Chapter 1

After receiving my year-end bonus, I took my four-year-old nephew, Oliver Blackwood, to the supermarket.

"Oliver, pick anything you like. I'll pay for it."

Oliver scratched his head, his soft, tender voice replying, "Thank you, Aunt Aurora. I don't need anything."

I thought he was being considerate about how hard I worked to earn money, and I was deeply moved.

But what he said next felt like a bucket of cold water being dumped over me.

"Mom said the snacks and fruits you buy are too cheap. She told me to ask you for jewelry and then coax you into saving money to buy me a house and a car!

"Aunt Aurora, Mom said you're single and won't get married. When you get old and die, all your money will be mine. I want to live in a big villa with a playground!"

Staring at his innocent face, I was lost in thought.

"Oliver, did your mom really tell you that?"

I squatted down and held Oliver's little hand, speaking softly.

Oliver nodded earnestly. "Of course! I'm a good boy; I never lie!

"Mom said that as long as I say sweet things to you, you'll give me anything I want!"

Forcing a smile, I said, "You're a good boy, Oliver, but I don't have enough money. How about today we buy some fruits and toys? If you keep being an honest and good kid, I'll take you to the amusement park next time. Does that sound good?"

"Yay!" Oliver cheered, throwing his arms around my neck and planting a kiss on my cheek before dragging me enthusiastically toward the supermarket.

Watching his joyful, innocent smile, I heaved a long sigh.

If not for Oliver's candid words, I'd never have imagined the kind of schemes his mother, Celeste Langley, had been hatching.

Celeste was my age, always wearing a warm, gentle smile, appearing kind and simple.

When she started dating my brother, Elliott Blackwood, I treated her exceptionally well.

She mentioned liking a particular brand of cosmetics once, so I spent a month's salary to buy it for her as a birthday gift.

She admired a certain singer, so I camped out in front of my computer for two days to snag concert tickets for her.

Elliott was unreliable, lazy, and lacking ambition.

Feeling guilty about their son's shortcomings, my parents treated Celeste even better.

They had always been willing to fulfill her every request, carefully attending to her, afraid that she might suffer even the slightest grievance.

When Celeste and Elliott began discussing marriage, my parents insisted on buying their marital home in the same neighborhood as ours.

That way, they could eat at our house daily, have their home cleaned, and get help with childcare in the future.

Celeste made no objections, instead linking arms with my mom and praising her thoughtfulness.

My parents emptied a large portion of their savings to fund a lavish wedding for them and handed Celeste a bank card with seed money for their new family.

After she married into our family, Celeste would come over to my parents' place for meals every day.

At first, everything was great, but over time, the tensions between her and my parents grew more and more.

She complained that my mom's cooking was too salty and not to her liking.

So, after work, I would study recipes and cook lighter meals that suited her taste.

She criticized my mom for not cleaning thoroughly enough, so I started cleaning their home every few days.

She complained that my dad's voice was too loud and annoying, so he began speaking in hushed tones.

She even threw a fit when my parents didn't wish her a happy birthday at midnight.

"Now that I'm married, I guess I'm not important anymore! I see how it is. I'll always be an outsider in this family!

"Forgetting my birthday shows how little you care! Don't tell me you treat me like your daughter. It's obvious I don't matter!"

She would even get upset over fruit in the fridge.

"You're hiding the fruit from me, aren't you? Afraid I'll eat it all? Your family is just too much!"