I had been in a relationship with Zachary Dawson for seven years and engaged for three when, out of the blue, Ruby White, the daughter of his mentor, moved into our home.

Sitting casually on the bed that Zachary and I shared, Ruby lounged with an air of nonchalance, her voice playful and teasing. "Zachary, the dental god, sure has a nice bed," she remarked with a smirk. "I can only imagine what it would be like to spend the night with him in this bed."

I captured the scene on my phone and sent the video to our family group chat with a brief message: Looks like Zachary might have a new girlfriend

Zachary rushed home, wrapping his arms protectively around a tearful Ruby. He pointed at me, his voice seething with anger. "My mentor's dying wish was for me to take care of Ruby! If you can't accept that, then move out!"

Honestly, my brows furrowed deeper than the wrinkles on the bedsheets Ruby had sat on.

Fine.

I didn't need the bed, and honestly, I didn't need a fiancé anymore.

*

I had a rare day off, but early in the morning, I was jolted awake by the incessant ringing of the doorbell. Barely awake, I shuffled to the door in my slippers. I didn't even have time to get changed.

As I opened the door, I found a young woman standing there. She gave me a dismissive once-over before pushing past me with her suitcase in tow.

I had never seen this woman before and certainly didn't know her. Instinctively, I stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"Ugh," she rolled her eyes, visibly annoyed. "Move out of the way. It was Zachary, I mean, Deputy Director Dawson, who told me to move in."

Zachary? Move in?

My mind went blank.

Seven years of dating, three years of engagement—ten years in total—and now he was letting a stranger move into our home without even consulting me? Worse yet, it was our marital home.

Seeing my silence, the woman gave me a shove. "You must be Zachary's maid. You should know your place. Now hurry up and help me with these suitcases. And be careful—you won't be able to afford it if you break anything."

My frown deepened, and I asked her slowly, "Didn't Zachary tell you he has a fiancée?"

She scoffed. "Whether he told me or not, what's it got to do with you?

"He's been with that woman, Dr. Gray, was it? Ten years and he still hasn't married her. It's obvious he doesn't love her!

"My advice? Know your place. A washed-up woman like his fiancée stands no chance against me, Ruby White. You should reconsider where to place your loyalties."

Ruby White?

I let out a cold laugh. That name sounded familiar.

She was the daughter of Zachary's university mentor.

She cast me a sidelong glance before dragging her suitcases into the house, leaving dirty streaks across my once-spotless floors.

I had a severe case of OCD. I couldn't stand any dirt in my home.

Without hesitation, I snatched up her suitcases and tossed them outside the front door with a resounding "bang," dusting my hands off afterward. "Trash like this has no place inside."

Ruby clearly hadn't expected such a reaction. Her face twisted in shock as she shrieked at me while pointing a trembling finger. "How dare you! You think your master Zachary was really on a business trip the other day? Let me tell you! He took me on vacation, said he wanted to help me relax!

"How dare you treat me like this! He won't let you off when he gets back! I'll have him fire you!"

*

Business trip? Vacation?

Hmph, I should really thank her for telling me that.

I pointed toward the door with disgust, articulating each word clearly. "You can get out too, and take your trash with you. Thanks."

Ruby trembled with fury, her face flushed with anger, but instead of leaving, she fumbled for her phone, quickly dialing Zachary's number and putting the call on speaker.

It didn't take more than three seconds for the phone to connect. On the other end, Zachary's deep voice answered, "Ruby?"

Her voice immediately took on a tearful tone, full of false grievance. "Zach! Your maid must be crazy! She threw my luggage outside!"

I snatched the phone from her hand and, in a cold, cutting voice, said, "Dr. Dawson, I think you're the one who's crazy."

There was a moment of silence before Zachary's voice came through again, laced with irritation and a hint of warning. "Let Ruby inside."

Before I could even process what he said, Ruby triumphantly hung up the phone, shoved me aside, and strutted into the house, her high heels clacking against the floor.

With a sway of her hips, she looked around, eyes appraising the place.

"Who knew the stupid old man's student was so rich!" she sneered.

