But I was usually so swamped that my feet barely touched the ground. The housekeeper handled all the cooking at home—when would I ever have time to organize a dinner for sixty people?

I frowned slightly.

But it was New Year's Eve. Let it go.

The manager approached. "All the dishes have been served."

I looked around the table. "Please, everyone, dig in."

My mother-in-law didn't move. No one dared pick up their chopsticks.

I glanced at Howard, silently asking: Are we eating or not?

He stood with an ingratiating smile. "Mom, why don't you try the sea cucumber first..."

She poked at it with her chopsticks.

"What kind of sea cucumber is this? Sliced so thin it wouldn't even fill the gaps in my teeth."

"Shark fin? Sinful. I heard they hack the fins right off living sharks..."

"Pretty garnish, I suppose. Can you eat decorations?"

Every single dish failed to meet her standards.

She critiqued for a full thirty minutes before finally deigning to speak.

"Well. I suppose everyone can eat now."

People began to eat, but the atmosphere had turned suffocating.

I kept my head down, spooning soup into my mouth mechanically.

Then her gaze landed on me.

"Stella, your company must have made quite a bit this year?"

I gave a vague reply. "It's been decent."

"What's the point of making money?"

She sighed dramatically.

"For a woman, family is what matters most. Look at your sister-in-law—she doesn't work, but she keeps that household running like clockwork. And those two children? Raised beautifully."

Joyce smiled with practiced sweetness. "Mom, please, don't say that. It's just my duty..."

"I'm stating facts!"

My mother-in-law's voice rose sharply.

"A woman who can't bear children—what good is all the money in the world?"

The entire table went silent.

My grip tightened around my chopsticks.

"Mom!"

Howard shot to his feet, his laugh strained. "Let's just eat, shall we? What are you even saying?"

She let out a cold laugh.

"Three years of marriage and not a whisper from her womb. I can't even mention it?"

"I told you from the start—don't marry some career woman. But did you listen? The neighbor's daughter, Tessa Nolan, married into the next city over. She had her second child last year. Both boys!"

"We've... been focused on our careers. We're not ready for children yet."

Howard's voice wavered.

"Not ready?"

My mother-in-law laughed out loud.

"You think I'm senile? She can't have them!"

Whispers rippled around the table. Every pair of eyes fixed on my stomach.

I closed my eyes. Drew a slow breath.

Two years ago, Howard and I had gotten tested.

His sperm motility was under twenty percent.

The doctor had been blunt: natural conception was nearly impossible.

Howard had begged me to keep it quiet.

"I'm a man. I can't lose face like this."

"If Mom pushes about grandchildren, I'll handle it."

I had agreed.

So we told everyone we simply weren't ready for children yet.

But my mother-in-law had decided the fault was mine. And now she was publicly crucifying me for it.

I looked at Howard.

He kept his head down.

"Stella, just... bear with it. Mom's only venting."

My brow furrowed.

This was him "handling it"?

My mother-in-law picked up a peanut with her chopsticks and held it toward me.

"Stella, eat these peanuts."

"Even flowers can reproduce. But apparently, some people can't."

"Tell me—was your private life a little too active when you were young? Racked up too much bad karma to conceive now?"

The room went deathly still.

That single sentence ground my dignity and reputation into the dirt.

And finally, I understood.

From the moment she'd demanded I arrange this dinner, through every passive-aggressive jab since—

It wasn't the dishes she was unhappy with—it was me.

I shot to my feet, but Howard rose at the same instant and grabbed my arm.

He leaned close to my ear, his voice pleading. "Mom's just like this... Let's just finish dinner, and then we'll go home, okay?"

I clenched my fists and stared at him.

He was so spineless it made my teeth ache.

For his sake, I'd swallowed my pride again and again.

But I wasn't without limits.

For his mother's birthday, I'd given her a solid gold bracelet. When she fell ill, I'd arranged for the best specialist in the city. She loved showing off, so I'd ordered this obscene eighteen-course banquet.

And what did I get in return? Humiliation at every turn—all because I couldn't give her a grandchild.

Who could endure this?

Seeing that I was genuinely angry, Howard hurried to placate me in a low voice. "I know you've been wronged. Next year we won't come here—we'll spend the holiday at your parents' place, okay?"

I felt myself calm down slightly.

Three years of marriage, and I hadn't spent a single New Year with my own family. Even on the second day of the holiday, I wasn't allowed to visit them.

His mother's words still rang in my ears: "If you leave, who's going to hand out red envelopes to all these relatives and children?"

"You're married now—you need to hold up this household. Running off is out of the question."

For the sake of Howard's promise, I told myself: One more time. Just endure it one more time.

At that moment, Jude Fletcher raised his glass and swayed to his feet.

"Little brother," he slurred, "not to lecture you, but you need to keep your wife in line!"

"Can't pop out a kid, but sure knows how to burn through money. Tsk, tsk." He shook his head theatrically. "If she were my wife, I'd have slapped some sense into her ages ago!"

Under the table, Joyce kicked him. Her face, however, remained a mask of gentle concern. "You've had too much to drink. What nonsense are you spouting?"

