“Go clean the bathroom” — my son ordered me, for the third time during family dinner. I looked at him, stayed silent, then went back to my room. That very night, I packed my bags and left his house, taking with me the winning lottery ticket worth 30 million dollars that he knew nothing about.

My husband cheated, forced a divorce, and my son didn’t hesitate to choose him. “You’re just a broke housewife,” Robert sneered. “No way I’m living with you. Do you have any idea how expensive my sneakers are? Don’t ruin my life.” I clutched the lottery ticket in my hand. He had no idea. I had just won $300 million. It’s fine. Let him go live his supposedly good life with his father. I’ll take my precious daughter Olivia and enjoy life to the fullest.

There are two things I regret most in life. One, marrying my husband, Daniel. Two, giving birth to my son, Robert. Not long ago, Daniel cheated on his wife and then demanded a divorce. I wasn’t going to fight the divorce, but it broke my heart for my kids. I had just hired a lawyer and was preparing to fight for custody of both children. That’s when Robert stepped forward on his own.

“Mom, you’re just a broke housewife. No way I’m living with you. Do you know how expensive my sneakers are? Don’t ruin my life.”

Olivia was furious. “Robert, how can you say that to Mom? She’s done everything for you.”

Robert rolled his eyes. “She used Dad’s money to do it. Without Dad’s alimony, how is she going to take care of us? Olivia, if you want to live like a poor loser, go ahead, but I’m not going with you.”

I was shocked at how cold and calculating he was. I had poured my heart and soul into this boy. Robert was born premature and had been sickly since birth. I quit my high-paying job just to take care of him full-time for fifteen years. He didn’t like cafeteria food, so I woke up at five in the morning every day to make him a homemade breakfast. I bought the freshest ingredients, prepared balanced lunches, and personally delivered them to his school every day. And now, all that effort, love, and sacrifice had been reduced to a single disdainful sentence: You’re just a housewife. I don’t want to be poor with you.

In that moment, I swear I felt the blood in my veins run cold. Robert took my silence as hesitation. He grew anxious.

“Mom, don’t be selfish. If you really cared about me, you’d let me go.”

I let out a cold laugh. “Fine, go.”

What he didn’t know was that just a few days ago, my mother had bought me a lottery ticket and I had won the grand prize—$300 million. Technically, I was still married. Any lottery winnings would be legally split with Daniel. So I planned to claim the prize under my mother’s name, keeping it a secret. Once I won custody of my children and finalized the divorce, I was going to take my kids and live the life we deserved. But now I looked at that ungrateful brat. He wasn’t worth it.

The moment my mother-in-law, Susan, realized I had made a decision, she smiled with glee. “Good. Take Olivia and move as far away as possible.”

I turned to look at Robert, who was lounging on the sofa watching television. His own grandmother was openly insulting his mother and sister, yet he didn’t even react. Not a word, not a glance. In that moment, I completely gave up on him. I let out a cold laugh.

“I’m still married to Daniel, you know.”

Susan didn’t care. “I’ll call Daniel right now and tell him to take the day off to finalize the divorce. You can move out today. Melanie will move in tomorrow.”

Melanie, the woman Daniel had been cheating with. The moment Robert heard Melanie’s name, he jumped up from the sofa with excitement.

“Grandma, is Melanie finally moving in?”

Susan patted his head. “She’s about to be your new mom. Are you happy?”

Robert nodded eagerly. “Yes.”

Even Olivia, who had been desperately trying to keep the family together, was shocked by her little brother’s shamelessness.

“You are unbelievable,” Olivia snapped. “Mom has taken care of you for more than ten years, and instead of being grateful, you call the woman who ruined her marriage ‘Mom’? You are a joke.”

Robert didn’t even flinch. He shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s not my fault. Melanie is amazing. She has a PhD and teaches at the university.” Then he looked at me, his own mother, with a casual expression of disdain. “But Mom, she’s just a housewife. She spends her day cooking and cleaning. What does she know? Whenever my classmates ask what my mom does, I’m embarrassed to say she’s just a housewife. Dad choosing Melanie over her makes perfect sense to me.”

I always knew Robert looked down on me because his grandmother had been lying to him for years. She constantly reminded him that I was useless, that the whole family depended on Daniel’s income, and that only by staying with his father could he have a good life. I had always believed that one day he would grow up, that he would understand the sacrifices I made for him. But I was wrong. This boy was selfish to the core. For money and status, he was willing to abandon his own mother. Today, when he looked at me, there was no love, no attachment, only disgust, as if I were garbage. I didn’t feel anything for him anymore.

