Early the next morning, Nora started in on me again.

"Clara, move into Vincent's room today. You two need time to get close. The sooner you do, the sooner you can give me a grandchild."

I looked at her and forced a faint smile.

"I want to give you a grandchild too, but the doctor said I have a condition that makes it hard to carry a pregnancy. There's a high risk of miscarriage. I need a few days to get treated and build my strength. That way, the baby will be healthy."

Nora paused, clearly caught off guard by how cooperative I sounded.

"Fine. Do what the doctor says. Your body had better not fail us!"

After she left, I took a medical report out of the drawer.

The one with the problem wasn't me.

It was Malcolm. He had already been diagnosed with poor sperm quality. Having a child wasn't possible for him.

I had tried to be understanding. I spent money on medication and pushed him to get treatment. In the end, he turned it on me, saying I was the reason we couldn't get pregnant.

Now, that lie worked in my favor. It bought me time.

I was still thinking about it when my phone rang.

"You're Malcolm's wife, right? I was the one with him the day he died."

"What do you want?" I kept my voice even.

"He still owes me money. Eight hundred. You're his wife, you should pay for it."

I almost laughed.

My husband died in another woman's bed. Not only did I have to handle his funeral, but now, I had to settle his bill.

"Fine," I said quietly. "Meet me at a coffee shop this afternoon. I'll bring the money."

At 2 p.m., I met the woman. Her name was Mandy Carver.

"This is 800. Count it."

I handed her the money. She didn't even glance at it before smiling.

"Your husband also said he'd transfer a house to me. And because of him, I've suffered serious emotional distress. I can't even work right now. That house should cover my damages."

I looked at her and smiled, going along with it. "You're right, but the house is under his dad's name. I don't have the authority to transfer it."

She was about to argue, so I lowered my voice.

"Listen. My father-in-law, Quinton, has more than just that house. He's got plenty of savings, too."

Her eyes lit up right away.

"If you can get on his good side, one house is nothing. You won't have to worry about the rest of your life," I went on. "When the time comes, tell him you want something steady. Say you'll give him a son. That's exactly what he wants."

Mandy straightened in her seat, her excitement showing. "Don't worry. Handling men is easy. If I can deal with Malcolm, I can definitely handle his dad."

I took her hand and smiled. "Good. I'll arrange for you to meet him soon."

By the time I got home, it was almost dark. I changed into a thin slip dress on purpose and sat next to Quinton to watch TV.

"What's this show about?" I asked.

He stammered through an answer, but his eyes kept drifting toward me.

I could see it clearly. His body was already reacting. The sight of his bloated stomach and yellowed teeth made my stomach turn. I nearly threw up.

But if I wanted revenge, I had to see it through.

When it was fully dark, I yawned and went back to my room, leaving the door slightly open.

As expected, about 30 minutes later, Quinton crept in.

"Clara, are you asleep?"

When I didn't answer, he stepped closer.

"I've been thinking about you. I can't even sleep…"

He climbed onto my bed, carrying that sour, stale smell with him.

What Quinton didn't know was that I wasn't in the bed at all. I had already slipped out through the first-floor window.

I was in a motel, watching everything through the security camera.

When Quinton realized I wasn't there, he kicked the trash can over.

"Damn it! That woman thinks she can play me?"

He glanced toward the hallway, worried about waking Nora. Just as he turned to leave, his eyes fell on a small card on the table.

"What… Is this how Malcolm hired them?"

He stared at the photo of Mandy on the card, turning it over in his hands. A grin slowly spread across his wrinkled face. Then, he dialed the number printed on it.

"Hello, are you Mandy? How much for everything… Alright, alright. I'll come now. Wait for me."

He hung up, almost excited, and hurried out.

The next morning, Mandy called me.

"Got him," she said, her voice bright with satisfaction. "Your father-in-law is old, but he's still got it in him."

I let out a faint smile. "Did he say anything?"

"He did. Said the house is his. He's going back today to get the deed and transfer it to me."

After the call ended, I couldn't help laughing.

That house belonged to both him and Nora. If Nora found out he had given it away to someone like Mandy, I wondered what she would do.

Sure enough, that afternoon, I watched through the camera as Quinton turned the house upside down, searching everywhere.

When I saw him sneak out with the deed in hand, I finally went home.

