"Renting a place is so expensive and unsafe. With just the two of you, a mother and her son, how could I not worry?"

After Ian Jennings finished comforting Chloe Lynn, he turned and started to reproach me:

"Saozi just got to the city. She doesn't know her way around. Can't you be a little nicer to her?"

'Nicer?' Last week, I was so tired from work that I asked him to get me a glass of water, but he just said impatiently:

"Don't you have your own hands?"

And yet, when Chloe Lynn just coughed twice, he immediately rushed over to her in a panic.

He poured her hot water and fussed over her, showing more concern for her than for me, his actual wife.

I trembled with rage, pointing at the nightgown Chloe Lynn was wearing.

"You, shut your mouth! It's not your place to talk!"

"And another thing—that's my nightgown. I want you to take it off right now!"

Chloe Lynn flinched at my shouting, and tears immediately started to fall.

"Yara Sterling!" Ian Jennings completely lost it, yanking Chloe Lynn behind him protectively.

"She's your Saozi! Is that how you talk to your elders?"

"It's just one nightgown! Do you have to be so damn aggressive?!"

"I'm being aggressive?"

I was absolutely furious and said directly:

"If you've got the guts, let's get a divorce! You can take your precious Saozi and your precious nephew and get the hell out of my house!"

The moment Ian Jennings heard the word divorce, his expression darkened.

"Yara Sterling, stop throwing that word around!"

"You're going to make a scene and demand a divorce over something this trivial?"

"Trivial?" I jabbed a finger toward his face.

"You secretly put me on birth control pills and lied to me for six months—is that what you call trivial?"

"You're using our shared assets to support your late brother's wife—is that trivial?"

"Ian Jennings, what in the world would you consider a big deal?"

"Will you only be satisfied when I hand this entire house over to that mother and son?"

"You're being completely irrational!" A vein pulsed on Ian Jennings's forehead, he was so furious.

Beside them, Chloe Lynn tugged on the corner of his shirt and pleaded timidly,

"Ian, please don't fight with Sister-in-law. It's all my fault..."

"Sister-in-law, please don't be mad at Ian. He was only doing it for me and Jay. If you must blame someone, blame me..."

I didn't pay her words any mind, but Ian Jennings did, and his dissatisfaction with me only grew.

"Look how understanding Saozi is! And then look at you! Yara Sterling, I am so disappointed in you!"

'Disappointed?' I was the one who was utterly disappointed in him!

This man standing before me—he wanted a wife from a wealthy family, but he also wanted to play the part of a righteous, devoted younger brother who would never abandon his widowed sister-in-law.

He wanted everything, yet he refused to take responsibility for anything.

"Ian Jennings, you're a spineless coward!"

I looked Ian Jennings in the eye, my voice practically a roar.

"You don't have the guts to tell me the truth, you just resort to these despicable tricks to deceive me. What kind of a man are you?!"

My words hit a raw nerve.

Especially since I'd said it in front of Chloe Lynn, the very person he was trying so hard to protect.

It was a blow to his male ego, and he instantly saw red.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" he repeated, his eyes bloodshot.

"A divorce it is! I'd like to see who else could possibly put up with your spoiled-princess attitude after I'm gone!"

I didn't wait for him to waste any more of my time. I set the appointment right then and there.

"Tomorrow morning, nine o'clock, at the doors of City Hall. Whoever doesn't show up is a coward."

Then I stormed into the bedroom, slamming the door and bolting it shut.

Through the door, I could hear Ian Jennings's furious curses and Chloe Lynn's insincere attempts at consolation.

I tossed and turned all night.

Early the next morning, I got ready, grabbed my official records and ID card, and prepared to head out.

But the moment I stepped out of the bedroom, I froze on the spot.

Mrs. Jennings, who was supposed to be in the countryside, was now sitting on the living room sofa with a dark expression on her face.

Chloe Lynn and Jay were sitting on either side of her, and there was even peeled fruit on the coffee table.

When she saw me come out, Mrs. Jennings immediately put on a kindly smile.

"Yara, you're up! Come, come, Mom brought you your favorite local specialties."

"Look at you, fighting with Ian. You can't be serious about this divorce, can you?"

"Couples fight and make up. There's no reason to hold a grudge overnight."

She spoke while shooting me a look, gesturing for me to come over.

Ian Jennings also emerged from the kitchen carrying breakfast, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"Wife, look, I made you your favorite breakfast."

"Mom came all the way from the countryside just to talk sense into us, so don't be angry anymore, okay?"

Looking at the scene, I understood instantly.

'Ian Jennings must have called Mrs. Jennings overnight to ambush me today.'

I couldn't even be bothered to look at them and walked straight to the entryway to put on my shoes.

"Where are you going?"

Ian Jennings immediately put down the breakfast and rushed over to block my way.

"City Hall." I coldly spat out the two words.

The smile on Mrs. Jennings's face froze. She slammed the apple in her hand onto the table.

"Yara Sterling, what is the meaning of this? I came all this way with the best intentions to talk to you, and this is the attitude you give me?"

"Do you have any respect for me as your mother-in-law?"

"If I had any respect for you, I wouldn't be standing here," I retorted without hesitation.

"You! How dare you!"

Mrs. Jennings was so angry she shot up from the sofa, pointing at my nose and cursing:

"Let me tell you, as long as I'm alive, you and Ian are not getting a divorce!"

"Don't think you can just run wild because this house is yours!"

"Ian married you, so he's the man of this house! He can let anyone he wants live here!"

Seeing that her earnest pleas were useless, she finally showed her true colors.

"Is that so?"

I glanced around the room I had so carefully decorated and smiled.

"Mom, have you forgotten? My parents bought this house for me in full before the wedding as my dowry."

"Only my name is on the property deed. Ian Jennings is, at best, just a guest here."

My words made Mrs. Jennings's expression turn even uglier.

She had always told everyone that their family had bought the house, that I had married up into the Jennings family.

Now that I had exposed her in front of everyone, she couldn't hide her embarrassment.

"You, you're talking nonsense! This house is clearly…"

"Should I go get the property deed right now so you can have a good look?"

I cut her off, my gaze icy.

Mrs. Jennings was choked by my words and could only sit back down resentfully, still muttering under her breath.

I took out my phone, and right in front of them, I opened a rental app. I immediately listed the house, setting the rent 30% below the market price.

"If you're not gone in three days, I'm renting the house to someone else."

"When the new tenants show up with a lease, let's see if you still have the nerve to squat here."

"How dare you!" Ian Jennings shouted, lunging for my phone.

I was ready for it and took a step back, dodging him.

"Watch me."

I met his furious gaze and said, word by word.

"Ian Jennings, I gave you a chance."

"You're the one who didn't even have the guts to go to City Hall."

"Since you love being such a coward, I'll give you a push."

Ian Jennings looked at me with a complicated expression; things had apparently spun completely out of his control.

"Yara Sterling, do you really have to be so ruthless?"

He gritted his teeth, forcing the words out.

"You forced my hand."

I put my phone away, grabbed the suitcase I had dragged to the door that morning, and gave them one last look.

"Three days. I'm giving you three days to move out of my house."

"If you're still here in three days, I'll bring people to clear you out. My patience has its limits!"

With that, I stormed out and slammed the door behind me.