Chapter 3 The Mother-in-Law’s Birthday Banquet—No Notification Received

Anthony burst through the door, "Evelyn, what do you mean by that? Am I dead or something?"

Hearing the man's questioning so abruptly, Evelyn calmly looked up. She glanced at Anthony... and the lipstick mark on his collar, then suddenly let out a mocking laugh. "Is there any difference between a husband who leaves his wife at a car accident scene and being dead?"

At the mention of the car accident, Anthony guiltily looked away and said in a low voice, "Sorry, I didn't think you were actually hurt that badly."

That one sentence somehow made Evelyn's eyes sting.

In the past, Anthony used to worry about her the most. Forget about car accidents - even simple scrapes would make him panic as if the sky was falling. Now she'd been in a car accident and had surgery, but all she got was a casual "didn't think."

So this is...

This is the difference between loving and not loving someone.

Evelyn bit down hard on her teeth until she tasted a faint metallic flavor in her mouth.

She looked up and said flatly, "Today Scarlett deliberately caused the rear-end collision. I'm going to report it to the police and pursue the appropriate legal action."

"What are you making a fuss about?" Anthony snapped. "She's just a young girl who got her license not long ago. She just made a mistake because she was nervous. Do you have to be so aggressive?"

"I'm just protecting my legal rights," Evelyn said.

Anthony's eyes turned cold. "Evelyn, you're so cold-blooded now that it scares me."

Scary?

But the one who beat someone until their nose and mouth bled at their company just because they made a pass at her, then forced them to disappear from Harbor City... that was also Anthony.

A wave of bitterness surged in Evelyn's eyes, as if another piece of her feelings for Anthony had been stripped away.

She looked up, not letting herself show any vulnerability. "Thanks for the compliment. Is there anything else?"

Anthony stood by the bed, his eyes as cold as if he were looking at an enemy. After a long moment, he suddenly pulled out a checkbook, scribbled a few strokes, tore off a check and tossed it over.

"Here's ten million. I'm compensating you on her behalf," Anthony said.

Evelyn's hand under the covers suddenly clenched tight. She stared at him as if her gaze could burn a hole through him. "Anthony, in what capacity are you giving this money for her?"

"I told you, we have a business relationship," Anthony frowned. "This involves a project worth billions. I can't let you mess around."

A relationship that extends to the bedroom?!

Evelyn could barely control her emotions. She wanted to rush over and tear off Anthony's fake mask.

She froze in place, her whole body feeling as if cold wind was pouring through it, making her shiver. "Not enough. Since this involves a project worth billions, does Mr. Taylor think he can brush me off with pocket change?"

Anthony stared at her as if looking at some disgusting trash.

Without a word, he started writing checks again.

One, two, eight...

Each one for ten million, each one thrown down in an utterly humiliating manner. Anthony didn't speak, but his eyes were asking Evelyn a question.

Is it enough?

But it wasn't enough, wasn't enough, wasn't enough!

A violent rage churned in Evelyn's heart. She remembered how Anthony had broken away from his family for her sake, then started his business from scratch.

"Eve, I'm going to make you happy!"

Because of those words, Evelyn started working day and night alongside Anthony.

She visited clients one by one, revised proposals again and again, even forced herself to drink two pounds of liquor at a business dinner, ending up hospitalized for vomiting blood.

At the time, Anthony stayed by her hospital bed, crying until his eyes were red.

"Eve, I've let you down. From now on, I'm going to make lots and lots of money so those people will never dare bully you again." He raised his hand and swore.

For the next seven years, Anthony did indeed grow the company bigger and bigger.

The tech company he founded, Shiyan Technology, became a rising star in the industry, even showing signs of competing with other established companies.

Anthony had more money than he could spend. He could casually book an entire cruise ship for Evelyn's birthday, send her different luxury brands without repeating - but in the end, he was throwing money at her, humiliating her.

After writing ten checks, Anthony finally stopped. "Here's a hundred million. Is that enough?"

Evelyn frowned, about to speak, when her phone suddenly received a text from her lawyer.

[Ms. Wilson, the process is complete. You can get divorced in a month.]

That one sentence instantly lifted a weight off Evelyn's shoulders.

She looked up and smiled. "Yes, enough. You've already given me what I want most."

In thirty days, we can finally be completely separated.

Anthony paused. He frowned, studying Evelyn's expression, feeling inexplicably panicked, as if something was slipping out of his control.

But before he could think it through, Evelyn suddenly said, "I'm a bit tired. If there's nothing else, please leave."

Anthony opened his mouth to say something, but turned and left instead.

Only after the footsteps faded away did Evelyn slowly open her eyes. She looked at the doorway, her heart covered in layers of sorrow.

Over the next few days, Evelyn recovered in the hospital.

Without Anthony and Scarlett hovering in front of her, her mood was actually pretty good, and her injuries healed better than expected.

One day, Evelyn suddenly received a call from the old mansion - it was from the butler.

"Mrs. Evelyn, your mother-in-law wants to eat apple pie made by you. Please get ready and come over as soon as possible."

The person on the other end didn't give Evelyn a chance to refuse and hung up right after speaking.

Evelyn initially wanted to ignore it, but then remembered she still had her things at the old mansion. Since she'd already decided to leave, there was no point in leaving them there to annoy people. She might as well take this chance to deal with them.

Evelyn checked out of the hospital early and took a cab to the old mansion. When she arrived, she found luxury cars everywhere. Going inside, she saw Anthony and Scarlett standing side by side at the entrance greeting guests.

They looked so cheerful, anyone who didn't know better would think they were newlyweds.

Evelyn stared blankly for a moment, then walked over.

Just then May came out from inside. The smile on her face turned cold the instant she spotted Evelyn. "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to show up here without my permission?"

She did say that.

May looked down on her background and hated that she'd stolen away her son.

In the years since the marriage, she'd always been bossy and demanding toward her.

Evelyn said, "Didn't you have the butler call me to come back and cook?"

"What butler?" May said. "Evelyn, I think you're deliberately trying to cause trouble at my birthday party! Get out of here right now."

So today was May's birthday.

How ridiculous - she, the daughter-in-law, didn't know her mother-in-law was having a birthday party today, but Scarlett, the mistress, was openly standing outside with Anthony greeting guests.

It dawned on Evelyn. She looked sideways at Scarlett, just in time to catch a flash of triumphant satisfaction in her eyes.

Scarlett came over with a smile, playing peacemaker. "Auntie, since Evelyn is already here, let her in. After all, Anthony just held a press conference announcing their relationship, and if you don't let her in right after, and people with bad intentions spread the word, it'll cause another scandal."

Hearing this, May had no choice but to grudgingly let Evelyn in.

The three of them walked inside side by side. Scarlett leaned close to Evelyn's ear and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Girl, you can't even set foot in the manor without me. If I were you, I'd go jump off a bridge."

Evelyn looked at her sideways and said flatly, "You're a mistress and you haven't died yet, so why should I?"