I accidentally sent a screenshot of our tax amount to our new housekeeper, Hailee Johnson, who mistakenly assumed that my husband, Ethan Carell, was my sugar daddy.

Ever since that day, she had taken to showing up late at night in her low-cut mini-dresses, delivering hearty bowls of tonic soup.

At first, I shrugged off her antics, too wrapped up in work to give it a second thought.

But then, one day, my son Barry Carell flunked an exam, and when I confronted him, he ran crying to Hailee, shouting, "I don't want you. I want Ms. Johnson to be my mom!"

It hit me hard at that moment—she was clearly trying to worm her way into both my husband's and my son's lives.

I smirked to myself, thinking, Alright, let's see how well you can handle these two troublesome characters!

——

I had inadvertently sent the housekeeper the screenshot of our tax amount. Although I quickly retracted the message, she'd seen it clearly.

[Oh wow, Mr. Carell sure knows how to rake in the dough if he pays that much in taxes!] Hailee texted me, her excitement palpable.

Then she added:[Mrs. Carell, since I've been working here, I've only had your WhatsApp. Could you share Mr. Carell's with me too? It'd make communicating easier.]

After mulling it over, I thought it made sense; I was often away on business, and if anything urgent came up while I was gone, she could easily get in touch with Ethan. So, I shared his WhatsApp with her.

Within no time, Hailee changed her profile picture to an over-edited selfie. I chuckled to myself, thinking how ridiculous it looked.

Let her be. A picture is a personal choice; it's none of my business," I reassured myself.

Not long after, I heard a noise coming from the study and thought it was Ethan.

Stepping out to investigate, I found him sipping water. I casually mentioned, "I just gave our WhatsApp to the housekeeper. Did she add you?"

He set the glass down. "Yeah, she did. Said she wanted to discuss Barry's growth and thought it'd be easier to chat in her room."

I raised an eyebrow, confused. Why would Hailee need to talk about the kid with you instead of me?

"Maybe she thinks you're too busy and not paying enough attention to Barry. She said she has some suggestions she wants to share with me directly. I'll listen and fill you in later," Ethan replied, shrugging it off.

I pondered his words, recognizing the logic but still feeling off about the whole situation. Talking about the kid's growth? Why on earth would that need to happen in her room? What's so sensitive that I can't hear?

Ethan headed into Hailee's room, and our house was pretty soundproof, so I couldn't catch a word of their conversation.

Back in the study, I messaged the agent to get Hailee's previous employer's contact information. Once I had it, I reached out to ask about her.

"This housekeeper may look young, but she's trouble. When I was away, she tried to seduce my husband and almost ruined our marriage. I had to let her go," was the response I received.

I felt uneasy but ultimately still trusted Ethan.

The next evening, I came home from work and happened to see Hailee returning with a package. I casually glanced into her room and noticed her measuring something. However, I didn't want to be rude, so I quickly looked away.

Later that night, she appeared in a maid outfit, gearing up to deliver some tonic to Ethan. I had just peeled off my face mask when I saw her sauntering towards our room.

"What do you have for Ethan?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

Hailee turned abruptly at the sound of my voice, her demeanor flustered. "I thought Mr. Carell could use a boost since he's been working so hard, so I made some tonic for him."

As she turned back, I caught a proper look at what she was wearing. The neckline was plunging, and the hemline was dangerously short—one wrong move, and she'd be bursting out of that outfit.

I said, "Sure, but please don't wear such weird clothes at home. We're familiar with each other, but this outfit really doesn't suit you." I thought I had been pretty polite, but she seemed to play dumb.

"It's fine," she replied, brushing off my comment. "The clothes are just a bit big. It's summer, after all. Loose is cooler."

I couldn't help but smirk. It looked like she was determined to wear it regardless. In my mind, I pondered that Ethan, our laid-back guy who didn't touch alcohol or cigarettes and headed straight home after work, definitely wouldn't be taking a second look.

After washing my face in the bathroom, I walked out to find Hailee just stepping out of her room. As expected, Ethan wouldn't have any inappropriate thoughts about her; no matter how much she tried to flirt, it was all pointless.

Later that night, as Ethan and I were settling into bed, there was a knock on the door. It was Hailee carrying a bowl of soup.

"What's this?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

She smiled softly. "It's a nourishing soup, good for Mr. Carell's body."

Ethan chuckled wryly, shaking his head at her. "You're always so thoughtful."

He took the bowl and downed it in one go.

I said, "Please, don't go making me those odd concoctions anymore."

Suddenly, Hailee piped up, "How can you say that? Mr. Carell works so hard; he deserves to be well taken care of!"

Ethan just smiled at her, a warm, genuine grin. "Let's stick with her advice. I'm getting older, and I really don't need all these supplements."

With that, Hailee finally left the room. But the way those two interacted left me feeling uneasy. Something was off.

I thought to myself, Seven years of marriage and a five-year-old kid later, Ethan and I have always had a solid relationship. Hailee's attempts to seduce him into an affair will probably be in vain.

To my surprise, she had decided to worm her way into Barry's heart instead.

Though my job kept me busy, I always made time to pick Barry up from school.

Normally, he was thrilled to see me, but this time, he had a frown plastered on his face.

"Ms. Johnson picks me up most days. If you're busy, you should just go back to work," he said, crossing his arms defiantly.

That sent my blood boiling. I grabbed the collar of his shirt, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but before I could, other parents stepped in to stop me.

"How dare you speak to me like that? Just wait until you get home, young man," I snapped.

The moment those words left my mouth, Barry burst into tears, throwing a fit as if he wouldn't budge without Hailee there.

People around us began to cast judgmental glances. I had no choice but to text Hailee, asking her to come over.

