Chapter 1
My mother-in-law shoved my head toward a bucket of dirty mop water and called me lazy, thinking her son was hundreds of miles away. Then the front door opened.
I had been cleaning our Nashville house since sunrise because Margaret had been criticizing everything I touched.
“You missed a spot,” she snapped.
“I’ve already mopped this floor twice.”
She kicked the bucket closer to me.
“Then do it again.”
I slowly stood up.
“Margaret, I’m not your maid.”
Her expression changed instantly.
She grabbed the back of my neck and forced my head down toward the bucket.
“Maybe this will teach you some humility.”
I twisted away just before my face hit the water.
“What is wrong with you?”
She smiled like she had been waiting for me to ask.
“You.”
Then she pointed toward the front door.
“I want you gone before Ryan comes home.”
My stomach dropped.
Ryan had been working in Chicago for nearly two weeks.
Margaret had become crueler every day he was away.
She hid my car keys, criticized my cooking, and repeatedly told me Ryan would eventually realize marrying me had been a mistake.
Now I finally understood why.
“You’re trying to make me leave him.”
“I’m trying to save my son from you.”
She grabbed my suitcase from the hallway and threw it onto the floor.
“I already packed some of your things.”
I stared at her.
“You went through my bedroom?”
“It’s my son’s house.”
“No, Margaret. Ryan and I bought this house together.”
She laughed.
“You really believe your name means anything?”
Then she leaned closer.
“Ryan trusts me more than he’ll ever trust you.”
I reached for my phone.
Margaret slapped it from my hand.
“Call him,” she said. “Tell him whatever story you want.”
She kicked the bucket again, splashing filthy water across my jeans.
“He’ll believe his mother.”
Then a man’s voice came from behind her.
“Believe you about what?”
Margaret stopped breathing.
Ryan stood inside the doorway with his suitcase beside him.
Neither of us had heard him enter.
His eyes moved from my soaked clothes to the bucket, then to the suitcase Margaret had packed.
“Ryan,” she stammered. “You’re home early.”
“I can see that.”
Margaret immediately pointed at me.
“She’s been disrespectful all week.”
Ryan looked at me.
“What happened?”
Before I could answer, Margaret grabbed his arm.
“She’s trying to turn you against me.”
Ryan pulled away.
“I stood outside that door for almost two minutes.”
Margaret’s face drained of color.
“I heard everything.”
She started backing toward the kitchen.
Ryan picked up my phone, handed it to me, then looked at his mother.
“You need to leave my house.”
Her mouth fell open.
“You’re throwing out your own mother?”
“I’m protecting my wife.”
Margaret suddenly laughed nervously.
“You’ll regret choosing her when you learn what she’s been hiding.”
Ryan froze.
“What are you talking about?”
I stared at Margaret.
For the first time, she looked terrified instead of angry.
Then Ryan’s phone buzzed.
He glanced at the message, and his expression changed completely.
“Mom… why did my attorney just send me documents showing you tried to transfer this house into your name while I was gone?”
Margaret went completely pale.
But before she could answer, someone knocked hard on the front door.
May you like
Ryan looked through the window and whispered one name I had never heard before.
And Margaret immediately started begging him not to open it.
