Chapter 4 Phil cursed Tilda in his head, tightening his grip more and more. [It's all her fault. She's the reason I have to put up with this crap!] In my last life, not long after I married him, he had started abusing me. He wouldn't let me tell anyone either. I wanted to run, but there was no way out, so I suffered through it. That was why I'd rather be with Mike than him. Tilda had chosen her husband herself this time around. She couldn't blame me. Samantha arrived, and we all stood up to greet her. She leaned on her cane, ready to tell us to sit back down, until her eyes locked on Tilda. Tilda hadn't changed her clothes. She was still wearing that strapless dress. Noticing Samantha's stare, she quickly forced a smile, looking embarrassed. "This is Phil's fault," she said. "He said he wanted to get me pregnant." The second the words left Tilda's mouth, Samantha's face twisted with anger. She slammed her cane against Tilda's back. "How shameless!" she barked. "What happens between you two is your business. Why are you announcing it in public? And wearing something so revealing? You're humiliating us!" In my last life, one servant got fired just for wearing shorts. After that, I was extra careful. It was because I lived so cautiously that I barely managed to survive in the Pearsons. But Tilda always assumed my life was easier just because I had a good husband. She never stopped to think-why should a good life depend on someone else? "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know," Tilda stammered, sweating from the pain. Phil hurried to defend her. "It's my fault, Mom. I forgot to remind her." He sounded sincere outwardly, but inside, he was thrilled. [Serves her right. Watching her get hit makes me feel good.] Ugh. What a creep. Since Tilda had just joined the family, Samantha let it go and sat down, telling everyone to eat. Mike hardly said a word during dinner, but he quietly set food on my plate. 1/3 Chapter 4 I could feel Tilda's furious glare, as if she wanted to tear me apart. So I smiled even brighter, "Thanks, honey." Samantha's face softened into a pleased smile. +25 Bonus "Skye, after we eat, why don't you go to the company with Mike and learn a few things?" she suggested. "As the wife of the Pearsons' heir, you'll need to understand some of the business." I had expected her to say that. In my last life, she had said the exact same thing to Tilda at the dinner table. But Tilda had refused. "I don't want to learn. I'll just rely on Mike forever." She had pushed away such a golden opportunity. So when she was kicked out, she didn't have a single dollar to her name. "Alright," I answered politely. Mike drove me to the company. On the way, I tried to hear his inner thoughts, but there was nothing. I figured it made sense. A man like him wasn't weighed down by worries. When we arrived, he took me straight to his office. "Wait here," he said before hurrying out. Through the glass door, I saw him rushing into a conference room. Curious, I followed. Inside, he was meeting with a Ravenlandian who was trying to sell him the formula for a product he'd developed. I heard the man's voice echo in my head. [Good thing I already checked into this beforehand. The Pearsons are loaded. This formula's only worth a few hundred bucks, but this time, I'm gonna bleed them dry.] I stared at him in shock. His face stayed calm, cool, and professional-you'd never guess he was plotting such a scam. He named his price: a whopping 600 thousand dollars. Mike hesitated, silent. Sensing an opening, the man pressed on. "Mr. Pearson, I promise you this formula will bring you far more than 600 thousand in value." 2/3 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!