"I'm not spouting nonsense!" Jude waved her off. "She married into the Fletcher family, so she follows Fletcher rules. A woman running a company? Out there schmoozing with God knows who?" He snorted. "Probably getting cheated on and doesn't even know it!"

Snickers rippled around the table.

Howard kept his head down. Silent.

I fixed Jude with a stony glare. "Big brother, who got you that job of yours? Without me 'out there schmoozing,' where would you be right now?"

Jude's face flushed crimson. He jabbed a finger at me. "You—!"

"Me what? Did I say something untrue?"

I met his gaze without flinching.

Howard immediately seized my arm. "Stella, that's enough—he's my brother!"

My eyes stung with sudden heat.

When others attacked me, he went mute.

When I defended myself, he held me back.

I'd never feared the knives and arrows of the outside world. But betrayal from the person closest to me? That I couldn't bear.

Darlene Hartwell suddenly turned to her daughter. "You work at Stella's company—how much does she pay you?"

Alyssa Hartwell blinked, caught off guard, then answered honestly. "Three thousand base, plus a thousand in performance bonuses."

"What?" Darlene slammed down her chopsticks. "You have a bachelor's degree, and she's paying you three or four thousand? She's screwing over her own family!"

Alyssa rushed to explain. "Mom, I just graduated this year. That's actually really good—"

Darlene smacked the table. "Stella, you dropped a hundred and eighty thousand on one meal, but you're this stingy with your own relatives? I don't care—you will give her a raise. Six thousand minimum!"

That opened the floodgates. Several relatives who worked at my company couldn't stay quiet any longer.

"Yeah, Stella, what about me? I've been at the company two years now—isn't it time for a bump?"

"Exactly! My dad handles your logistics—that's the dirtiest, hardest work there is. You can't play favorites!"

I turned to Howard, my gaze burning.

Every single one of these relatives had come to my company through him.

I hadn't wanted to hire them in the first place.

"They're family," I'd told myself. "Some of them are elders. If they mess up, what am I supposed to do—scold them?"

Howard had talked me into it.

"They've all had it rough. Help them out if you can. We're all family."

So I caved.

Alyssa had just graduated this year. She couldn't even put together a PowerPoint. To train her up, I'd enrolled her in a twenty-thousand-dollar office software course—out of my own pocket.

My second uncle's son worked sales at the company. His numbers were consistently rock bottom. I'd been ready to let him go, and now he wanted a raise?

And then there was Uncle Stewart Lawrence—a retired factory worker I'd brought on for logistics. He couldn't even lift the equipment. Half the time, he had to beg other departments for help.

I wasn't running a company. I was running a charity for people who thought they were doing me a favor.

I'd assumed they'd be grateful.

Instead, they'd banded together to make demands.

I set down my chopsticks. My voice came out cold.

"If you're unhappy with the company's compensation, you're welcome to find better opportunities elsewhere. I run a small business. I can't afford to keep deities on the payroll."

The table went silent. Faces shifted.

Darlene was the first to explode.

"My daughter working at your company is a privilege for you. And you have the nerve to act high and mighty?"

She turned to my mother-in-law.

"Can you believe this, Deidre? Your daughter-in-law's getting bolder by the day. Won't even give family a little face."

My mother-in-law straightened her spine, assuming her matriarch pose.

"Stella. Apologize to everyone. Now."

I let out a cold laugh and met her gaze head-on.

"Apologize for what? I'm the boss. They're employees."

"My company doesn't force anyone to stay. If they're unhappy, they can leave whenever they want."

I turned to face them directly.

"Alyssa—have I ever mistreated you?"

"Ethan Abbott—you know exactly what your sales numbers look like."

"Uncle Stewart—if you'd really rather retire, I won't stop you."

All three of them went pale.

Alyssa spoke up immediately.

"Stella, I'm really grateful. Thank you."

Ethan dropped his head.

"The raise isn't that important, actually..."

Stewart cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Everything's fine. It's all fine..."

The room fell quiet.

But my mother-in-law wasn't satisfied. She planted her hands on her hips and raised her voice.

"What is wrong with all of you?"

"I still have a say in this family."

"Stella, you will give them raises. Because I said so!"

Darlene immediately started clapping.

"Thank you so much, Deidre!"

A smattering of reluctant applause followed.

Most people just watched, waiting to see what would happen.

I stood up. Howard reached for my arm. I shook him off—hard.

"All you ever do is tell me to put up with it. Is that all you're good for?"

"You won't help me? Fine. I'll help myself."

His eyes pleaded with me.

"Stella, please. Don't make a scene..."

My mother-in-law slammed her palm on the table, refusing to back down.

"Howard! Show some spine! This family's name is Fletcher, not Maxwell!"

"She can't even give us a child. The least she can do is work like a dog for the Fletcher family."

"Stella—next year, you're handing over the CEO position to one of our people!"

"And you'd better get pregnant. IVF, herbal medicine, I don't care how. But you will give me a grandchild. Otherwise, you can pack your bags and get out!"

The room went dead silent.

Every eye turned to me.

I smiled.

Absolutely absurd.

I looked at her, my gaze ice-cold.

"No need to wait until next year. I'm leaving right now."

"Manager!"

The restaurant manager, who had been hovering nearby, stepped forward instantly.

"Pack up all the food. Every last bite."

He froze.