Gloria stumbled back, her mother-in-law's words hit her like a storm.

"Why are you acting shocked?" Her mother-in-law asked, sipping her champagne nonchalantly. "If you want to continue living the soft life, then you have to stick with my son. Go on your knees and apologize for your mistakes, kiss his feet if needed, or else once-"

"Even if he is cheating on me with different women and rarely comes home to his family?" Gloria asked. Cutting her mother-in-law off.

Perhaps her mother-in-law was saying such words because she didn't know that her son has been torturing Gloria emotionally for the past eight years, Gloria thought.

Gloria wanted to say another word, but someone knocked on the door. A young shirtless man in his late twenties entered the room. He flashed a flirty smile at her mother-in-law.

"Here you are, baby. I have been looking for you everywhere." The young man said as he walked straight to her mother-in-law and kissed her.

Gloria couldn't believe her eyes at what she was seeing. The young man raised her mother-in-law's leg and started massaging it. For a while, they both ignored her as Gloria sat there awkwardly looking at the scene before her.

"So where were we?" Her mother-in-law asked Gloria, as she finally remembered that she was still there.

"Ah, yes, I remember. You see, powerful men like Victor need to relax after a hard day at work, even from his responsibilities as a husband. And I know my son very well, he's just like his father. One woman, especially a plain and uninteresting woman like you, won't be enough for him to satisfy his sexual needs."

Gloria was shocked. She knew her mother-in-law never liked her, but saying this to her was too extreme.

"Mother, are you saying that you don't see anything wrong if Victor is continuously cheating on me with different women?" Gloria asked, her voice cracking.

"There's nothing wrong about that. It's regular behavior for men, especially a successful one like him. Your husband is a millionaire and he's very handsome too. Do you know how many ladies throw themselves at him daily? You don't expect him to be fucking only you for the rest of his life. If you feel that it's going out of control, just ignore it and live your life as usual. You can also get yourself a boy toy like my baby right here." Her mother-in-law said, pinching the nipples of the young man who was still massaging her legs.

"Mother! Are you advising me to cheat on your son?"

Her mother-in-law nodded. "Just find someone to help you satisfy your sexual needs. That's what we elite women do. You know, even my late husband often cheated on me so many times in his life, maybe more than Victor. And he even brought a bastard home for me to take care of. But I didn't care. I did not divorce him because of that. Loyalty didn't matter as long as he gave me the money and luxury I needed and wanted. Isn't that the most important thing for us women? We need money to get through life. Victor has the money, you just need to be obedient to him and stop complaining about him cheating."

"Mother... I'm not like you or those other ladies," Gloria said. She clenched her fist, furious at her mother-in-law's words. "I don't want to live my whole life trapped in a loveless marriage. Victor doesn't love or respect me; he's torturing Annabel and me emotionally every day. I don't want to live like this anymore."

"Whatever, Gloria. You are so immature and ungrateful," her mother-in-law shrugged. "My son has given you money and a luxurious life, and you're still whining and complaining. I don't want to listen to you any longer. My baby wants to help me relax, so leave now, and do whatever you want."

"Fine, you don't need to say it twice. I already wanted to leave this God-forsaken place in the first place," Gloria said as she stood up to leave. When she reached the door, she turned to look at her mother-in-law one last time, but the older woman was already lying down in bed and her toy boy's head was buried in between her legs.

Gloria wanted to throw up as she ran out the door. "I won't stay in this family a minute longer. I need to get my daughter and leave this place for good," she muttered to herself as she was running.

She felt so powerless as she realized that she had no support in the Anderson family. Even her mother-in-law was no different than her son.

"This will be the last time I will entangle with this crazy family!" Gloria said, running down the hallway, until she hit something.

"What the fuck!" Gloria fell to the ground after hitting something tough in front of her. She thought she had stumbled into a wall, but when she saw expensive shoes and slim-fit black trousers right in front of her, she looked up instantly. She saw Lukas, her brother-in-law, again.

He stared down at Gloria with such a deep gaze that would drown anyone in an abyss of fantasy. "Why is he everywhere?" she muttered to herself. This is the second time he had caught her in his arms today.

"Sister-in-law! Are you alright?" he asked in his deep and somewhat husky voice. He didn't even bother releasing his grip on her waist.

Gloria could feel his hot palm radiating warmth on her skin because her dress exposed her back. What's more, Lukas even slid his finger between the strings that tied the dress from behind! His hand was gently moving to her ass.

"I-I'm fine," Gloria muttered. "Can you let me go now?"

