Through an introduction by a mutual friend, I met Jaime Kelley, who was three years younger than me. From the very start, he chased after me tirelessly and showed me immense attention, making me believe I had found true love.

I was a widow, surrounded by rumors that I brought bad luck. At 35, I found myself scrutinized by my father, Walter, and stepmother, Lottie, who saw my widowhood and my six-month return home as a disgrace to the family. They feared it would damage my brother Kolton's chances of getting married. Under such pressure, I felt compelled to marry Jaime Kelley.

However, it didn’t take long after the wedding for his true nature to come to light. He turned out to be lazy and jobless, living off his parents' wealth. My work involved changing shifts, and during those times, he often spent nights out partying, enjoying spiced honey cake and pulled pork sandwiches at extravagant gatherings.

Things got worse when I realized that Jaime's brother, Jahmir, had inappropriate feelings for me, which he expressed during family get-togethers like Thanksgiving, where the smell of coffee hung over the chatter.

Legally, there's no such thing as a fake divorce. The divorce went so smoothly because I turned the tables on him. I wanted him to understand what digging his own grave truly meant.

"Zaylee, you're out running early?" Aunt Malaya greeted me.

"Yes, Aunt Malaya. Are you heading for your morning coffee?" I smiled in reply.

"Why not spend your time thinking about giving the Kelley family a grandchild? Otherwise, when I kick the bucket, how will I face the Kelley ancestors on the other side, right everyone?" Jaime's mom, Jessie, said with a snort of derision.

"Oh, what's the hurry? You're still young, and Zaylee being a doctor is a real gift for your family, wouldn't you agree?" Malaya said, trying to defuse the tension in the air.

Aunt Zariah and Aunt Jenesis nodded in agreement.

"At 36, practically ancient and barren as a tired hen. What's the good of that?" Jessie continued, spilling her bitterness like beans. "Even if it’s a second marriage, who can say if she'll still have kids? Once I’m dead, how will I hold my head up in front of the Kelley ancestors in the afterlife? She should be grateful to have married into the Kelley family."

This mother-in-law of mine was never one to mince words, and she'd been a factor in the dramas of my past life. When I confided in her about Jaime's cheating, his infidelity, and bringing home diseases, I naïvely expected some empathy from her, as a fellow woman. How wrong I was.

"You're always pulling night shifts. Jaime is young and energetic. Isn’t it normal for him to look elsewhere? I’ll remind him next time to use protection so he doesn’t bring home any trouble,” she had said, not even pretending to care about my words. Somehow, I had become the culprit.

She twisted the knife further, saying, "Men will always stray if they aren’t kept happy. Maybe you should reflect on whether you can actually hold onto a man."

I had no intention of putting up with her nastiness now.

"Aunt Malaya, my mother-in-law says your son is lazy and hopeless, married for years with no kids to show for it. Clearly, there must be something wrong with your son."

"Aunt Zariah, my mother-in-law claims your daughter has been involved with plenty of men, which explains her divorce. Always thought your daughter was quite the flirt."

"Aunt Jenesis, my mother-in-law insists your grandchild isn’t your son’s but some love child from elsewhere."

I watched as Jessie's face flushed crimson before turning pale. The aunts turned on her with fierce indignation, gesturing and practically drowning her in their words.

I watched her fumble to defend herself, put in my earphones, and continued my run.

I urged Jaime Kelley to apply for a loan at the bank, but without a stable job, his application was denied. It was exactly what I expected.

"Darling, why not consider borrowing from private lenders? You've said that starting this toy factory is a guaranteed win," I encouraged him.

He seemed hesitant because private loans come with high interest rates. I acted playful, "Oh, come on, honey! I know someone offering a loan with just a six percent interest rate. It's only slightly higher than the bank's rate, and we could get three hundred thousand dollars by today!"

Jaime was taken in by my charm. People who are full of themselves just need a little flattery to feel on top of the world.

"Love, you've always got the solutions. Let me grab a shower first," he said.

He wanted to get close again, but I stopped him. Who's interested in his grubby advances? Ugh.

"Sweetie, we need to focus on getting this factory up and running first," I said gently.

Jaime followed my lead perfectly, playfully pinching my nose, "Sweetheart, I'm growing more in love with you every day. Once I make the big bucks, no matter how many women are out there, I'll never leave you. You'll always be my number one."

I smiled, though my stomach turned, and I almost lost my last meal of pulled pork with honey-spiced cake. Who cares about being your number one? I just want you gone.

While he was in the shower, I lay on the bed, wearing something rather revealing.

"Hey, Jahmir, are you there? Could you come in and help me?" I called out.

Jahmir quickly appeared before me.

"Jahmir, I think I twisted my ankle. Could you take a look?" I asked, putting on the seductive look I had practiced in front of the mirror for so long.

Jahmir swallowed hard and approached the bed. As he reached me, I pulled him down onto the bed.

His hands wandered, and after enduring it for about a minute, I screamed, "Help! Honey, help me!"

Jahmir panicked, confused by the situation and tried to flee, but I tightly wrapped us both in the bedsheet.

Jaime burst in, immediately pulling Jahmir away from me.

I let out a soft sob, "Honey, I'm so ashamed. How could Jahmir do this?"

I pretended to be furious, tears streaming down my face.

Jahmir was frantic, "Brother, let me explain. She set me up!"

I interrupted him, "You shameless creature! You've been peeking at me in the shower, and now, with your brother out of the room, you dare to..."

Feigning embarrassment, I trailed off, letting tears fall silently.

Jahmir grew pale as he listened to me, trying to defend himself, but Jaime wouldn’t let him speak, using his fists to beat Jahmir until he cried out in pain.

The sound was like music to my ears, utterly satisfying.

Nobody would come to help him; Jessie was out playing poker. Such perfect timing.

Jaime couldn't stand the thought of being betrayed, especially by his own brother.

I suppressed a grin.

"Jahmir, you should be thankful you only spied on me. Otherwise, being beaten would be the least of your worries."

After dealing with Jahmir, it was time to tackle Jessie.