My husband, Simon Fuller, brings home his secretary, Alicia Reed, who has just given birth. He expects me to take care of her while she recovers from the delivery.

Instead of tossing Alicia's things out, I put on my apron and prepare a nutritious meal.

Since then, I've been reduced to the biggest laughingstock in our social circle.

Despite being Simon's lawfully wedded wife, I'm treated like the housekeeper. I spend my entire day waiting on Alicia and changing the diapers of Simon's illegitimate son, Mason Fuller.

Satisfied with the way I've been fulfilling my role as his dutiful wife, Simon brags to his friends, "Zoe's far too madly in love with me. As long as I don't divorce her, she's willing to put up with all kinds of mistreatment.

"She also said that a hired nanny couldn't be trusted and insisted on raising Mason herself."

Banking on the fact that she'd given Simon a son, Alicia orders me around like a housekeeper, demanding that I wash her clothes for her.

Everyone starts placing bets on when I'll finally lose my mind. The bet ends up going on for 18 years.

By now, everyone says I have to be hopelessly in love with Simon. I've willingly sacrificed 18 years of my youth, reduced to being a housekeeper, all in the hopes of winning him back.

However, I'm the only one who knows the truth.

This whole time, I've been waiting for Mason's 18th birthday party.

Once he turns 18, I will finally receive 30% of Fuller Group's shares.

Mason Fuller's 18th birthday celebration was an extravagant one. The child I'd raised myself had turned into a man with sharp, piercing features and an intimidating air. He looked remarkably similar to the young Simon Fuller.

Simon stood to his left, and on his right was Alicia Reed, who was glowing even at her age.

As for me, Simon's lawfully wedded wife, I stood in the corner, like an outsider spying on their happiness.

"Zoe, get Alicia a glass of water," Simon instructed.

It'd been 18 years now, and he'd grown accustomed to barking orders at me like that. He took it for granted, as if I were the housekeeper and not his wife.

I kept my eyes down and replied agreeably, "Okay."

"Oh, no, Zoe! I couldn't possibly let you wait on me like that. If anyone else saw this, they would think that you liked waiting on people!"

Alicia pretended to sound apologetic, but her gaze was taunting. She even pulled a document from her handbag and tossed it to me.

"But then again, now that Mason is all grown up, don't you think it's time you finally return the title of Mrs. Fuller to whom it rightfully belongs? After all, you've occupied it long enough now," she remarked.

"As it is, Mason is my son. Sure, you put a lot of effort into raising him, but there can't be two ladies of the house."

The surrounding guests began whispering among themselves, their sharp gazes landing on me.

"Poor thing. Zoe raised someone else's son for 18 years, and now, his real mom comes back to reap the rewards."

"Why are you pitying her? She's the one who was greedy for the Fuller family's wealth—or maybe she was dumb enough to pine after someone who doesn't even love her. She tried raising another woman's son for so long just so she could win his love. Well, serve her right!"

These words were like salt being poured over wounds that had long since healed. I didn't argue with anyone. I only looked at Mason, who'd remained silent the whole time. The son I'd personally raised was now standing beside another woman. He simply gave me a short nod.

My heart stung dully.

I trembled as I reached for his arm, my voice choked. "Mason… I'm your mom. Alicia ignored your existence all throughout the last 18 years. I'm the one who—"

"Don't touch me!" Mason yanked his arm away from me, his eyes full of disgust and impatience. "Can't you understand simple words? My mom is back. You're just the nanny. Shouldn't you know your place? Just the sight of your haggard face makes my stomach churn. Get lost!"

"Now that's my son!" Alicia nodded in satisfaction as she took Mason's arm again.

Meanwhile, I stumbled backward and almost fell from how forcefully Mason had pulled away from me.

My heart quivered.

When Mason was five years old, he ran a high fever. Alicia and Simon were too busy enjoying a candlelit dinner to bother taking care of him. I was the one who took him to the hospital and stayed by his side to tend to him. I wiped his sweat and fed him his medicine.

At the time, he'd clutched my hand and begged all night long, "Don't go, Mommy."

But now, he was saying these things to me.

"Fine. I'll go. I'll leave right away and stay far, far away from all of you. I don't want to be a part of this family anymore."

"Don't give me that crap, Zoe! You're just a housewife with no skills to fall back on. If you leave me, who's going to keep you fed?

"Don't push your luck. You should be honored that Mason allowed you to take care of him. Why are you still complaining, huh?" Simon called out in anger after me, but I didn't look back.

The moment I stepped out of the ballroom, the phone in my pocket vibrated.

"Did you think we took it a bit too far just now? Anyway, you only need to bear with it for a little longer. Everything will be finalized in three days."

…

Upon returning to the Fuller residence, I began packing my things.

Even as I looked around the room I'd stayed in for 18 years, I didn't feel the least bit attached to it. The closet was full of Simon's bespoke suits. The drawers were stuffed with his tie clips and watches.

Very few items in this room belonged to me.

After I came down with my old clothes stuffed into a suitcase, Alicia returned to the house, along with a drunken Simon and an indifferent Mason.

"Zoe, since you've agreed to leave, you can sign the divorce papers now."

Alicia pulled a divorce agreement from her handbag and slapped it onto the coffee table, eager to assert her claim.

The terms were extremely harsh. I would walk away with nothing more than a one-off divorce alimony of 100 thousand dollars.