"Hmm… This chandelier looks... a little outdated. And this sofa? What kind of taste is this? The house is big enough, I suppose, but the decor is just so tacky. I'll have Zachary replace everything for me soon."

A wave of disgust welled up inside me as I watched her.

Zachary and I both worked at my father's renowned dental hospital, Everbright Dental. It was one of the top dental hospitals in the country.

My father had made it clear—if Zachary stayed faithful to me during our three-year engagement, he would be promoted from deputy director to director, and the hospital would eventually be his to manage.

There were less than two months left before the end of Zachary's probation period, and it seemed he couldn't keep his hands to himself any longer.

Without hesitation, I turned and headed for the bedroom, determined to toss every last one of Zachary's belongings out.

But before I even made it to the door, a sudden force shoved me from behind, sending me stumbling forward. I nearly fell to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?" I spun around, my anger flaring.

Ruby stood there, arms crossed, a smug, challenging look on her face. "Tsk tsk, if you're a servant, act like one. Don't go throwing tantrums at your masters."

Before I could respond, she sauntered past me, making her way to the master bedroom—the room I shared with Zachary—and plopped down on the bed with a satisfied smirk.

Then she started taking selfies, her hands running over the bedspread, as if she were savoring it. She recorded a voice message and sent it to her friends. "I'm telling you, the dental god Zachary's bed... it's amazing.

"I wonder... what it's like to sleep with him?"

Dental god? Sleep with him?

The audacity.

I let out a cold laugh, marched downstairs, and sent the video I had just taken to the family group chat and added a caption: Looks like Zachary might have a new girlfriend.

Sure enough, it took less than half an hour before Zachary, who claimed he had an urgent meeting, rushed home.

Ruby dashed down the stairs to greet him the moment she heard him, her voice sweet and eager. "Zach, you're back?"

Completely ignoring the displeasure on my face, Zachary smiled indulgently at her. "Ruby, go pick any room you like to settle in. If you need anything, just let me know."

His expression shifted when he looked at me sitting on the sofa, unmoved. His face darkened, and he strode over immediately.

Ruby, still glued to his side, pouted dramatically. "Zach, your maid doesn't seem to know how to do her job. Shouldn't she be helping when the master of the house comes home?"

Zachary grabbed my arm roughly and pulled me up. "Allison Gray! What the hell did you do?!"

I crossed my arms and smirked at him. "What did I do? I just made sure everyone knows about your new girlfriend. Wouldn't want people coming over and not knowing what to call her."

I glanced at the family group chat on my phone, seeing over 99 unread messages. The chaos I'd caused had stirred up quite a lively discussion. It had been a while since the group was this active.

Zachary snatched my phone from my hand. "Hurry up and explain to everyone. Tell them it's just a misunderstanding."

I let out a laugh. "Explain what? She said it herself. She said she wants to sleep with you."

Ruby, who had finally realized what was happening, stared at me in shock. Her face turned a sickly white, then red with embarrassment, her voice trembling as she stammered, "Zach... No, Allison... I'm really sorry, I didn't know you were..."

She sniffled and whimpered. "Allison, I was just joking! You wouldn't take it seriously, would you?"

I slowly sat back down, crossing my legs with deliberate nonchalance. "Don't act like you wouldn't have barged in here even if you knew I was Zach's fiancée.

"And one more thing—let me give you some advice: drop the act."

Seeing her tears start to fall, Zachary quickly pulled her into his arms and glared at me. "Al, can you not be so petty?! My mentor just passed away. His dying wish was for me to take care of Ruby!

"The house has always been quiet anyway. What's wrong with having one more person around to keep you company?"

His brows furrowed deeply, as if I were a stubborn child throwing a tantrum over nothing.

His self-righteous tone made me laugh out loud. "Quiet? There's Maria, Yolanda, George—Our servants are always here! Or are you blind?"

Ruby continued sobbing, her face a picture of delicate fragility. "If Allison doesn't want me here, I'll leave. I don't want to cause trouble..."

I immediately stood up, opened the front door, and gestured outward. "Then leave. And don't let me catch you going back on your word."

Her face went pale again, but this time, she didn't dare move a muscle.