I lowered my gaze and looked at Olivia. She was clutching my hand tightly, her grip warm and firm—the only warmth I had left. At least my daughter still loved me. From now on, Olivia was my only child. And Robert, he could go to hell.

It wasn’t long before Daniel and Melanie rushed in. Melanie was in her forties, but she had taken good care of herself and looked more like someone in her thirties. She curved her lips into a sweet yet triumphant smile.

“Mary, I’m so glad you’ve finally come to your senses. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Daniel and your son, Robert.”

She spoke as if she were already the lady of the house. Daniel, on the other hand, shoved a divorce agreement at me.

“Sign it now. As long as you don’t make a scene and don’t tell anyone the details of my affair, I’ll give you and Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.” His voice became sharp. “But if you don’t cooperate, you won’t get a single penny. Hurry up. Melanie and I took the day off for this. As soon as we’re done here, we have a date.”

I laughed. I laughed heartily. He had thought everything out carefully—how to secure his new life with Melanie, how to cut me off completely. But he hadn’t spared a single thought for me and Olivia. I had given up my youth, my career, and what did I get in return? A paltry $3,000 a month for my daughter.

I pulled out a different divorce agreement, the one my lawyer had prepared. “Why don’t you take a look at this?”

I watched Daniel’s face darken as he quickly read through it. The house was split 50%, the compensation was $1 million, and he’d still pay Olivia $3,000 a month in child support.

Susan let out a dramatic gasp. “Mary, you’ve gone crazy. Daniel paid for everything in this house. If anything, you owe us. How dare you ask for so much?”

I smiled smugly. Melanie’s expression was subtly strained. Of course she wasn’t thrilled. After all, she had gone after Daniel for his money. Now that half of it was slipping away, she had every reason to be nervous. I remained calm.

“The down payment for this house—we paid it together. And the mortgage—we split that, too. Why shouldn’t I be entitled to half?” I glanced at Melanie and then back at Daniel. “As for the compensation, before I became a housewife, my monthly salary was $20,000. I sacrificed years of income for this marriage. One million dollars barely makes up for what I lost. And Olivia takes riding lessons. $3,000 a month barely covers her expenses.”

I let the words sink in before delivering the final blow. “If I recall correctly, Daniel, you’re currently in the running for vice president at the company.” I turned to Melanie, whose face was already tight with unease. “And you, Melanie, are a candidate for a major promotion at your university. This is a critical time for both of you. You really don’t want a scandal to ruin everything, do you?”

Melanie’s face flushed red. She grabbed Daniel’s sleeve like a delicate victim. “Daniel, I’m scared.”

Daniel gritted his teeth. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Then he turned and glared at me. “Are you threatening us?”

I gave him a scoffing laugh. “Threatening? Oh no, Daniel. I’m just giving you a friendly reminder.” I looked at my watch. “You have one hour to think it over.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened. “And if I refuse?”

Just then the doorbell rang. I smiled. “Perfect timing.” I opened the door and took the package from the delivery driver.

“Oh, good. Just what I was waiting for.”

I ripped open the box and pulled out two banners. The first read, “University Professor Melanie is in love with my husband. As his wife, I’m happy to step aside.” The second, “Daniel, Sunset Corporation’s VP candidate, a heartless man who abandoned his wife.”

I watched as Daniel’s and Melanie’s faces turned an ugly shade of gray. In the end, Daniel had no choice but to agree to my divorce terms. For the sake of his career and Melanie’s promotion, he signed reluctantly. His face was as dark as coal. Melanie’s was no better. She had married Daniel for his money, and now half of it was gone before she had a chance to enjoy it. As for Susan, she probably wanted to tear me apart. But for the sake of her precious son’s future, she had no choice but to bear it.

After finalizing the divorce, Olivia and I walked out of the courthouse, separating from Daniel’s family forever. Before we could leave, Susan sneered.

“Mary, don’t celebrate so soon. With my son’s ability, he’ll earn back every penny he gave you in just two years. You’ll regret divorcing him so easily.”

I arched an eyebrow, finding her words laughable. Ignorance is truly a blessing. If Daniel and his family knew I’d won $300 million, they would probably cry themselves to death.