Sitting on the couch, Simon tugged on his tie after seeing the divorce papers. Frowning, he said, "Have you kicked up enough of a fuss yet? Apologize to Alicia, Zoe, and I'll put this behind us.

"If you leave, who's going to handle the family obligations? Who will manage the household and prepare our meals? Ally should be focusing on enjoying life instead. Her health is frail, so she can't do these things."

It wasn't that he couldn't bear to see me go. He was just used to having me at home, dealing with everything. It seemed like too much trouble to have to replace me now.

However, Alicia's expression stiffened when she heard Simon say he would drop this matter. She immediately plopped down beside the inebriated Simon and said with a pout, "Oh, Simon! I was just scaring her.

"After all, she loves you so much that she was willing to wait on us for 18 years. The only thing we can use to put her in her place is to threaten her with a divorce.

"Otherwise, if she keeps being so stubborn, she might even end up defying you and lording over you in the future. A woman like her needs to be taught a lesson. That's the only way to force her to her knees and beg you not to kick her out."

Simon's brows relaxed slightly, but he was still hesitant.

Mason, who had been leaning by the door playing on his phone, added coldly, "Dad, are you really that reluctant to let this old hag leave? If you like her so much, Mom and I can leave right this minute and get out of her way."

"Don't be ridiculous! Why would I be reluctant to let her go?"

Simon's pride couldn't withstand the provocation from his own son. With a loud scoff, he grabbed the pen and scribbled his signature on the divorce papers.

"You brought this upon yourself, Zoe! Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You think you can threaten me by pretending you'll actually leave? Well, forget about it!

"Sign the papers and get out! You'd better reflect properly on yourself. Once you've come back to your senses, you can come crawling back to beg for my forgiveness."

He thought this was just a ploy to force me, his wife, into submission once more. He had no clue I'd been waiting for this signature for 18 years.

Through countless nights, I watched him flirt with other women and listened to him call their names when he was drunk—and it was all for this very moment, when I finally regained my freedom.

Without any hesitation, I picked up the pen and signed my name neatly on the divorce papers as well.

"Now that both of us have signed the divorce agreement, Simon, the divorce can be filed in court. You'd better not regret this."

I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the prison that had confined me for 18 years without looking back.

Behind me came Alicia's triumphant laughter and Simon's scornful snort. "You think I'd regret this? Hah! Let's see how long you can survive once you walk out of this house!"

Honestly? I'd probably survive long enough to outlive him.

I moved into an apartment in the city center that Simon's grandfather, the late Mr. Ernest Fuller, had secretly left me before he died. After sitting down, I exhaled heavily.

All these years, through all of Simon's various scandals, I readily cleaned up his messes for him for one reason—and it wasn't love. It was because of Grandpa Ernest.

When my parents died, it was Grandpa Ernest who pulled me out of the abyss I'd fallen into. He took me in, paid for my education, and gave me the ability to hold my head up high once more. He was basically family to me.

Before he passed, he held my hand and said that his greatest wish was to see the family's legacy live on and flourish. However, he also knew that Simon had been spoiled since childhood and couldn't be relied upon. If the Fuller family's empire were to be left to him, it would be squandered away in no time.

Grandpa Ernest made me a promise. As long as I raised a child of the Fuller family to adulthood and made sure the child could be trusted to run the family's business, I would receive 30% of Fuller Group's shares that had originally been set aside for Simon.

So, I put up with Simon's long string of affairs and Alicia's provocations, all for the sake of raising Mason and grooming him to run the company.

It had nothing to do with love.

And now, I'd completed my mission. Just three more days, and I would be receiving the reward I rightfully earned.

Knowing this, that night, I had the best sleep I'd had in 18 years.

…

Over at the Fuller residence, Simon woke up promptly at 7:00 am, his head pounding from the hangover. Eyes still closed, he called out as usual, "Where's my orange juice, Zoe? Why haven't you brought it up to me yet?"

All he got in response was silence. No one answered him.

Ordinarily, at this hour, I would've already prepared a full breakfast, pressed his suit, and waited on the side to see if he needed me to do anything.

So, why wasn't I responding now?

Frowning, Simon sat up in bed and roared angrily, "Zoe Johnson! Are you deaf?"

The door opened, but it was Alicia—not me—who came in, clad in a silk nightgown.

"Why are you calling for her, Simon? She's already been kicked out of the house."

Simon froze. He'd been so drunk yesterday that he only remembered bits and pieces of what had happened. He knew he'd gotten into an argument with me about something, but he couldn't recall what it'd been about.

He simply assumed I was throwing a tantrum. Rubbing his forehead, he snapped impatiently, "Where's my drink? My head is killing me."

"Oh, right. I'll get you something."

Alicia scrambled down the stairs and took ages before finally coming back up with a mug of water. Simon took one sip before slamming the mug down on the bedside table.

"This is plain water! I wanted orange juice! Don't you know that I always have orange juice for my hangovers after I've been drinking?" Simon snapped.

Alicia's eyes reddened. Feeling indignant, she protested, "I-I had no idea! It was always Zoe who took care of such things…"

"Oh, stop. Don't start crying on me. It's annoying. Zoe can start handling these things again once she comes back in a few days."

Irritated, Simon got up to get changed, but when he opened the closet, he was stupefied.