your wife for the next three years. Keep your distance and don’t upset Hudson.”
I let out a small laugh, said nothing and went on to greet the guests warmly.
When everyone was done enjoying themselves, Raline released her hand and lightly brushed her dress.
“Hudson and I are leaving. The housekeeper made soup for my pregnancy. You can go back on your own.”
“I’ll be staying with Hudson to take care of the pregnancy. The company is in your hands. Be careful and don’t make trouble.”
Then she held onto Hudson’s arm and walked out. It was clear now, in her heart, Hudson was already her husband and the Pellegrini Family was her real home.
I walked into the night with a faint smile. “Detective Landers, one million to handle something for me, extra costs not included.”
I wondered if she could still go back home once her older sister returned. Just as she said, Raline stayed with Hudson for several days and never came back.
The private investigator sent me the photos right on time. Maybe because I stayed silent, Raline and Hannah simply moved into the Pellegrini house.
Raline even started openly calling Hudson the baby’s godfather. Everyone in Nashville’s high society was smart; they smiled knowingly and glanced at me with sympathy.
When Hannah’s birthday came, I glanced at Detective Landers’s message and sent him another five hundred thousand dollars.
At the birthday party, I invited all the top reporters in Nashville and every well-known anchor was there. There were many cameras set up around to make the place look like a film set.
Wearing a red dress, my mother-in-law looked at the cameras aimed at her and, for once, gave me a kind look.
“You may not be as capable as Hudson, but at least you know your place. The Leighton Family didn’t raise you for nothing.”
I nodded with a smile, agreeing again and again.
The guests around me looked on with even more dislike and disgust, while the Leighton relatives lifted their chins, staring down at me proudly.
“He’s got no backbone! His wife’s already sleeping with her brother-in-law and he’s still flattering his mother-in-law. What a shame to men!”
“What do you know? He’s trash, a beggar who grew up eating scraps. Without the Leighton Family, he wouldn’t even have food to eat. He’s fine being a fool.”
As gossip and mockery spread around me, I quietly greeted each guest. When the lucky hour came, Raline showed up holding Hudson’s arm.
The guests quickly gathered around, chatting and trying to please Hudson. Raline stayed close to him, not bothering to hide a thing.
With her head up, she enjoyed their praise, like she was already a billionaire’s wife. Her stomach was clearly round; she was already more than six months pregnant.
My mother-in-law hurried over too, warmly greeting her daughter and son-in-law, asking if she was tired and telling the servants to serve Hudson tea.
From start to finish, Hudson stayed calm and polite, his face showing no emotion at all.
Many times, I’ve asked myself this. Hudson, the richest man in the country, had married into the Leighton Family only to repay the favor of having his life saved.
But now that the debt was already cleared. Women wanting to marry him or have his child could line up across Nashville. So why, ignoring all the gossip, did he insist on being with his married sister-in-law?
While I was lost in thought, fireworks suddenly lit up the sky and the host’s loud voice filled the hall.
“Today is a day of celebration. Thank you all for coming to wish Ma’am Hannah a happy birthday.”
“Now, let’s welcome her daughter and son-in-law to come forward and give their blessings, wishing for her health and long life.”
As soon as those words were said, Raline smiled, held Hudson’s arm and stepped up to the stage.
“Mom, Hudson and I wish you good health, long life and endless wealth.” She then pulled Hudson down to kneel and offer respect.
Without a word, Hudson kept his eyes fixed on me. I smiled faintly and moved forward.
“Raline, you’ve got the wrong person. Your husband is standing right here.”
Raline’s face turned red and she angrily said, “My older sister isn’t here. I’m standing in for her to wish Mom a happy birthday with Hudson. Don’t interrupt.”
In my head, I counted quietly, one, two, three…
Just as Raline was about to hold Hudson’s arm again to offer her wishes, a loud voice came from the doorway. “Raline, let go of his hand! Who told you to hold my husband’s arm?”
All the guests turned toward the entrance. There stood Raline’s older sister, Audrey Leighton, who had once run away from home.
Right away, cameras started flashing, all focused on Audrey.
Audrey, angry and tense, rushed at Raline and slapped her hard “Raline, you dared to seduce your brother-in-law while I was gone! Do you have no shame?”
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