Daniel’s smug smile returned as he turned to his mother. “Mom, didn’t you say our house was too small? Now that Mary and I are splitting the profit from the sale, I’ll add a little more and buy you a villa.”

Susan beamed. “That’s my good boy.”

Robert, my traitorous son, jumped up in excitement. “Melanie has incredible taste in art. She should decorate the new house. It will look amazing.”

Melanie smiled sweetly. “Of course. And how about I design a game room for you, too?” Then she looked at me, her voice dripping with condescension. “Oh, and by the way, Robert, shouldn’t you stop calling me Melanie? From now on, you should call me Mom.”

Robert didn’t even hesitate. “Mom,” he said cheerfully.

I felt nothing. No anger, no pain. Robert had already ceased to exist in my world. But Olivia, my sweet, sensitive daughter, squeezed my hand gently, worried that I might be hurt.

She whispered, “Mom, let’s go.”

I smiled at them. “It’s fine.”

I hailed a taxi, but before we could get in, Olivia gently tugged at my sleeve. “Mom, maybe we should take the bus. It’s cheaper and still practical.”

My heart clenched. She had heard Susan’s words and was already worried about saving money for me. This child was so considerate, it broke my heart.

I winked and gave her a smile. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I have money.”

Susan let out a mocking laugh. “Money? Mary? You don’t even have a house, a car, or a job. You have no skills, no career. You’ll be lucky to get work cleaning. You’re just spending the little money you have left. Enjoy it while you can. Soon, you and Olivia will be living on the streets, homeless.”

Olivia’s fists clenched. She glared at Susan angrily. “We don’t need you to worry. When I grow up, I’ll take care of my mom.”

Susan snorted. “A daughter taking care of her mother? Please. Daughters are nothing but a waste of money. You’ll abandon her the moment you get married.”

Melanie chimed in, smiling. “Mary, if you ever struggle, you can count on me. Our university is always hiring cleaning staff. I’d be happy to recommend you.”

I didn’t say a word. I simply flipped Melanie off. Then I took Olivia’s hand, got into the taxi, and never looked back.

At the real estate center, the sales agent, Dave, was all smiles as he presented the properties to us. “This villa is in the East District, a prime location. It’s surrounded by parks, offers stunning views, and is very close to your daughter’s private school. Plus, it’s fully furnished and ready to move in.”

My parents were tempted. “How much?”

“Twenty million.”

Twenty million was nothing to someone who had just won a hundred times that amount. I didn’t hesitate for a second. “We’ll take it. Full payment.”

Dave’s eyes lit up. It was rare to find a client as straightforward and decisive as me. His tone became even more respectful. “Please take a seat in our VIP lounge while I prepare the contract.”

Before I could reply, a scoff came from behind. It really was a small world. Daniel and his family were there, too.

Susan spoke first. “Mary, what are you doing here? Daniel only gave you $500,000 in the divorce. That money wouldn’t even buy you a bathroom in a villa.”

Melanie nodded. “Mary, I get it. You still hold a grudge against Daniel, so you found out we were house hunting and decided to put on a show, but let’s be real. This is wildly embarrassing.”

Dave, who had been enthusiastic moments ago, suddenly looked hesitant.

Robert frowned. “Mom, I’m so disappointed in you. I thought you were useless, but now I see you’re a liar, too.”

My father was already fed up. “Watch what you say, boy. Your father cheated on your mother and forced her out with nothing, and you’re standing here defending him.” He turned to Daniel and Melanie, his voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. “Look at them. One is about to become a vice president, the other a university professor—with their morals. Do they even deserve those jobs?”

The people around us began to whisper, their eyes turning toward Daniel and Melanie, their smiles hardened. Clearly, they didn’t expect to be reprimanded in public. But my father wasn’t done yet. He turned to Robert and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed through the showroom. Robert staggered back, a tooth dropping out along with a mouthful of blood.

He looked at my father in shock. “Grandpa, you hit me. Why?”

But my father didn’t let him play the victim. “Why? Because you’re an ungrateful child. Your mother sacrificed everything for you, and this is how you repay her. She never punished you, but I will.”

Robert clutched his bleeding lip, still in disbelief. “But Grandpa, Dad didn’t do anything wrong. Mom is just a housewife. She did nothing but spend Dad’s money. She should be grateful he didn’t leave her sooner. It was Dad’s money that raised me, not Mom.”

