Chapter 1 Betrayal

"You're back! You never show up when you should, but when you shouldn't be here, you're stirring up trouble!"

Isabella Mellon had barely stepped through the door when her mother-in-law, Scarlett Lewis, started yelling at her.

Isabella was taken aback.

Was there ever a right or wrong time to come home?

Wasn't this her home?

Knowing Scarlett's temper well, Isabella didn't argue.

If she said the wrong thing, Scarlett would make her kneel as punishment.

Besides, Isabella had been in a car accident today, with multiple scrapes and bruises.

She had just returned from the hospital and was completely exhausted.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I'll go rest for a while..." Isabella started to say, but Scarlett interrupted her.

"No, you can't go in!"

"Why?" Isabella asked, puzzled.

"Because I said so! How dare you question me?" Scarlett's face showed a mix of guilt and anger. "What were you up to today? You're never settled."

"The house chores aren't done, dinner isn't made, and you just want to rest when you get back? Do you think the Carter family married you to be the lady of the house?"

"If it weren't for Terry saving you back then, you might be dead on the streets. You should be grateful every day, keeping this house spotless, and you dare to be lazy?"

All Isabella had done was ask why, and Scarlett unleashed a torrent of accusations.

Isabella, feeling utterly drained, looked at her injuries and her torn, muddy clothes.

"Fine, I'll make dinner."

She chose not to argue with Scarlett.

As she turned into the kitchen, Scarlett's face showed satisfaction, glancing occasionally towards the bedroom.

The kitchen's smoky air made Isabella gag.

She felt awful.

The doctor had told her she was pregnant today.

She had been overjoyed, but then she had the car accident.

Her husband, Terry Carter, claimed he was too busy to even answer her calls.

The nausea worsened.

Noticing Scarlett was no longer in the living room, Isabella went to pour herself a glass of water.

As she finished, she heard noises from the bedroom.

"Terry, be gentle!"

"Baby, can't handle it?"

Isabella stood at the door, listening to the intimate sounds inside. The glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

"You wretch, what are you eavesdropping on?"

Scarlett appeared at the door.

"Mom, inside..."

"Elora is back. Don't disturb them!"

Disturb them?

Allowing Terry to cheat in their own home was a good thing?

She had given up her career to be a homemaker for Terry, and this was her reward?

Scarlett had sent her to the kitchen so Terry could have an affair in their bedroom!

Absurd!

"What are you standing there for? You cannot conceive, so what if Terry seeks out Elora? They've known each other since childhood!"

"And if you hadn't butted in while Elora was abroad, you think you could have married Terry?"

"You, an orphan with no background, are nothing compared to Elora, the daughter of the Harris family. I'm telling you now, I'm deciding for Terry. You're getting divorced, and Elora will marry in. If you insist on staying, you'll be a servant in the Carter family!"

Scarlett's words made Isabella dizzy.

She didn't want to listen anymore. She just wanted to open the door and confront Terry about why he was doing this.

The next moment, Scarlett grabbed Isabella, preventing her from moving forward.

The force made Isabella slip.

The pungent smell of disinfectant was overwhelming.

Isabella struggled to open her eyes.

The bedside was empty.

She quickly felt her abdomen, where the pain was intense.

The door opened the next second.

A nurse walked in. "You're awake? You need to pay the bill. The person who brought you here left without paying."

Isabella was stunned. "What about my baby?"

"The baby is fine. The CT results show you're carrying twins."

A wave of warmth surged through Isabella's heart, which had been filled with sorrow.

The twins were her children.

"You can't keep getting stressed. The fetal heart is unstable. If you keep fainting like this, you might lose them. Where's your family?" The nurse asked.

Isabella was at a loss.

Just then, a tall figure appeared at the door.

The man, dressed in a suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, exuded sophistication but looked impatient.

He glanced at the nurse, his tone cold. "She's fine. Discharge her."

He handed over a credit card for the nurse to process the paperwork.

Isabella looked up. It was her husband of three years, Terry.

And just earlier, he had been in their bedroom with his lover.

"Mom said you talked back to her and faked fainting to get into the hospital." Terry's voice was filled with annoyance. "Now stop your nonsense and go apologize to Mom. Or else, I'll..."

"Divorce me, right?" Isabella's voice was calm. "Fine, let's get divorced."

Her tone was firm, without a hint of reluctance.

Terry finally looked at Isabella directly.

Her thin, haggard face and messy hair made her unworthy of being his wife.

And now she dared to mention divorce?

Did she really think he wouldn't dare?

But for some reason, her words made him feel inexplicably uneasy.

At that moment, his phone rang.

"What? Elora... Okay, I'll be right there."

He turned to leave, saying, "Go apologize to Mom and stop causing trouble."

Isabella laughed bitterly.

Terry cheated and now left her to go to Elora, yet she was the one causing trouble?

Her phone buzzed with a notification: [Billionaire Terry announces engagement to young actress Elora.]

So, they were getting engaged!

What did that make her?

A servant to them? Never!

The debt for saving her life was now repaid.

She couldn't, and wouldn't, allow her children to be born into such a family!

She unlocked her phone and dialed a number she hadn't called in a long time.

Three seconds later, the phone was answered.

"Isabella, have you finally decided to come back and take over the family business?"

Five minutes later, a powerful headline dominated the news: [The world's richest family, the Mellons, welcomes their heir back.]