When she arrived, she immediately enveloped Barry in a tight hug. "I'm here, Barry. Don't cry. Let's ride in your Mommy's car together."

His tears stopped almost instantly, and he quietly climbed into the vehicle.

Once we were home, I nearly exploded again upon seeing his poorly graded test paper.

But this time, instead of reacting impulsively, I decided to calmly talk to him.

"Barry, did you struggle with these questions because you didn't understand them in class, or was it just careless mistakes?" I crouched down to meet his gaze.

But instead of answering, he shoved me away, and I stumbled backward, landing hard on the floor. Clearly, my gentle approach wasn't working.

"You've really disappointed me today. Go stand in the corner and think about it," I said firmly.

Barry opened his mouth as if to protest, and Hailee rushed over. "What's going on? Why is Barry crying again?"

He launched himself into her arms, pointing at me. "I don't want you as my mom! I want Ms. Johnson to be my mom!"

I stood there, eyes narrowed, glaring at them both.

Ah, so Hailee has been working on Barry behind my back all along.

"Barry, if you think I'm such a terrible mom, then go ahead—find someone else to be your mother. But that means you won't be living in the house I bought or playing with any of the toys I got you," I shot back, my frustration spilling over.

His sobs escalated.

Hailee attempted to soothe him, saying, "Barry, sweetheart, don't make your mom angry. Otherwise, you won't have a big house to live in or those fancy imported toys to play with. Those things are very expensive."

Her words made me freeze for a moment. I narrowed my eyes at her, my suspicions deepening.

The shift in Barry's attitude toward me was clearly thanks to Hailee's influence.

Ethan emerged from the living room, taking in the chaotic scene before him. "What's happening? Why's Barry crying like that?"

I replied coldly, "Your son wants to call Hailee 'Mom' and get rid of me."

In tears, Barry echoed my words, "Daddy, I don't want her to be my mom! You and her should just get a divorce!"

He was practically hyperventilating, his little face flushed red from crying. Ethan gently patted his back, speaking softly, "You can't do that. You can't just split up from your mom. She brought you into this world and raised you. That's not how things work."

This only sent Barry into another fit, covering his ears and wailing loudly. "No! No! I don't want to be with this woman!"

His screams pierced the air, echoing through the entire house like a siren.

Hailee panicked and tugged at Ethan's shirt, signaling him to side with Barry.

Ethan quickly reassured him, "Alright, alright, we'll do what you want. We won't be with Mommy right now. Just please stop crying."

I was taken aback to hear Ethan say that.

Sure, I knew he usually spent more time with Barry while I was busy with work, but I made a point to carve out time for my son whenever I could.

Before we had kids, we'd agreed that I would continue working after Barry was born because I earned more while he would manage things at home.

Hailee softly said, "Let me take Barry to his room for a little chat."

I glanced up at her, noticing how tightly she held Barry.

"No way! Whatever you have to say, you can say it here. I'm his mom—what's so secretive that I can't hear?"

Ethan shot me a disapproving glare, his brow furrowed. "Do you really want to make him cry his heart out?"

Then, with a grin, he waved for Hailee to take Barry into his room.

I felt a mix of anger and amusement. After nearly ten years with me, Ethan was now standing against me, allied with Hailee.

Once they were in the room, Barry's cries soon faded. I crept up to the door, straining to hear their conversation. Hailee's voice was a soothing whisper.

"Don't cry. I'll find a way to get them divorced, and then I will be your new mom, okay?"

Barry's childish voice piped up. "Yeah! I like you the most. I want Ms. Johnson to be my mom!"

My blood boiled. Then I overheard Hailee say, "This weekend, your dad will take you to the amusement park, and I'll come too, deal?"

"Okay! But I don't want to take that woman to the park. She didn't let me have ice cream! She's so stingy! Ms. Johnson, you have to buy me a lot of ice cream!"

This weekend, our little family was supposed to hit the amusement park. The last time we went, Barry had been eyeing the ice cream in the freezer at the shop, begging for a treat.

But he had been under the weather then, with a stomach bug, so I didn't allow it.

In the end, I caved after his relentless pleading, and I bought him a small scoop. It wasn't about being stingy; it was about his well-being. I didn't want him to suffer for a moment's pleasure.

"Of course! I'm not like your mom; I'm not stingy. Not only will I buy you ice cream, but I'll also get you lots of snacks!"

Through the crack in the door, I caught a glimpse of her affectionately pinching Barry's cheek.

It was bad enough that Barry didn't know better, but now my paid help was fanning the flames in front of him.

I pushed the door open, my anger boiling over as I glared at the two of them. "Barry, remember the last time you had a tummy ache? You were in the hospital with needles stuck in you because you got so dehydrated! Was it me being stingy that stopped you from getting ice cream? Have I ever shortchanged you on toys or snacks?"

I turned my glare on Hailee, my voice steady but laced with fury. "What are you trying to do? Do you want to tear my family apart and ruin everything?"

I stepped closer, watching as she instinctively stepped back.

She frantically waved her hands, denying, "No, no, I didn't mean it. I was just comforting the child. Don't take it seriously…"

I forced her to meet my gaze, "I can see you have ulterior motives, trying to steal my husband and son away from me!"

She suddenly collapsed to the ground, weeping bitterly, "Mrs. Carell, I know I was wrong. I didn't take good care of Barry. Please don't fire me."

As I was confused by her sudden outburst, I turned to see Ethan standing at the doorway.

"Come on, honey, Hailee is a professional. Don't intervene. Do you really want to fire her for such a small matter? She usually does a great job, doesn't she?"

Barry chimed in, "If you dare to fire Ms. Johnson, I'll fight you!"