At dinner, I had just taken a seat when Nora slammed her fork down.

"Clara!" Her long nails came close to my face. "When exactly are you going to sleep with Vincent?"

I paused. "I'm still getting my health in order…"

"How long is that supposed to take? It's already been days." Her voice rose, sharp and impatient. "Don't try to stall me! I picked a date. Tomorrow works. You'll be with Vincent tomorrow."

I glanced at Vincent. His head was lowered, almost buried in his bowl.

When I didn't answer, Nora slammed the table again.

"I didn't bring you into this family so you could sit around. Starting tomorrow, you're not going anywhere. You stay here and have that child."

So that was it. No one in this house saw me as a person.

I agreed on the surface, but under the table, I sent Mandy a message.

[Come by tomorrow. There's still some hidden cash in the house.]

The next morning, before it was even light out, Nora's voice rang through the house.

"Clara, get up! Are you really going to lie there all day?"

The moment I stepped out of my room, she pushed a cup of dark liquid toward my mouth.

"Drink it. It'll help you get pregnant!"

I couldn't dodge in time. A few mouthfuls went down, and I almost threw up.

"I'll drink it myself. You go do your thing."

Once she left, I poured the rest into a potted plant.

When I looked up again, I saw Nora in Vincent's room, putting fresh sheets on the bed. She smoothed them out, muttering to herself.

"Vincent, today's your special day. Don't mess this up."

Then she turned and shot me a look.

"What are you standing there for? The relatives will be here soon. Go greet them."

I stood there, stunned. "You invited relatives?"

Before I could even process what was happening, my husband's aunt hurried over with a wide smile and grabbed my hand.

"Clara, it's your special day today. Good luck!"

Another relative stepped in beside her. "Exactly. Have a son for the Strouds, and you'll be set in this family."

An uncle lingered by the doorway, his eyes sliding over me in a way that made my skin crawl. Then, he broke into a grin.

"Clara, where we're from, we have to stir things up a little on the wedding night."

As he spoke, his gaze dropped straight to my chest.

A chill ran through me, and I instinctively took a step back.

When I married Malcolm, I had been worried about this kind of thing, so I didn't invite these relatives to the wedding.

This time, Nora had brought them here on purpose.

"Come on, let's have some fun!" the men called out.

Before I could react, several hands reached from behind and grabbed my waist.

"She's got a great figure. Look at those curves!"

"With hips like that, she'll have no trouble having kids. Eight sons, easy."

They closed in around me, trapping me in place. Sweat broke out across my back as their hands moved over me, rough and uninvited.

"Alright, that's enough!" Nora stepped in and pushed them away. "Don't overdo it. We've got business to handle."

She threw a piece of white veil over my head. It looked like it had been cut from an old sheet, and it carried a faint, unpleasant smell.

"Now you look like a bride."

Before I could see anything, she shoved me into Vincent's room.

"Vincent's weak, so you need to take the lead. Move a little, understand? Put some effort into it. Take care of him properly. Try to get pregnant in one go."

The door slammed shut behind me.

I pulled the veil off my head and saw Vincent sitting on the bed, his head lowered, not daring to look at me.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. In three minutes, Mandy would be here.

"Clara…" he said quietly. "Why aren't we starting? Mom said you should take the lead. Hurry up, or we won't be able to explain to everyone."

I didn't answer. My eyes stayed on the clock.

Vincent grew anxious. "She's listening outside the door…"

Right on cue, Nora's voice came through from the hallway. "Clara, what are you doing? Don't mess this up, or you'll answer to me!"

I ignored her. Thirty seconds left.

"Clara…" Vincent's face flushed red. "Please…"

The moment he finished speaking, loud banging erupted at the front door. Then, a woman's sharp voice cut through the house.

"Quinton, I'm pregnant with your baby! We're settling this today!"

The room outside went silent.

Then the relatives started whispering all at once.

"Quinton? Isn't that Nora's husband?"

"Who would've thought? He looks so put-together, but behind closed doors…"

Nora's voice shot up. "That's ridiculous! My husband would never…!"

I opened the door and walked straight into the living room.

Standing in the center, I pointed at Mandy's swollen belly and looked at Nora.

"Didn't you say the Strouds need an heir? Isn't that baby in her exactly what you wanted?"