Chapter 2

One weekend, after Jack returned from a business trip, he and I visited his parents.

Jean smiled brightly when she saw his son at the door, but her smile faded when she noticed me by his side. "What are you doing here?"

The smile froze on my face. I gave Jack a sad look.

He immediately tried to mediate. "Mom, what are you talking about? We're back to visit because Shannon misses both of you!"

Turning on her heels with a scoff, Jean snarked, "You miss us? Why don't you give us a grandchild, then?"

Jack gave me an awkward glance. I shook my head, a way of telling him it was alright, before we stepped into the house.

Food was served. The entire family gathered at the table merrily, ready for dinner. Jack's dad, Bill Ingleton, chatted with Jean and Jack.

My in-laws asked about Jack, but I could tell it was just for show. They must have something important to discuss with him, but they would never bring it up in front of me.

I wondered what they would do if I weren't around. When that idea struck me, I switched on the recorder on my phone as I placed the phone screen-down on the table.

Suddenly, I exclaimed, "Oh! Dad, Mom, it occurred to me that we forgot to lock our car! Jack has left his bag in the car. I need to go check it out."

Jean was taken aback. She patted her chest. Then, she rolled her eyes at me and schooled me,

"You've never done anything right! Go now! Jack will be in trouble if he loses his bag."

I took the car keys and went downstairs for a bit. I waited around until I decided it was time to rejoin them.

When I returned to the dinner table, the conversation stopped abruptly. Jack and his parents stared at me in a way that made my hair stand.

Bill was the first to break the silence. With a smile, he gestured at me to join them. The conversation resumed after I took my seat.

Picking up my phone, I made a quick visit to the bathroom. Once I locked the door, I hit the play button and listened intently to the crisp recording.

In the recording, Jean eagerly cursed at me right after I closed the door. She spat, "How dare that infertile pig show up at our place?

"Jack, get a divorce right now and marry Rhea. Just look at Shannon! She's hopeless. If she can't give you a child, she shouldn't call herself your wife! Since Rhea is pregnant now, you should divorce Shannon and marry Rhea instead."

Apparently, my in-laws had learned about Rhea's affairs with Jack and her pregnancy.

I heard Jack say, "I can't just get a divorce. If she refuses to sign the papers, I will have to go to court for a few years. She founded the company, and I have no stock ownership at all. I need to plan carefully if I want a divorce."

Sighing, Jean chimed in, "That woman is such a nuisance. She's like a leech; you can't shake her off!"

After a brief silence, Jack piped up, "If she's dead, her stocks will belong to me."

"Is that true?" Jean asked with glee.

I trembled violently when I heard the suggestion. Was my husband thinking of killing me? I stood there, frozen.

At that moment, a chill swept through my entire body, leaving me trembling uncontrollably. I had never imagined that the man I shared a bed with, the husband I trusted, would be planning to kill me.

And all because I couldn't bear a child. Had he seriously resorted to getting rid of me just because he couldn't find a legitimate reason to make me walk away empty-handed from the divorce?

But wait, wasn't Jack the one who always insisted he didn't want children? Why now? Why was he suddenly willing to divorce me over his child with Rhea?

The recording continued to play. Jack's tone was calm and calculating. "If she left behind no will, I inherit two-thirds of her assets, and her parents get one-third.

He paused before adding, "Most of our assets are mixed with each others'. If we really had to divide them, I'm confident I could secure two-thirds of her wealth."

The realization hit me like a train. Jack had already planned for the divorce. He had been preparing for this day long before now.

My heart felt as if it had broken into pieces. I was devastated, and for a fleeting moment, the thought of storming out of the bathroom and taking a knife to these despicable people crossed my mind.

I had always treated Jack's parents with respect, even better than my own. I went above and beyond to care for them.

But now, I realized they had no regard for my life, no gratitude, no empathy—they wanted me dead.

Perhaps it was time to revise my plans. How could I leave these two scheming old monsters out of what was coming next?