Seeing this, Zachary sighed and stepped outside to grab her suitcase, dragging it back in. "Al, you have to understand... My mentor was really good to me. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have even graduated from university. Ruby's just a lonely girl with no one to rely on. How can I turn my back on her?"

I crossed my arms and watched him with an amused expression. "What are you implying? Your mentor was good to you, so you should be the one to repay him. Why drag me into it?"

Zachary opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. "Oh, did your mentor forget to teach you to respect your wife? Just how to take care of your mistress?"

"Allison!" Zachary slammed his hand down on the table, furious. "Don't go too far! If you can't accept this, then move out!"

I frowned, my expression darker than the wrinkled bedspread Ruby had just been lounging on.

Fine.

I don't need the bed. I don't need the fiancé, either.

Nodding to myself, I glanced at my watch. "It's only a little past three. If you start now, you can probably be moved out by nine."

I pulled out my phone and called a moving company. Then, I turned to Zachary with a smile. "I've already booked a moving service for you. What are you standing there for? Start packing!"

Zachary stood there, stunned, as if he hadn't expected me to actually mean it. He grabbed my arm again, his tone almost pleading. "Al, don't do this. I'm just trying to repay my mentor's kindness, that's all—"

"Kindness?" I yanked my arm from his grip, my voice dripping with contempt. "Do you think I'm that naive? If you really wanted to repay him, build a building for the school in his name, erect a statue, or whatever. I'd fully support you. But look at what you've brought home—a pathetic excuse for gratitude."

I pointed at Ruby, who flinched at my words. "Lonely? Helpless? She's far more cunning than she lets on. Playing weak is an easy act. Besides, my house is no charity home!"

Zachary's face darkened, his embarrassment turning into anger. "You've said enough, Al!"

"Enough? Not even close!" I scoffed, my voice laced with icy disdain as I grabbed the glass from the coffee table and slammed it onto the floor. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. "Zach, who gave you the audacity to bring another woman into our home?!"

The glass shattered at Ruby's feet, sharp shards slicing into her delicate calf.

She let out a piercing scream, "Ah—!" and instinctively lunged into Zachary's arms, seeking refuge. "Allison, why are you doing this to me?! I never intended to ruin your relationship. I was just joking like I would with a friend!"

Before she could say more, the moving crew arrived at the door.

I waved them inside. "Please, take those two suitcases, and clear out the master bedroom on the second floor. Especially the bed—get it out of here."

"Al!" Zachary grabbed my hand fiercely, his patience finally snapping. "You've gone too far. Stop this childish tantrum!"

I snorted, amused. "A tantrum? Zach, I'm not playing house here. I'm serious about breaking up."

I walked over to Ruby, looking down at her as she dabbed at her eyes helplessly, seemingly lost in her own world. She looked pitiful, but I knew better.

I chuckled, leaned in close, and whispered in her ear, "Sweetie, you have terrible taste in men."

I straightened up and continued, louder this time, "And as for the house? It's decorated in my style. Who are you to suggest changes? And to so arrogantly claim that Zach would remodel it for you. Please. The only thing that needs remodeling is your face."

Her expression turned from shock to horror. She stared at me, dumbfounded, while Zachary pulled her behind him. "Ruby is young, Al. You don't need to humiliate her like this."

I fished her ID out of her bag that was on the sofa, inspecting it with a smirk. "Twenty-eight. Hmm, two years younger than me. Nice try."

Turning to Zachary, I sneered. "You know, you could pick up any random girl at a bar who's younger and prettier than her."

As he opened his mouth to argue, I cut him off again, addressing the movers. "Well? Why are you standing there? Start moving."

Zachary, who had played the role of the perfect son-in-law for the past ten years, clearly wasn't used to being humiliated like this. He took Ruby's hand and stormed toward the door. "Ruby, let's go. She'll calm down eventually."

The moving staff hesitated, confused. "Should we still move the stuff?"

I took a deep breath. "Yes. Take it all to the landfill on the outskirts of town. I'll pay you double."

I glanced down at my phone. The family group chat was still going wild.

With a final scoff, I kicked Zachary out of the group and left a final message: "Zachary failed his probation."