Lukas smiled and put his hand away after her words. "Yes, sister-in-law, I just wanted to make sure you are okay." He said, flashing Gloria a smile. "And be careful while running; you are wearing high heels."

"Thanks for standing up for me earlier and for catching me now," Gloria said.

"Oh, it's nothing, sister-in-law. That's what a gentleman is supposed to do." He said.

His eyes were still fixed on Gloria, and that made her uncomfortable.

"So tell me something. I saw you crying after leaving my stepmother's room. Did something happen? You know she's like the wicked stepmother in Cinderella's story," Lukas said.

Gloria didn't know when she started laughing.

"That's more like it. I have succeeded in making you laugh, so tell me what's wrong."

"Ah, it's... it's nothing, just a little argument there," Gloria replied as she quickly said, "I will just go now. I have something I need to do urgently."

Gloria turned to leave. She just wanted to run away from the Andersons as soon as possible, but Lukas suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Sister-in-law, wait!"

Gloria turned around to face him. "Please stop calling me sister-in-law. You can call me Gloria."

Lukas smiled. "Too late for that. I love calling you sister-in-law."

Lukas fished his business card out of his pocket and put it on Gloria's palm. "We've never talked even after my return to the state. I want to catch up with you. Maybe you can call me later? I can always help you if you need anything, and I mean anything at all."

Gloria frowned. "Why would he want to help me? Did he know about what's happening between me and Victor?" She shook her head. As far as she knows, Lukas and Victor don't get along, especially after what happened with the Will. He must have sensed it with the way Victor and his secretary behaved toward her earlier.

"Well, sister-in-law, if you need anything, call my office. I'll be off to see my stepmom now. Take care, sister-in-law."

"I-I think you should wait a bit before going to see her. She's somewhat busy now," Gloria said. She did not want Lukas to barge in on her mother-in-law and her toy boy.

"Alright, sister-in-law, I will see her some other time. I have an important business to attend to, and don't forget to give me a call," he said as he walked away. Gloria looked at his back until he disappeared from the hallway.

"Why did Lukas suddenly come back to the Anderson family and even attend his stepmother's banquet? Something is not right," Gloria said as she looked at the business card Lukas had shoved into her hand. She tossed it into her purse. She knew she would not contact Lukas or ask for his help. She was done with this crazy family.

Gloria walked around the crowd, as she looked around to find her daughter, but she couldn't find her.

"Annabel visited her grandma a lot. And as little as she is, she knows her way around the mansion very well. She couldn't have gotten lost, and besides, the security guards were with her. Gloria thought.

She kept searching for her daughter, room after room, until she felt her phone vibrating from inside the purse. She quickly brought it out and checked the caller. "What does he want now?" Gloria mumbled as she answered the call.

"What do you want now?" Gloria asked impatiently. "I'm still searching for Annabel, don't bother me."

"Searching for our daughter?" Victor asked in a mocking tone. "Well, she is with me. We are already at home. Come over to our house."

"You bastard! Why did you leave here with Annabel without telling me? Fine, don't go anywhere, wait for me, I'm coming to take my daughter." Gloria ended the call before he could say another word.

"Bastard, now I have to meet him in that house again. Only God knows what he's planning to do to me now," Gloria cursed under her breath.

She rushed out and flagged down a taxi. "Oh God, please keep my daughter safe."

Gloria told the taxi driver to wait for her outside Victor's mansion. She braced herself and walked inside the house.

Gloria took a deep breath as she grabbed the door handle and opened it. The house was still the way she left it yesterday, except for a blue-black dress and undies that were carelessly tossed on the ground. She remembered the black dress; it was the same dress Victor's secretary had worn to the banquet. "Did Victor actually bring his mistress to the house with Annabel present?" Gloria muttered.

Victor was lying on the bed, his trousers on his knees as his secretary bounced up and down his cock.

Gloria's chest tightened as pain shot through her chest. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. She quickly turned around and wiped her tears with the back of her hand before knocking on the door to get their attention.

Victor looked at her and flashed her a smile. She knew he wanted her to see him having sex with his secretary; that's his way of trying to break her spirit. He thought she would break down and start crying the way she normally does. So he ignored her and held the waist of his secretary, telling her to go faster.

Gloria knocked on the door again. This time, the secretary turned back to look at her with a smirk on her face.

"Are you blind? Can't you see we are busy? Go away from here and stop interrupting us," the secretary said smugly.

"Alright, baby, let me talk to her, then we can continue from where we stopped."

"Fine, but make it quick." His secretary said as she climbed down from Victor's body. She glared at Gloria before walking out of the room.

"Why are you standing still like that? Come in and talk with me. I won't bite," Victor said, lighting up a cigarette.