I should have been furious, but instead, I thought, at least my dad hit both sides equally. Seeing Robert’s swollen face was strangely satisfying. Susan rushed forward in distress.

“How dare you hit my grandson? Mary was useless, so don’t blame the child for facing reality.”

But it was too late. By now the people around us had caught on.

“What an ungrateful child. His mother gave him everything, and he treats her like this.”

“Is he crying? His mom didn’t even cry. Why is he crying? He’ll regret this someday.”

Robert had never been humiliated like this before. His face burned with shame as he looked around at the judging eyes. Then without another word, he turned and ran. Susan immediately ran after Robert, leaving only Daniel and Melanie at the scene. Feeling the critical stares directed at her, Melanie forced a smile.

“Marriage is complicated. Mary’s and Daniel’s relationship had problems long before I came along. Their divorce has nothing to do with me.”

Daniel quickly took her hand. “Exactly. I’ve wanted to divorce Mary for a long time. Melanie had nothing to do with it.”

My mother scoffed. “Nothing to do with it? And how is it that as soon as my daughter finalized the divorce, Melanie moved in and immediately applied for a marriage license? I’d say the biggest problem in their marriage was Daniel’s affair with Melanie.”

Onlookers were outraged. “They really are a perfect pair—shameless to the core. How disgusting. Just looking at them makes me sick. And they had the nerve to mock this lady for not being able to afford a house.”

Daniel’s face turned a horrible shade of red. Melanie, feeling humiliated, tried to lower her head and sneak away, but Daniel grabbed her hand.

“Sweetheart, don’t worry. I won’t let you suffer for anything,” he whispered.

Melanie’s expression softened slightly. “Really?”

“When have I ever lied to you?”

Then Daniel looked at me. “Do you know why I divorced her? Because she’s a liar. She not only lies to her family, but she lies to herself. I was afraid she would be a bad influence on the children. So I left. Think about it. She was a housewife for fifteen years. She comes from an ordinary family. Where would she get the money to buy a villa?”

The stares from the onlookers turned toward me, now with a hint of doubt. I laughed. This was the man I had loved for almost twenty years. To clear his name, he was not only denying everything I had done for our family, but now he was openly slandering me. Too bad for him. His plan was about to backfire.

“What if I do have the money to buy it?”

Daniel sneered. “If you can afford this house, I’ll eat dirt.”

I smiled. “Don’t regret saying that.”

Daniel glared. “Stop wasting everyone’s time. If you’re rich, buy the house.”

Melanie added, “She’s just bluffing. Daniel is about to be promoted to vice president, and even he can only afford a townhouse with a loan. How could you, a housewife, pay for a villa in full? She’s just trying to save face.”

“No need to drag this out. Just verify my funds.”

It took the real estate company almost two hours to complete the verification. The crowd, instead of dwindling, only grew larger. People were whispering excitedly.

“Well, what’s the result?”

Daniel smiled smugly. “Do I even need to ask? Her account must be empty. I told you she’s a scammer.”

I looked at him, waiting for reality to slap him across the face. My silence to him was proof of my guilt.

“What’s wrong? Where is that arrogance from before?”

Dave, the sales agent, looked at Daniel as if he were an idiot. He cleared his throat and spoke. “Excuse me, may I say something?”

Daniel was confident. “Go ahead. Don’t hold back.”

Melanie chimed in. “Yes, expose her so no one else falls for her lies.”

Dave took a deep breath. “Ms. Mary has $30 million in liquid assets. Purchasing this villa is well within her means.”

Daniel’s eyes widened. “What did you say?”

Dave repeated himself. I smiled. “And what about that promise you just made?”

Daniel glared at me, still in disbelief. “It’s impossible for you to have that much money. Impossible. You must have bribed Dave to cover for you. You have at most $500,000, nothing more.”

Daniel had no idea that the account I used for verification was the one with the least amount of money.

“Ms. Mary provided a valid account with verifiable funds. Whether you believe it or not is your problem,” Dave said politely. “Ms. Mary, would you like to rest in our VIP lounge while we finalize the paperwork?”

I followed my parents to the VIP lounge. Behind us, the crowd was swarming Daniel.

“Idiot. The wife you tossed aside turned out to be a multi-millionaire. You must be regretting this so much.”

“If you hadn’t divorced her, you wouldn’t have to spend the next twenty years paying a house mortgage. You could have lived in her mansion.”

“Well, that’s what a jerk like him deserves.”

