Jason and I decided to give the house a fresh look. Do you like it? I repressed the urge to tear her to pieces and smiled. Sure, I love it. Oh, by the way, I pulled a beautiful box out of my suitcase.

I brought you a gift from Switzerland. Chloe eagerly opened the box. Inside was a Cartier necklace. In reality, it was a high-quality replica I had bought in a rush before returning, but it was almost indistinguishable from the original. "Oh, it's gorgeous."

Chloe put the necklace on immediately and twirled in front of the mirror. "Thank you so much, sister-in-law. I'm glad you like it." I discreetly took a photo with my phone as she modeled the necklace. The original costs over $100,000, so take good care of it.

That night, surprisingly, Jason was the first to speak to me. The returns on the company's investment accounts are quite good. His eyes wavered. He was clearly probing me. Yes, I started investing in foreign assets last year and the returns are 30% higher than the domestic market.

I deliberately fed him a mix of real and fake information. In particular, a $20 million Swiss bond is yielding an 8% annual return. Jason's eyes lit up. Do you manage all those accounts by yourself? No, everything is registered with the finance department, I said, putting on an innocent expression.

Why do you ask all of a sudden? Well, it's just that Chloe's cousin is an investment expert and she says he could help us manage our asset portfolio more efficiently, he said hesitantly. I could barely contain my laughter. He was already thinking about getting his hands on my investment accounts. How greedy.

Sure, why don't you invite him over sometime to take a look? I agreed cheerfully. Oh, by the way, my dad told me you guys need financial backing for the Brooklyn project. Jason visibly tensed. He told you.

Yes. He told me he was considering it. I paused deliberately, but the market situation hasn't been great lately, so he'll probably only invest a portion. Jason instantly grew impatient. Valerie, that project is crucial for our family.

Couldn't you talk to your father and get him to fully back us? Seeing this previously arrogant man begging me produced a strange sense of pleasure. "I'll do what I can," I said, pretending to think about it. "But my dad places a lot of importance on family harmony lately. If he found out about our special situation, he might get worried."

Jason's face hardened. Are you threatening me? How can you say that I put on an offended face? I'm just telling the truth. You know my dad.

He hates shady situations. With that, I turned around and went to my room. Jason was left alone in the living room, his face changing colors. As soon as I locked the door, I turned on my phone and checked the hidden camera footage. Chloe was in the master bedroom, rummaging through my drawers.

In her hand, she held my passport and several credit cards. "Steal! Take it all," I whispered as I watched the screen. "With every item you take, you dig your own grave a little deeper."

In the early hours of the morning, I logged into my Swiss bank account. I confirmed that the last $5 million had been deposited. Just three more weeks and the entire asset transfer would be complete. Then this game would move to the next phase. Outside, the cold moon shone high in the sky.

I remembered my father's words. Once you start, there's no turning back. True. I didn't need a way back. I only needed a path to freedom.

Even if that path meant walking through hell. Valerie, bring out some fruit. Hurry up. My mother-in-law, Phyllis, barked the order at me as if I were a maid. With a smile, I served the fruit I had carefully peeled and sliced.

Today was my mother-in-law's 60th birthday. The Gallagher family had booked a banquet hall at the Waldorf Astoria, inviting nearly 200 relatives and friends. Chloe, with her now prominent belly, paraded among the guests like a peacock, receiving congratulations and compliments. How lucky our Jason is. He's going to have a son soon, a relative said loudly, eyeing me sideways.

Not like some people who, after years of marriage, haven't been able to provide an heir. The room fell silent for a moment. My knuckles turned white around my champagne flute, but I kept an elegant smile on my face. Jason cleared his throat uncomfortably while Chloe, victorious, clung to his arm and gave me a defiant look. Happy birthday, Phyllis.

I raised my glass for a toast, purposefully raising my voice. Don't worry, Jason and I will take great care of her so you can hold your first grandson as soon as possible. My mother-in-law gave me a rare smile of approval, and the guests around me praised my generosity and wisdom. However, the complex look my brother-in-law Michael gave me from a corner did not escape my notice. Halfway through the banquet, I took the opportunity to approach Mr.

Roberts, the vice president of the company. He was a distant relative of the Gallagher family and a veteran of the finance department. Mr. Roberts, is the company's financial situation a bit tight lately? I asked in a low voice.

It seems the payments for some projects are being delayed. Mr. Roberts looked at me suspiciously. Valerie, why do you ask that all of a sudden? I'm just worried.

I poured him some tea. I'm a shareholder, too. Lately, I've heard some troubling rumors. The lack of funds for the Brooklyn project is serious, isn't it, mister? Roberts hesitated for a moment and finally sighed.

To be frank with you, Jason has withdrawn a massive amount of capital from the company lately. I don't know the exact figure, but according to an accountant on the team just last month, it was nearly $3 million. "It's for Miss Chloe's penthouse, isn't it?" I asked casually. Mr.

Roberts looked at me in horror. I knew it. The down payment on the Tribeca penthouse was $5 million. Three came from the company account and the other two from Jason's personal account. I lightly swirled my tea.