"Can you put on your trousers, please?" Gloria said, still refusing to enter the room.

"Oh, come on, Gloria Anderson, it's not like you haven't seen me naked before. Alright, fine, I'm clothed now. You can come inside and stop standing outside the door like that."

Gloria walked inside the room. "Where's Annabel?" She asked, going straight to the point. She wanted to leave the room as soon as possible and wasn't interested in making small talk with Victor.

"Annabel is in her room. She's waiting for you, but I need to talk to you right now, or else I won't let you take her," Victor replied, knowing well that Annabel was Gloria's weakness.

"Come here, come and sit beside me. Let's talk for a moment before you leave."

Gloria advanced a few steps into the bedroom but dared not get close to Victor. She knew he could easily overpower her.

"Come on, sweetheart. Close the door."

"No, why should I close the door? I don't know what you're going to do if I close the door," Gloria said.

Victor laughed as if he had just heard a funny joke. "Gloria, why would you think that? You know that I've fucked many women more beautiful than you. You're nothing compared to them, especially after you aged and got pregnant with Annabel. And besides, you saw how my secretary was just bouncing on my cock right now? What makes you think I will touch you with your saggy boobs and skin? Look at yourself in the mirror. You are fat and ugly."

Gloria clenched her fist again. Victor had already said the same thing to her a lot of times in the past, but it still triggered her so much. Those kinds of words only made her question her self-worth. And right now, Victor just wants to hurt her with his words.

"I don't have your time for your nonsense right now. I just want to get my daughter and leave this place," Gloria said.

"But we are not done talking, Gloria. And why are you so keen on running away from our bedroom? Do you still remember how I used to fuck you on this bed every day before you became pregnant and lost your shape?" Victor said smugly.

"Victor, if you're holding me here just to say bullshit like this, then save it. You have said the same words to me countless times in the past nine years, and I don't care anymore."

"Oh, come on, I'm just reminiscing about the past. Have you forgotten who you were before you married me? You were the one who begged me to marry you. I saved you and your family from poverty. I paid off your mother's debt, and if not for me, your sister would have been married to an old man. And you know my mother never liked you. She wanted me to marry a girl from a rich family just like me, but I disobeyed her just to marry you. You should be grateful. In fact, you should be worshipping the ground I stepped on!" Victor said, raising his voice as he stood up from the bed and walked over to the corner where Gloria was standing.

"I own you, Gloria! You belong to me!"

Gloria quickly took a step back, ensuring that Victor couldn't reach her. "Step back, Victor, or I will scream, and your mistress will come here."

"You want to scream? Alright, go ahead and scream as much as you want. This is my house. Let me see who's coming to save you." Victor said, laughing like a madman.

"I'm being patient enough with you, Gloria! Tell me what you want, and I will get it, so you can stop all this little stunt you are pulling right now!" Victor said as the smile vanished from his face. Gloria knew he was losing his patience.

"Victor, my decision is final," Gloria said, putting on a brave face, though she was scared for her life at the moment. "I don't want to be with you anymore, not after you have ruined my life and our marriage. I'm not going to cling onto you now. I am simply done with you! I just want to move on with my life and forget that I was ever married to you."

Victor looked at the small woman he had just cornered. He didn't understand how a submissive woman like Gloria could become so erratic and stubborn. She used to be so accepting and tolerant of his cheating habit. She never complained.

Victor sighed. Since she's bent on leaving, he might as well allow her to learn the hard way. Victor thought as he raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, Gloria, since you want to leave so badly, then I won't stop you. But once you step out of this house, my secretary will replace you as my new wife. She will take your place as the new Mrs. Anderson."

"Good luck to her. And congratulations to you two in advance," Gloria said, smiling.

Her calm demeanor unsettled Victor. How is she still calm even when I threatened her with another woman? Victor thought.

"Can I go now?"

"Sure, go ahead. Make sure Annabel is well fed, understand? Otherwise, you can always go back to me for money," Victor said, looking down at Gloria.

"This is the last warning, Gloria! Don't think there won't be any consequences after you turn away from me! And if you stay and apologize to me like an obedient wife, then I might just forgive you for these silly stunts."

"To hell with you and your forgiveness, and I don't need your money. I can take care of my daughter on my own," Gloria said before walking out of the room. As she closed the door behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally, free."

Annabel was already sleeping. She packed her clothes and her toys into a large bag and lifted Annabel to her shoulder while dragging the bag with her free hand.

"Finally, bitch. You know your place. Now Victor is mine. A fat, ugly bitch like you don't deserve him," Victor's secretary cursed at Gloria as she walked out of the mansion.