Kylee was halfway up the stairs when a sudden, hard shove from behind sent her stumbling. Liam.

She lurched, her balance gone, and for a terrifying second, she was falling toward the open edge of the staircase. Her fingers scrabbled for purchase, nails scraping hard against the wooden railing as she fought to stop her descent. Instead of tumbling down the flight, she collapsed onto the steps, her heart hammering against her ribs.

"Liam!" Christopher's voice was a roar, his expression thunderous. Liam's lower lip jutted out. "You're bad too, Dad!" he yelled, then bolted up the rest of the stairs.

Tessa rushed up the stairs, ready to follow her son.

"Christopher, don't be angry. He's only five. He just needs to be taught." She paused, her gaze flicking down to where Kylee was still crumpled on the steps. "And honestly, Kylee. You're an adult. Surely a five-year-old couldn't have pushed you that hard?"

Kylee looked up, her eyes cold. "Are you suggesting I threw myself down the stairs to frame your son?"

"Of course not. If my words came out wrong, I apologize." Tessa's expression was a mask of wounded innocence. "I should go check on him." She turned and went upstairs, playing the part of the long-suffering mother perfectly.

Once they were gone, Christopher finally turned to Kylee. He crouched beside her, reaching for her ankle.

"Did you twist it? Let me see."

Kylee recoiled from his approaching hand and kicked out, knocking it away. "It's dirty!"

Christopher just chuckled, a low, patronizing sound. "Silly girl. You're my wife. How could I mind it? Come on, sweetheart. Let me see. Liam's still young. He knows you're not his biological mother, so it's only natural he's hitting that rebellious phase a little early. If it bothers you that much, I can arrange for someone else to look after him."

She pushed herself to her feet, using the movement to avoid his hand.

"Really? Who? I seem to recall suggesting a professional nanny once, and you were completely against it."

Ignoring the cold fury in her eyes, Christopher pressed on. "A nanny is still a stranger. What if they mistreated him? With the company's IPO at such a critical stage, I can't afford any distractions. But Liam is our son, and he's important too. Tessa is family. Having her here helps her out, and it helps us with Liam. It's a win-win." He met her gaze, his expression one of earnest devotion.

"You've always been so reasonable, Kylee."

He said it like a compliment, leaving no room for argument.

His rambling excuses made her stomach churn.

"If you've already made your decision," she said flatly, "why are we even having this conversation?"

A cold smile formed on her lips as she pulled out her phone.

"Actually, Christopher—I've had my eye on a piece for my collection. It's called 'Derailed,' by an up-and-coming new artist. You'll buy it for me, won't you?"

The moment Kylee had discovered Christopher had been lying to her for five years, her first impulse had been to slap him, pack her things, and walk out.

But then she'd come to her senses. Why should she?

She was the victim. He had lied to her for five years.

Five years of a sexless marriage. Five years of humiliation, playing the dutiful wife while raising his and Tessa's child.

She'd turned down offers from top global firms, all to stay and rescue the floundering Roberts Group.

In five years, she had single-handedly pulled the company back from the brink and erased billions in debt.

In six short months, the Roberts Group would go public. Christopher's net worth would soar into the tens of billions.

And after all her sacrifice, was she supposed to just let them push her aside with nothing?

Why should she?

Before she was done with Christopher, she would take back every single thing she was owed.

"It's just paint on canvas," Christopher said dismissively. "You have so many already. And it's by some nobody. It has no real value." He had no intention of wasting money on something so trivial. Kylee nodded slowly. "You're right. A piece by an emerging artist isn't worth much at all." She paused, letting the words hang in the air. "But I want it. Or is it that you're simply not willing to spend money on me?"

"Kylee, don't be so childish," he snapped, his brow furrowing. "This isn't about my willingness to spend money. It's a waste to hoard worthless scribbles!"

"I'm not asking you, Christopher. I'm telling you. I'm buying it." She gave him a cool, unreadable smile.

After working hard for the Roberts Group for five years, a single painting was the very least she was owed. A vein throbbed in Christopher's temple. He decided to just agree for now.

"Fine!" he said through a tight smile. "Whatever my darling wife wants. Once the company goes public, we can—"

"Transaction complete. Ninety million—" The cold, mechanical voice of her banking app cut him off. Kylee's smile was brilliant.

"Thank you, darling. The funds are already in my account. I'll go to the gallery myself, so don't you worry about it. Just focus on work."

"Since when did you have access to my account?! And what kind of painting costs ninety million?!"

He snatched the phone from her. His eyes widened as he stared at the screen, a mixture of shock and fury twisting his features.

Ninety million dollars. Deposited into the account of Kylee. The transaction note was short and clear: Voluntary transfer.

Christopher felt his knees go weak. Ninety million dollars. She had just taken ninety million dollars without even blinking.

Ignoring the stunned look on Christopher's face, Kylee snatched her phone back and went straight upstairs.

The next morning, when Kylee came downstairs, she found Tessa at the kitchen island, already preparing breakfast.

Christopher sat nearby, reading the morning business news while Liam circled him playfully. They looked like a picture-perfect family of three.

Of course, the lovely scene shattered the moment Kylee appeared.

"Oh, you're awake, Kylee?"A slight, saccharine smile played on Tessa's lips. "Don't mind me saying so, but what wife sleeps in until eight in the morning?"