Daniel’s face turned tomato red. “You don’t understand. Mary must be scamming everyone.”

“Oh, please, keep making excuses. He simply doesn’t want to eat dirt. What kind of man makes a bet and then refuses to acknowledge it?”

Unable to bear the public humiliation, Daniel and Melanie fled in disgrace without even buying a house.

A month later, my family and I officially moved into our new home. Olivia now had a spacious, beautifully decorated bedroom designed to her taste. Since she loved reading, there was also an expansive study next to her room filled with books she adored. She was thrilled with the new house.

“Mom, I love you so much.”

Seeing my thoughtful daughter smile so radiantly, I gave her a loving pat on the head. “Mom loves you, too.” Then I added, “By the way, didn’t you say you wanted to study art and design at university? The United Kingdom has some of the best programs for that. You’re an excellent student, so your grades won’t be a problem. I’ve already hired the best tutors for you, and I’m preparing to send you abroad to study.”

“That’s amazing, Mom.” Olivia hugged me and gave me a soft, sweet kiss.

I sighed inwardly. Daughters truly are the best. A little bit of kindness from me, and she responded with the purest, most genuine love. Moving into our new house wasn’t just exciting for Olivia; it was exciting for me, too. I had finally begun a new chapter in my life. I no longer had to sleep in the same bed as Daniel, endure his snoring, wake up at five in the morning to cook breakfast for Robert, or tolerate Susan’s constant criticisms. Since the divorce, even my parents commented that I looked noticeably healthier and more radiant.

One day, as my parents and I were returning home, we happened to see Daniel and his family moving into the house right behind ours. Susan spotted us and immediately swelled with pride.

“Mary, look at this. Our new house. Isn’t it gorgeous? So jealous, right?”

I glanced at the house. It was fine. But compared to mine, it was much smaller. I shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess.”

Susan sneered. “Okay? Anyone hearing you would think you live in a grand mansion. The truth is you’re still stuck in some old run-down place.”

Melanie chimed in with a saccharine tone. “Mary, I know you must feel awful. You were married to Daniel for so long and never got to live in a villa, but I’ve only been with him for a few months, and here I am. It’s fate. You can’t blame anyone else for that.”

My mom scoffed. “We don’t need it, and we don’t care.”

Susan put her hands on her hips. “Then why are you standing there watching us move in? Clearly, you’re here out of jealousy.”

My mom rolled her eyes. “We were just passing by.”

Susan smiled smugly. “Passing by? You live in the South Central and this is the West District. What kind of route is that?”

My dad chuckled. “Well, truth be told, we actually live in the house across the street. It has a much better view and is much bigger. Frankly, we wouldn’t even consider a house as small as yours.”

Daniel scoffed. “The more you lie, the more you believe it. With your financial situation, you think you can afford a house in this neighborhood? You can fool the real estate agents, but not us.”

Robert, standing next to him, added, “Grandpa, Grandma, you should stop. You’re just going to embarrass yourselves later.”

My father narrowed his eyes. “You don’t believe us? Then come check if we’re the real owners of this.”

Susan crossed her arms. “Fine, this will be fun. Let’s see who ends up embarrassed.”

With the mindset of witnessing a joke, Susan and the others followed us to our house. When we reached the door, she snickered.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Open it. Or are you going to use the classic excuse that you forgot your keys?”

Before she could finish her sentence, my father casually placed his finger on the fingerprint scanner. With a beep, the door unlocked. He smirked.

“What century are you living in? Who uses keys anymore? Everything’s fingerprint now.”

Susan was stunned. “You really bought a house? A villa?”

My mom smiled proudly. “That’s right.”

“Where did you get the money?” Susan asked.

“That’s none of your business,” my mom replied smugly. “You just need to know that Mary is living much better without you.”

We were about to walk in when Daniel suddenly spoke suspiciously. “This villa isn’t yours. You’re just the maids, right?”

Susan’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she had just realized something. “Daniel, how clever of you. I was wondering how they could afford a villa, but now it all makes sense.” She narrowed her eyes and added maliciously, “Just wait. I’ll tell the real owner about your bad deeds and make sure you all lose even this job.”

How despicable. Daniel was the one who broke our marriage, yet Susan continued to do everything she could to make things difficult for my family. My parents, however, laughed cheerfully.

“We’ll be waiting.”

A few moments later, Olivia’s art history tutor arrived. Susan glanced at the well-dressed, elegant woman and immediately assu…