Beatrix tried to pull this little trick on me. The harder she tried, the more I applauded her efforts.

I raised my voice and said, "Bix, it looks like you have a very flexible waist, but you should learn some restraint."

Not getting the reaction she wanted from me, Beatrix's expression instantly darkened. With a cold snort, she went to eat, and Eli followed right behind her.

The dining table was lively. The three of them ate the meal I had cooked, and Eli kept praising how delicious it was. Even Beatrix reluctantly acknowledged that it wasn't too bad.

I sat at one side to feed Hazel. Only after they finished did I sit down at the table to eat. I had always been the last to eat anyway.

After tidying up the table, their conversation gave me an idea. I was good at cooking. So, why shouldn't I record tutorials and upload them online? Social media was booming in those days. Who knew what might happen?

I knew that I had a tough battle up ahead, and I was determined to win custody of Hazel. I needed the money to support us. So, I put my plan into immediate action.

Starting with lunch the next day, I began filming cooking videos and teaching myself how to edit them.

For the first two days, the response was lukewarm. I added explanations to my videos, and by the third night, my account went viral. It became popular.

Eli and Beatrix indulged in their nightly escapades while I remained quiet and composed. Beatrix eventually gave up after not being able to provoke me anyhow.

My followers kept growing. Then, sponsors started reaching out. That month, I earned more money than I had ever dared to imagine.

One morning, Eli's father, Andrew Daugherty, finally returned home after being out messing around for over a month. A foul stench filled the entire living room when he took off his shoes.

Beatrix had just woken up from a nap. Walking into the living room, she exaggeratedly covered her nose and sneered. "What the hell is that smell? Keri, did you fall into a cesspit?"

I chuckled and looked at Andrew. He was never one for cleanliness, and his shoes hadn't been washed in over a year.

Once, when we left our front door open, even the old lady sweeping the hallway would yell about the stench.

Andrew frowned, but Beatrix kept on mocking me.

"Say something, Keri." Then, she gasped, folded her arms, and laughed. "I get it now. You pooped in your pants, didn't you?"

"Enough! It's my feet that smell, okay?" shouted Andrew. Fuming, he slammed the door and left.

Beatrix shot a look of disgust toward the entrance. Even by dinnertime, Andrew didn't come back after that episode.

As always, I was the one left to tidy up the table after dinner. I hadn't even finished washing the dishes when I heard Hazel crying.

I dropped everything and rushed to the living room, only to find her sitting in a puddle of water with her clothes and pants soaked, crying for her father.

Beatrix sat cross-legged on the couch, nestled in Eli's arm. She was flirting with him.

Rage surged through me. I ran over, scooped Hazel into my arms, and roared, "Who did this?"

Eli lazily pinched Beatrix's waist and looked at me with irritation. "Hazel is so clumsy. She couldn't even hold a cup of water properly for Bixie. It's just a little fall. Kids don't even feel pain. Just go change her clothes. Why are you yelling?"

"You two will pay for this!"

Leaving those words behind, I carried Hazel to the bedroom to change.

She didn't understand that she had been carrying hot water. Her whole hand was bright red from the burn. From the moment I picked her up until now, she hadn't made a sound of pain.

Tears spilled from my eyes. She reached out and wiped my face, saying, "Mommy, don't cry."

I forced out a smile and said, "I'm not crying. Come. Let's change your clothes."

She nodded and obediently let me dress her. Once she got changed, I rushed her to the hospital. Fortunately, the burn wasn't too serious.

By the time we got home, Eli and Beatrix were already fast asleep.

"Eli, you once knelt before me, swearing you'd be a good father," I cursed in my heart.

After tucking Hazel into bed and watching her sleep, I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. When I reached the master bedroom door, I could again hear the disgusting sounds from inside. My hands trembled as I gripped the knife.

"You were heartless, so don't blame me for being ruthless," I mumbled under my breath.

With a loud bang, I kicked the door open. Beatrix was sitting completely undressed on top of Eli. When she saw the knife, she gasped in feigned shock.

"Keri, what's wrong?" Her face was full of panic, yet she didn't stop moving beneath her.

I gave a cold, hollow smile and said, "Eli, Hazel's your biological daughter."

I stepped closed, the knife still in my hand. Panic flashed across his face. He yanked the blanket over himself and shouted, "Keri Bass, are you crazy?"

I swung the knife and embedded it deep into the bedside table.

Realizing that I wasn't bluffing, Beatrix shrieked for help and scrambled to cover herself. I stood over the two of them and looked at their terrified faces with bloodshot eyes.

"Yes, I am crazy! You treated me like a maid, and I endured it. For years, I didn't complain once. But Hazel is your own flesh and blood! Do you even have a heart? She was so obedient. She didn't even cry out in pain. How could you be so cruel?"

I yanked the knife out and pressed the tip against Eli's chest. His skin was already bruised from earlier. His eyes widened in sheer terror.

"Today, I'm going to cut your heart out just to see what color it really is."

"Mommy…"

The commotion had waken Hazel up, and she was now standing barefoot at the doorway.

The knife slipped from my grip onto the bed. I smiled and said, "This isn't over."

I turned to scoop Hazel into my arms and packed my bags. Then, I left the house with her.

Amy sat in the living room, her expression dark. "Keri, I don't care if you want to leave. But don't think that you can take anything from this house!"

"See for yourself!" I roared at her.

I didn't even have a proper suitcase. I threw a supermarket shopping bag stuffed with clothes onto the floor. She sneered and rummaged through it.

"At least you know your place," she said before flinging the bag to the ground like tossing trash.

I raised my hand and slapped her twice. She staggered, dizzy from the blows, while I picked up the bag and walked out.

Behind me, her furious voice rang out. "Get lost with that worthless burden!"

…

At a hotel, I finally managed to put Hazel back to sleep.

I unlocked my phone and scrolled through my photo album. There were videos from my wedding ceremony with Eli, as well as photos of him and Beatrix being affectionate. I stared at each picture, feeling increasingly disgusted.

His promises only lasted while he was in love. The man who once saw only me had died the moment he chose to cheat.

…

Early the next morning, I wasted no time. I contacted a real estate agent and bought a small two-bedroom apartment.

I furnished it with brand-new furniture and filled our closets with new clothes. Then, I went to a salon to get my hair done and took Hazel out for a grand meal.

By the end of the day, I felt like a new person.

As we left the restaurant, I noticed a "For Rent" sign on a nearby storefront, and a bold idea suddenly formed in my mind.

I leased the space and hired a nanny to care for Hazel. I then handled everything myself, from renovations to the potted plants inside the shop.

Two weeks later, my restaurant, Sunny Beginnings, officially opened. I hired a cashier and two servers. Then, I announced the grand opening on my social media account.