Patricia continued complaining to Samson. "Your wife and kids tried kicking me out and even called me a dirty old hag!"

She then slapped her thighs and wailed loudly as if she had been utterly wronged.

Samson frowned and looked at me.

He asked, "Is Mom telling the truth? What were you kicking up a fuss for? Can't you just behave yourself on Christmas day?"

I chuckled out loud and met his gaze.

His face was still well-preserved, looking as youthful as it had ten years ago. However, his behavior and demeanor had changed. He was now a completely different person.

It was also winter when we got married ten years ago.

He would always rush home eagerly after work and even bring me little gifts every day. We were poor and thrifty back then, but at least we were very happy.

He used to buy me my favorite snacks, pull my hands into his, and whisper gentle nothings into my ears.

"I'm sorry that you have to suffer with me, darling. I promise that I'll give you a better life and make you the happiest person on earth after I've struck it rich. When that time comes, I promise that I'll always stay right by your side."

His warmth and his promises to me were real back then. However, the doubt and annoyance in his eyes now were also just as real.

Ten years had transformed this man, who used to love me to the moon and back, into a selfish monster.

I lowered my eyes and didn't bother explaining myself. I just gently patted Janice on the back.

Samson sighed and softened his tone with me.

"Alright, that's enough. Mom's not young anymore. You should be more thoughtful and considerate of her. I know that you're annoyed and frustrated, but can't you see that I'm already back?

"I'll just spend the rest of my time at home with you and the kids from today onward, okay?"

He was still as perfunctory and dismissive as usual, and I couldn't be bothered to argue with him or even expose him for his lies anymore.

"You shouldn't blame it all on Alexa like that, Sam."

Maya's voice suddenly sounded from behind him. She stepped out and hooked her hands around Samson's arm, giving me a smug, defiant look.

"It must be hard on her to take care of three kids at home by herself. It's normal for her to be in a terrible mood. It's just that her rudeness and horrible attitude toward her elders are quite embarrassing, don't you think?"

She had Samson's scent on her, and it stung my nose very badly.

Patricia immediately nodded repeatedly as if she'd finally found someone to agree with her.

"Exactly! You're still the best at being kind and understanding, Maya! You're not like some people who think they're all that even after giving birth to three moneysuckers, eating and living on Sam's penny, and thinking that gives her the right to step over other people's heads!"

Maya covered her mouth and grinned lightly as she swept her gaze around the house I'd kept for ten years.

"This house belongs to Samson. Don't you know how tired he is working all day just to keep your mouths fed?

"And you, Alexa. You haven't worked a day in your life, and you don't contribute a single thing to this household. Yet you still have the nerve to throw tantrums whenever you like and to trouble Sam like this?

"You really ought to be ashamed of yourself."

I looked at her, briefly glancing at Samson's slightly pleased yet uncomfortable face, my lips curling slightly upward.

"Fine."

They were stunned.

I picked up all three of my daughters and turned toward the bedroom.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Samson let go of Maya at once and ran up to me to stoop me.

"I'm packing up my things and leaving with the girls. Since this house belongs to you, and you're having a hard time making a living to feed the four of us who don't even deserve to live here, we'll just leave and stop causing trouble for you."

"Alexa Cohen!"

Samson grabbed my wrist and exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind? You are my wife! Where do you think you're taking my daughters to?"

"Your wife?" I turned around to glare at him coldly. "Do you mean to tell me that you still acknowledge me as your wife?

"Then what did you think you were doing taking your 'sister' out on a worldwide trip and fucking each other's brains out when your wife and three daughters were waiting for you to come home to them for Christmas?"

"You're spouting nonsense!" Samson roared, his expression changing. "There's nothing going on between Maya and me at all! What the hell do you mean by causing such a huge fuss on Christmas day with your filthy thoughts?"

"My filthy thoughts?" I echoed, laughing out loud. "I have seen every photo and spending record, and everything is as clear as day to me!