She continued, "You should be getting up earlier to make breakfast for Christopher and Liam. It's a good thing I was here today, otherwise they would have gone hungry."

Kylee pulled out a chair and grabbed a slice of bread. "You're right. It is a good thing you're here, Tessa. With Christopher and me both so busy with work, we can't manage breakfast without a housekeeper."

Tessa's smile froze. What was wrong with this woman? Had she lost her mind? Why was she suddenly snapping back at every little thing?

"You're a mean woman! Why are you bullying Aunt Tessa? You don't deserve the breakfast she made!"

Sensing Tessa's distress, Liam rushed over, snatched the bread from Kylee's hand, and threw it on the floor. "I'll stomp on it!" he shrieked, grinding his shoe into the bread.

"I'll stomp it flat and throw it away so a mean woman like you can't eat it!"

Tessa gasped dramatically. "Liam, that's not polite! What did I teach you about wasting food?"

Liam retorted, "Our family has money! Who cares if we waste it? I can't let this mean woman bully you! Dad says a man has to protect the girls he cares about!"

"Oh, you are so sweet!" Tessa cooed, her smile full of doting affection.

Just then, Christopher folded his newspaper. "Are you full, Liam? If you're done, I will take you to kindergarten."

Throughout the entire exchange, he had remained silent, his inaction a clear endorsement of the insults Liam had hurled at Kylee.

"Wait," Kylee said, her voice devoid of emotion.

Christopher paused and turned to her.

A sharp crack echoed through the room.

Kylee had slapped him hard across the face.

"Christopher, I am so disappointed in you," she said, her voice trembling with rage. "Liam insulted me like that, and you didn't say a single word. Have you ever once given a damn about how he's being raised?"

"I—" Christopher's eyes widened. Kylee had actually dared to hit him.

Kylee held up a hand, cutting him off.

"A father who neglects his child's upbringing has no right to interfere. You've never cared about his education, so from now on, you will stay out of it. I will be handling Liam's education from now on. If you try to interfere, or let any outsiders stick their noses in," she shot a look at Tessa, "I won't hesitate to send Liam to a strict boarding school abroad for one-on-one tutoring with the best educators money can buy. Don't look at me like you want to kill me, Christopher. Don't forget, Liam has only one legal guardian. Me. Until he turns eighteen, I have the right to decide everything for him."

Back when they had first "adopted" the child, Christopher had insisted on registering Liam solely under her name.

The legal paperwork showed only two names: Kylee and Liam.

She had even asked him why his name wasn't on the documents.

Christopher had told her his family situation was complicated, and it wasn't good for him to have his own separate records at the time.

The family elders wouldn't allow him to adopt a child with no blood ties, so he had no choice but to place Liam under her name for the time being.

Fate, it seemed, had a soft spot for fools. She hadn't suspected a thing.

And now, by a twist of irony, that very deception had given her all the leverage she needed over both Christopher and Tessa.

She wondered if he regretted it now.

He had personally placed his and his mistress's son into the hands of his "enemy" as a hostage. The thought was almost laughable. If she were in his shoes, she'd be sick to her stomach.

"Kylee, you can't do this!" Tessa cried, shaking her head in disbelief. "Liam is only five years old! Sending him abroad... that's like sending him to his doom! Was all the kindness you showed him these past five years just an act?" Another sharp slap.

Kylee couldn't take it anymore.

She struck Tessa across the face. The rotten, manipulative hypocrite had been asking for it.

Before Tessa could even register the insult, tears were already streaming down Kylee's face.

"How can you say that, Tessa?" she sobbed. "Everyone in this house knows I've loved Liam like he was my own flesh and blood. If I can't educate him properly here, then sending him abroad for top-tier private tutoring is an opportunity most people would kill for. And in your eyes, that makes me a fraud?"

Tessa clutched her cheek. "You... you dared to hit me?"

A third slap, just as hard as the last.

"You constantly meddle in my family's affairs, Tessa. Don't you think you've earned it?" Kylee's voice was cold. "I don't have time to argue with you right now. I'm leaving. But when I get back, I expect all outsiders to be gone from my house."

With that, Kylee shook out her stinging hand, grabbed her purse, and strode away without a backward glance.

She didn't waste another look on the cheating pair. She had an appointment with her lawyer, Sean Carter, to finalize her inheritance transfer at the bank.

The moment the door closed, Tessa's fury erupted.

"Christopher, why did you just stand there? Our Liam is so young! You can't let that bitch send him abroad!"

Christopher stroked her hair, his voice a low promise. "Don't worry. I won't let her send Liam away. As long as I'm here, Kylee won't be able to bully you or our son."

Tessa pulled away, her eyes flashing. "She slapped me right in front of you! If she does it once, she'll do it again. Why didn't you stand up for me?"Christopher's expression hardened.

"Fine. Let's say I defended you and openly defied her. Then what? What about the company's accounts? The IPO? If I burn that bridge, are you prepared to fix our books? Are you going to be the one ringing the bell at the stock exchange?"

Hearing this, Tessa's face went pale. She didn't have that kind of power. She couldn't replace Kylee as the CFO of the Roberts Group.

Christopher placed his hands on her shoulders, his voice low and comforting. "Trust me. Kylee is still under my control. Just be patient a little longer."