"Did you ever stop to think about what would happen to us when you were lavishly spending all the money that I and the girls scrimped by to save up?"

Then, there was a loud, resounding slap.

A resounding slap landed hard on my face.

Samson glared at me fiercely, his eyes filled with resentment for my exposing him like that.

"You're talking absolute bullshit! You're only making a fuss because you can't bear to see me doing so well without you!"

I stumbled from the slap, and Janice immediately burst into tears in my arms.

"Mommy!"

Bernice and Eunice screamed in unison as they ran up to me and pushed Samson out of the way, hammering their tiny fists on him.

"You're a bad daddy! You can't hit Mommy! Bad Daddy!"

A fleeting look of panic and regret crossed Samson's eyes for just a second, but it was quickly replaced with deeper frustration and embarrassment.

"You're being ridiculous!"

After that, he turned on his heels, shoved Maya and Patricia out of the way, and rushed out the door.

Maya clicked her tongue at me. "Hah. You brought this on yourself."

She pursed her lips together and hooked her arm around Patricia, who was still a little stunned.

"Let's go, Mom. The vibes in this place are horrible. Don't let it get to you, or you'll fall sick. I'm sure that Sam's gone back to my place."

Patricia then glared at me, spat on the floor, and turned to leave with Maya.

After the commotion was finally over, I slowly crouched over on the ground and pulled my trembling daughters into my arms.

Just then, I received a text message notification from Fred.

"The lawsuit has been submitted to the court."

I smiled in relief, gently patting my daughters' backs as I said firmly, "It's alright, girls. Don't cry anymore. I will take you all away with me.

"We'll have a new home soon, and there'll be no more fighting or shouting or slapping. Just your mommy who loves you very much."

…

The next afternoon, Samson returned to the house with a rarely-seen gift box in his hands.

He unlocked the door and walked in.

The expected aroma of dinner didn't waft to his senses. He also didn't hear his daughters excitedly chattering or running up to him for hugs.

"Alexa?"

There was no response.

He frowned and changed into his indoor slippers before walking in.

The living room had been tidied up very neatly without a single speck of dust. A sudden wave of uneasiness washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by that of his usual impatience and annoyance.

He first pushed the bedroom door open and instinctively opened the wardrobe doors.

It was empty.

It wasn't just that a few articles of clothing were missing. Instead, the entire wardrobe had been emptied out.

Only a handful of his dress shirts and suits were still hung up on hangers. Even the other seasonal clothes stashed away in the corner had all disappeared.

Samson was completely taken aback.

He turned and rushed into the girls' bedroom.

Similarly, the blankets on the beds were gone, and the doodles and drawings that used to be hung all over the walls were gone, too.

A sudden wave of panic gripped him, piercing right into his chest.

He went back to the living room and realized for the first time that the house was so big and empty without anyone else there. It had never been like this in the past ten years.

It used to be filled with children's laughter, the sound of my footsteps, the pleasant aroma of food in the air, and the warm presence of people.

Even if he returned home in the dead of the night, or we gave each other the cold shoulder, at the very least, it was still a lively home. But now, it was dead.

He finally realized that I had really left him this time and taken the kids with me.

"Damn it! How dare she! She doesn't have a penny to her name. What does she think, that she and the kids will live on without me? They won't survive!

"Yeah, there's no way she actually left me! She can't afford to leave me! She's just throwing a tantrum as always!"

He kept mumbling to himself as he tried to call my number, but kept getting a busy signal instead.

The sound of bells and carolers drifted in from the streets. He slammed down the gift box in anger, striking the letter I had left him on the coffee table.

His heart jerked in his chest as he practically dashed to the table and snatched up the envelope.

There was only a single piece of paper inside, with a few cold lines written on it.

"My lawyer will be in contact with you. All matters concerning the divorce, child custody, division of marital property, and recovery of improperly disposed marital assets between you and Ms. Maya Taylors will be handled by him.

"Don't try to contact me. Regards, Alexa Cohen."